Eye of Saturn (The Daughters of Saturn Book 1)

by Raso, Idalita Wright

  Maria kissed Felipe on the cheek before entering into the servant’s carriage.

  Alejandro gave Felipe a manly hug and a hearty pat on his back.

  “Take care, Alejandro,” he said with tension in his voice.

  Felipe saw Zaybeth fast approaching and quickly broke away from his brother. He walked up to her. “Zaybeth,” he said softly.

  She brushed past him.

  There was so much Felipe wanted to say to her, but what could he say that wouldn’t make matters worse? Soon, Zaybeth would become his brother’s wife and they’ll have a family of their own. The very thought of his beloved Zaybeth in the arms of his brother made him ill, but, there was something that bothered Felipe far greater than Zaybeth marrying his brother.

  Felipe rubbed the back of his neck and glanced over at Lilith. Did she see him in the garden with Zaybeth? If she had seen them together, surely she would have said something. The day he returned her shawl, Felipe expected Lilith to slap him in the face. Instead, she kissed him sweetly on the lips and thanked him for finding her favorite shawl.

  Maybe she’s waiting until everyone leaves to let me have it.

  Felipe scratched at his neck. His shirt collar felt tight against his throat. His paranoia had gotten the better of him. The moment his parents’ carriages rolled out of sight, Felipe dashed inside the palace. Tugging and tugging until he loosened his collar, but in doing so, Felipe unknowingly broke the clasp of the gold heart-shaped locket Lilith had given him as a wedding present. The locket slipped from around his neck, falling onto the floor leaving the cross Zaybeth had given him around his neck.

  “Felipe.” Lilith called out. She stepped into the foyer.

  Overwhelmed by his emotions, Felipe dashed into his study and slammed the door shut.

  Lilith’s eyes spotted locket lying in the hall. An intense rage surged through her as she scooped the locket up in her hand. Lilith’s eyes darkened.

  THE SPELL’S BEEN CAST

  9 June, 1456. Granada, Spain Palacio del Sol.

  After spending three long months traveling with the Sultan Said, Felipe finally arrived in Granada late in the afternoon. Tucked securely underneath his arm was a brightly colored wrapped package for Lilith and a rolled piece of parchment tied with a silk red ribbon, containing a love poem he had written. Being on the road traveling for three months gave him perspective about his marriage—he was a changed man.

  “Mother was right. If I concentrate on making my wife happy and I will forget all about Zaybeth,” he said to himself. Felipe rubbed the back of his neck. His foot began to tap nervously. He hoped the messenger had told Lilith of his arrival. He had so much to talk to her about—he had changed! No more taking long business trips or neglecting her. Felipe vowed he would treat Lilith with the love and respect she deserved.

  Felipe thought about Zaybeth. Surely, Alejandro had asked Maria for Zaybeth’s hand and his father shocked everyone by agreeing to their union, taking all the credit, just as Alejandro had predicted. Felipe expected there would be a letter waiting for him at the palace, announcing his brother’s and Zaybeth’s engagement. Suddenly, Felipe’s countenance changed. He became angry and clenched his jaw tight, furiously brushing his sweeping bangs out of his face several times.

  Well, like it or not, Zaybeth was going to marry his brother. In his heart, Felipe was happy for her. She deserved a man who could love and take care of her, which was something he was not able to do under his present circumstance.

  Felipe leaned back into the soft, upholstered carriage’s seat to calm his nerves. He gave a slight grin. Lilith was extremely beautiful. Any man would be lucky to have her as his wife. But Felipe was ashamed to admit Lilith was something of a mystery to him. He could not escape the feeling that she was hiding something from him.

  The carriage approached the palace gates and Felipe felt a chill that put his nerves on edge. His stomach felt queasy, something wasn’t right. He stopped short of asking the carriage driver to turn around and take him to his parents’ estate in Toledo, but it was too late—the carriage had already come to a grinding halt in the center of the main courtyard of Palacio del Sol.

  Felipe stared blankly at servants he scarcely recognized. A manservant helped him out of the carriage. Felipe stood in the courtyard and looked around, he had been gone so long—he was a stranger in his own home. He felt the warm embrace of a pair of arms wrapping around him, followed by a tender kiss on his neck.

