Holy War: Two Worlds and an In- Between

Chapter 31: SYZYGY

I pushed the door open peeping in to make sure that no one was there. When I realized that I was alone, I stepped into the room and looked around. I ran my hand against the wall covered in red silky curtains and smiled at the room.

The room itself was smaller than any other room in the castle and was oddly circular. In addition to havening silk curtains over the walls, there were tall candle holders as the light for the room. I immediately thought that someone lit them and was coming back to the room, so I hurried along in my investigation.

In the middle of the room, there was a circular table with a map of the world. I was never really good at geometry, but I could tell that the map wasn't of earth. I looked at the beautiful blue and green countries on it and noticed how disoriented it was. In fact, the map wasn't set in place. The map had circled inside of circles almost like a puzzle without matching pieces.

"Maybe if I move it..." I whispered to myself as I rested my fingers on the map.

I began to turn the circles around each other trying to make the pieces match. I focused as the countries began to unscramble to make continents and words began to form at the top of the map. I couldn't help but smile a bit as I looked down at the newly constructed continents. My smile didn't last forever. When I tried to make out the words, it read: THE SYZYGY BIRTHED FOUR.

I shook my head and squinted my eyes at the map. What was a syzygy? As I frowned at the map, the top outer circles with the message began to turn. It then read: THE SYZYGY BIRTHED ONE. The inner circles then adjusted to make a map that I could recognize. It made a map of earth. I shook my head stepped away from the table. Instead of looking for clues right away, I left the room and snuck back down the hall.

***

Later that day, I sat in the girl's room mindlessly brushing Winter's thick brown hair. I believed that I was in auto pilot. Too scared to think or act in any way, because the world was falling apart. I could see myself through Winter's vanity as she watched me brush her hair. My eyes had dark circles beneath them and my lips were resting in a frown.

Winter wore an icy blue gown and Summer wore a bright yellow gown both to their ankles. I had already finished Summer's hair and found it easy to endure her endless wining when she was just a muffled voice. I did feel bad for Winter who was putting in the effort to be kind but had to deal with my sulking.

For the first time since my arrival in Saros, I was actually dressed nicely. I had wished that I'd packed a bag or two for the trip, but I didn't. Instead, I had to wear a tank top and a pair of sweat pants at the farmhouse. Then I was made to wear rags around the castle which, to be fair, was a significant improvement.

But that day, I was wearing an elegant silk black and blue dress that fell below my ankles. As I was expected to take the girls into town with their father and represent the castle, I was expected to look the part. It had been a long time since I'd felt so elegant and beautiful,

"Margret," Winter said snapping me out of my trance, "what's wrong?"

I forced a smile for her as she stood to face me, "Nothing's wrong sweetheart. I just miss my friends, that's all," I confessed with a slight shrug.

"Are you sure? Something seems to be on your mind," she pressed turning to face me. I had never noticed how her eyes were icy blue before she batted her eyelashes at me.

"Well, there is something, but I doubt you'd know anything about it," I said.

She furrowed her thick brown brows at me, "Try me," she said.

I looked back at her sister who had her head buried in a book that had a title in words I couldn't understand. I decided to try to put my trust in Winter. I had to know what happened to my boys. For all I knew, they could be in danger. I couldn't imagine them being in danger while I wasn't doing everything humanly possible to save them. I had no other option.

"Do you know what a syzygy is?" I asked Winter, but she shook her head.

Much to my surprise Summer looked up, furrowed her brows and scoffed, "A syzygy is when three or more celestial bodies line up. How could you forget that Winnie?"

Winter's face lit up, "Oh yeah when we were born, four celestial stars were lined up. It caused all of the seasons to pass in an hour but not really in order. I was born in Winter, Summer in summer, Autumn in fall, and our oldest sister, Spring, in spring."

"The syzygy birthed four," I thought to myself, "the girls were born during a syzygy. That must be the four."

"Oh, well how come I haven't met your other sisters?" I asked with fake interest in their lives.

"Because Autumn is away, and Spring is ..." Winter said as her voice got sadder.

Her sister interjected, "Dead, Spring is dead," for the first time since I'd known her, Summer showed more than disgust. She showed hurt.

Through the door walked Benny, "Ok, time to go ladies!" He announced as a teardrop fell from Summer's cheek.

***

Traveling in the carriage was another improvement in my spiraling life. Before, I'd travel by foot beside the carriage, but that day, I sat beside Sir Itachi having a conversation about the festival with Benny.

"They say that the only way to become a master of your magic is to win a fight before in the King's audience," Summer informed me flipping through the pages of her book, "I don't know what kind of primitive kingdom doesn't have a fighting festival? I bet you guys don't even have carriages."

"Summer," Winter whisper yelled.

I shook my head and smiled, "No, she's right. We don't have carriages. We don't even have fighting festivals. All we have where I come from is some cheap fights called WWE."