Persephone

Chapter 9.2: Eyeview of the Priestess

[*A/N: Happy Valentine's Day, you guys! Hope y'all feelin' loved today! Also, here's a special eyeview chapter for our Priestess of the Gryffin Covenstead!]

Chapter 9.2: Eyeview of the Priestess

Adonia watched her carefully. Fortunately, she was showing healthy signs of improvement from whatever happened to her earlier, but the priestess was feeling drained, meaning more energy had flowed out of her. She pored all over this in the hours the girl lain unconsciously in the bed to the time Adonia was leading her out of it, until the girl had the unexpected knowledge of her name. Adonia didn't need to think twice: she had opened something. Good or bad, she didn't know. If it was bad, then she must have felt something; but nothing came. None of her adepts were reacting either; even Luxys, who had excelled more than the others, was watching the girl calmly in the corner of her eye.

Suddenly, the girl walked forward to the picture that hung above the fireplace, and stopped, looking at it. "Who's that?" she asked to a particular no one.

Adonia felt something stirring in her, and she looked carefully from the woman to the girl. Glamour, she thought suddenly and quickly sidled up to her, casting off a spell that she thought wasn't there in the first place. Adonia almost cried out loud in relief and joy when a younger-faced version of the woman appeared on the girl. Persephone! her mind gladly shouted at her heart. So that's why! Ceres, my dear friend, you are indeed the smartest of us all! "That's Ceres Velladonna, the greatest White Witch to ever live." And my dearest friend, she added silently to her reply to Persephone's question. Goddess, grant me this boon, she prayed and touched the base of Persephone's spinal chord, sending out a Seeking Spell that may grant her a faded memory.

Evander caught Persephone's limp body before she hit the floor, and carried her to the sofa, placing her there. "You did this, didn't you? Why?" he asked without stopping, looking at her as if she'd shoved a knife down Persephone's throat.

She would never! But then, Adonia lurched lightly, Luxys stepping up and wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. "You must rest, my lady. You're burned out, I can feel it."

Adonia smiled tiredly. Maybe she should listen to her most gifted adept for the mean time. "Later," she promised. "I won't be working on another spell after this one. I just need to know what this one can show her...and us."

"What do you mean 'us'?" Evander countered.

"Why, are you going to leave already?" Adonia shot back at him. Now she knew why Persephone was mad at him; the half-breed was infuriating!

He said nothing, and moved away as Persephone stirred. The girl looked so pale that for a moment Adonia felt that she had broken her most sacred vow: 'And it harm none, do as thou wilt'. "Luxys, a bowl of cool water and cloth." As soon as Luxys arrived with her wanted items, she began to wipe the sweat beads that appeared on Persephone's skin. She smiled when she opened her eyes. "It must be taking a great toll on you, isn't it?" she asked quietly as she cupped Persephone's face to check if she was feeling truly better.

"She's my mother," Persephone seemed to gasp. Luxys looked from her to Adonia, a pained look on her face. Adonia shook it away and returned the cloth to the bowl. 

"Yes," she answered first. "She was." 

"What do you mean, she was? Where is she?" The girl sat up a little straighter, determination set on her jaw.

Adonia tightened her lips. "You really don't remember anything?" Peculiar. She must have worked a much more difficult spell, Adonia thought.

She shrugged. "As you said, I seemed to have forgotten everything. And being here, and seeing all this and knowing you immediately, proves that point. I know something, but I can't remember it. It's like, blocked out of my head. I want to know." 

Adonia smiled. She was beginning to like the girl. She was so much like Ceres. She patted her cheek. "Good. Let's get started then."