  Lilith emerged from amid the myriad of servants. “I’m so happy you’re finally home, Felipe. I’ve missed you,” she said, in an affectionate tone.

  “I missed you, too, Lilith. Here, I have a gift for you,” he said, handing her the brightly-colored, wrapped package.

  “Well, this is certainly going to be an evening filled with surprises,” she said, opening the package. It was a multicolored shawl. “It’s just lovely.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” Felipe said, wrapping the shawl around Lilith’s shoulders. He planted a kiss on her lips. “Oh, I almost forgot,” Felipe said, handing Lilith the rolled parchment containing the poem.

  “Oh, and what’s this?” she asked, untying the red, silk ribbon.

  “It’s a love poem I wrote just for you.”

  “How sweet, just like the ones you used to write when we were children. Well, Felipe, don’t think that I have forgotten you. I have many surprises in store for you this evening,” Lilith said wryly.

  Felipe followed Lilith inside the palace and up the stairs to their bedchamber, where a manservant was waiting for the couple. The man opened the door and bowed. Once inside, Felipe was greeted by a room lined with dozens of lit candles and a hot, fragrant bath filled with rose pedals.

  Lilith walked behind Felipe and slipped off his jacket, handing it to the manservant. Felipe then turned facing Lilith. He gave her a seductive smile. He wrapped his arms around her, their lips locked hungrily. The shawl and poem fell to the floor.

  Lilith moaned as Felipe kissed her. They grappled at each other lustfully. Lilith unfastened the buttons of Felipe’s shirt, ripping his ruffled shirt off his body on to the floor.

  Felipe felt Lilith’s fingers brush against his chest. His body quivered.

  She kissed his chest, allowing her tongue to trail up to his face and to his ear, kissing it.

  Felipe moaned softly.

  Lilith went down on her knees and took off his shoes then his stockings. Lilith unbuttoned his trousers, allowing them to drop.

  Felipe stepped out of them and Lilith slid down his undergarments.

  A manservant gathered Felipe’s fallen clothing.

  Felipe waved to the servant to leave.

  The servant bowed and left the room.

  Felipe lifted Lilith up in his arms and spun her around, kissing her lips hungrily. It had been a long since they made love.

  Suddenly, Lilith broke away from Felipe’s amorous embraced, leaving him wanting her even more. Felipe couldn’t explain it, but he was falling in love with Lilith. Maybe he loved her the whole time, but just didn’t know it. Maybe Zaybeth was an infatuation. Or, maybe it was the fact that Zaybeth was going to marry his brother and there was nothing he could do about it.

  “Now, it’s time for your bath, my love,” she said, taking him by the hand and leading him to the sunken tub. Once Felipe’s body was submerged, Lilith rubbed a magickally-charged, herbal compound on a sponge and applying it to Felipe’s back. As Lilith massage applied the magickal mixture, she kissed the nape of his neck.

  Felipe rested his back on the bath pillow. “Lilith, I promise from now on—”

  “Shh, my love, just lie back and relax and let me bathe you.”

  Felipe relaxed and allowed Lilith to massage every inch of his body with the enchanted mixture of exotic herbal oils. They were intoxicating to his nostrils.

  Lilith dressed Felipe in a fine silk robe.

  Felipe took his wife’s arm and the pair strode down the stairs to the dining room.

  Feli
pe was astounded by the endless buffet of food. There was a variety of seafood, lamb, stews, soups, and his favorite pork dishes, which surprised him because Lilith found pork vile.

  “Lilith, why such a lavish dinner?”

  “I’m just happy you are home, my love,” Lilith said with a smile. “Now, sit, eat, and enjoy.”

  Felipe took Lilith’s advice and sat down at the head of the dining table. A female servant poured wine, while he dined on succulent ham and shrimp.

  “Lilith, you aren’t you going to eat something?” Felipe asked with his mouth full.

  “No, darling, this is your homecoming celebration. It’s just enough to see you enjoy yourself. Eat up, my love,” she said.

  After dinner, Lilith poured Felipe another cup of his favorite wine. She massaged his shoulders and neck.

  “Mm, that feels great.” He affectionately held Lilith’s hand, kissing it. He looked up at her with his soulful brown eyes. “Thank you for such a wonderful homecoming.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Lilith, there’s something I must discuss with you...”

  “Shh,” she said, pressing her index and middle finger to his lips. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait until morning. Let’s enjoy this evening. I have more surprises in store for you,” she said with a devilish grin.

  “Oh?” he said, placing the goblet of wine on a nearby table. He reached for Lilith, trying to get her to sit on his lap. Lilith laughed while she playfully pulled away from Felipe. She moved over to the window and gazed heavenward, and smiled. The planets were in perfect alignment and the time had come to execute her revenge.

  Staring up at the star-strewn sky, Lilith began praying under her breath in Solsatihel.

  Felipe felt a chill. “I’m sorry, Lilith, did you say something?”

  Lilith turned and gave Felipe a slight smile, while she continued praying softly.

  Felipe felt tired. His eyelids grew heavy. The room began to spin and fade. He could barely keep his eyes open. Felipe’s head bobbed up and down as he tried to fight the unnatural sleep that had come upon him. The cup of wine slipped out of Felipe’s hand, spilling onto the floor. Everything went black.

  EYE OF SATURN

  Awakened by ghoulish laughter and ear-splitting shrieks, Felipe opened his eyes. Still groggy, he blinked a couple of times, unable to tell if he was dreaming or if he was awake. Felipe inclined his head, catching glimpses of scantily-clad apparitions vanishing and reappearing in rolling clouds of smoke all around him. The apparitions left shimmering trails of purple and white rays of light, which illuminated the macabre temple. Fear was building inside of Felipe. He struggled to move his arms and legs, but he discovered he was chained to an altar.

  Spreading her wings and taking flight, Isis swooped down and leapt on top of Felipe. She gave him an evil grin. Her long, black, serpent-like tongue darted out of her mouth, licking his bare chest.

  “Felipe, you are a fool if you think you can deceiveth our priestess and fornicate with your harlot,” Isis said, frost spurting forth from her lips.

  Asira stepped forward from the shadows laughing wildly.

  “Felipe, you are a foolish man because you think Lilith is just a beautiful, helpless woman. Oh, how she has fooled you,” she said.

  “You will soon come to know Lilith’s fearsome power,” Dusana said, appearing from the shadows.

  Asira laughed. “The tongue that once kissed your lips so sweetly and caressed your cock so hungrily is a double-edged sword that drips a deadly poison.”

  Nashiema and Abraham followed the Chief Elder Obadiah, and the temple elders to the altar where their arms twined together, forming a circle.

  “Nashiema, Abraham, help me,” Felipe yelled.

  Ritual drums start to play.

  “Curse him, my daughter. Curse Felipe, for he has broken your sacred, blood covenant. Curse the fool!” Nashiema urged.

  “Curse the fool and send his soul to the depths of the great abyss,” Abraham roared.

  Lilith appeared in a mist of rolling clouds dressed in a flowing, black hooded robe. Her back was turned to Felipe as her arms stretched to the heavens, praying.

  Although Felipe could not see Lilith, heard her praying in a strange language. It was the same language he remembered her whispering in their bedchamber at his parents’ estate and just moments before he went unconscious.

  “I, Lilith, your loyal servant, seeketh retribution for sins against me. O, Saturn, our true judge, vindicate me. Do not allow the guilty to go unpunished.”

  Lilith walked over to a blessing table. She took a jeweled-handled athame that donned the face of Saturn and spread a magickal mixture of the Tree of Life and the Fountain of Youth on its blade. Next, she dipped the blade into a thick, blood-like substance. Lilith walked over to sacred, ceremonial waters and placed the magickally charged athame in the stream. Thick, white foam floated to the top as the water began to boil. Lilith joined the Daughters of Saturn and Obadiah, who had gathered in a circle around the altar where Felipe was bound.

  “O, High Priestess, who seeketh to open the forbidden scrolls unleashing Saturn’s awesome powers, may Saturn grant thy wish. Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Dark Lord, Saturn, bringer of death, destruction, and decay, come ye, without delay to your temple. Come ye, before this circle, to grant our wishes,” Obadiah prayed.

  Lilith stepped forward. “Come, great god, Father Saturn. By the rod of Moses, by the staff of Jacob, and by the ring and seal of Solomon, I praise those who worship, Seraphim, Malachim, Elohim, Beni Elohim, Kerubim, and Ishim, grant me what I wish this night.”

  Lightning streaked across the sky and rumbles of thunder shook the walls of the temple. The once-clear sky churned and dark clouds rolled and twirled in the heavens. There was a strong gust of wind. Billowing black clouds formed in the chaotic sky.

  The Daughters of Saturn started chanting.

  “Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI!” (Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn!)

  “Lilith!” Felipe called out. “What in God’s name is this place?” he said, struggling to free himself.

  Lilith stood over Felipe. She pulled back the hood of her robe. “You are so pathetic!”

  Felipe stopped struggling long enough for his gaze to meet Lilith’s cold, dark eyes. A flash of terror rushed through his mind as he came to a stunning revelation.

  “My God, you mean to kill me?” he managed to say between panicked breathing.

  “Yes,” her voice thick with hatred.

  “Why?” his voice cracked.

  “Betrayal,” she growled.

  “Lilith, I swear I’ve never betrayed you. I have never been unfaithful to you.”

  “Liar! I saw you in the garden with Zaybeth.”

  “Nothing happened. I swear.”

  “Tell me you don’t love her.”

  “Lilith, please unchain me and let’s get out of this god-forsaken place and go home, where we can talk. Please,” he begged.

  “Deny your love for Zaybeth, Felipe and I shall set you free.” Lilith said.

  Felipe wanted to say something, anything that would save his life, but even facing death he could not deny his love for Zaybeth.

  “Lilith, please.”

  “Just as I thought. You must take me for a fool!” she growled. “Was it not your words to your father... oh, what was it? Ah yes, I remember ‘you forced me to marry her, you cannot force me to love her.’”

  Felipe went silent.

  “To think you wrote me such beautiful words in your letters and poems... I thought you loved me.”

  “That’s just it, Lilith. My mother wrote you those letters.”

  “Francisca?” Lilith muttered. “She was like a mother to me. Your family, they are nothing more than filthy liars. They too shall pay for their deception. I will make sure your father will never spend one ounce of my family’s gold.”

  “Lilith, please listen to me...”

  “You have humiliated and dishonore
d me for the last time, Felipe. And to think I was going to petition Father Saturn to bestow upon you the gift of immortality.” She leaned over Felipe, raking her sharp fingernails across his chest. “Oh, but rest assured I still have plans on making you an immortal. But instead of it being a gift, it will become your curse!”

  “Lilith, please!”

  Lilith’s eyes darkened. “I plan to turn you into most abhorrent creature to ever walk the face of this earth, a vampiro,” she said, laughing wickedly.

  “That’s not possible,” Felipe said. He turned his head and looked in the direction of his in-laws. “Abraham, Nashiema, help me! Lilith has gone mad.”

  Nashiema and Abraham gave Felipe a cold stare.

  Isis stretched forth her hand and the Six Forbidden Scrolls appeared, hovering in midair. The first gold cylinder floated toward her and opened.

  Isis read from the scroll.

  “Spirits of the dead, hear us! Spirits of the grave, and devil’s slaves, hear us! Father of the abyss, turn Felipe’s soul amiss. Make it foul and filled with stench. Transform his heart black as pitch.”

  Felipe struggled frantically to free himself. His wrists rubbed raw against the metal shackles. It was no use. He laid his back on the altar and prayed.

  “Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos. Santificado sea tu Nombre Venga tu reino Hágase tu voluntad—” Felipe said, praying the Lord’s Prayer.

  “Oh, your god can’t save you now,” Lilith said, in a low growl.

  Felipe continued to pray, “…en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy el pan de este día. Y perdona nuestras deudas—”

  “Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI!” (Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn!)

  The Daughters of Saturn chanted, drowning out Felipe’s prayers.

  The second scroll opened and Dusana read from it.

  “I call upon you Lord Saturn to judge and punish Felipe’s soul.”

  The Daughters of Saturn chanted. “Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI!” (Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn!)

  The third scroll opened and Asira read from the scroll. “Bring the light to wake the seed. Let the beast from hell be freed.”