by Liv Savell
Brande started a small campfire, and Kala brought the tea, and Alphonse looked up at the stars and laid her head against Delyth’s shoulder. Their life was peaceful now, even with Enyo popping up from time to time, but it was solitary and quiet. Mostly Alphonse liked that solitude, but the feeling of being surrounded by friends was a welcome change.
Kala and Brande were talking to one another, so Alphonse turned to Delyth. “What did the old woman say?”
༄
Delyth looked down from the smattering of stars above them to find Alphonse gazing up at her, curled close and sheltered by the protective curl of a wing. They must have sat like this a thousand times since they had met on the road to Thlonadras so that now it felt almost like Delyth’s body was made to mold into this position, one black sail around Alphonse.
“She gave me a warning,” Delyth said, sighing out a heavy breath of air. “She says that the Dragon Kin are fearsome warriors, fire breathing berserkers. Evidently, I am soft compared to what she knows of my kind.”
The idea was a strange one to Delyth, who had always known herself to be bigger and stronger than most humans. She was an excellent warrior. She wielded a God’s Companion Blade.
If she was soft, what did that make the others?
It had the unpleasant tang of the stories told about her at the temple, and it made her stomach turn with worry. What if she found her people only to be dismissed by them? She would always have a home in Allee and a sort of family in Etienne and Brande and maybe one day in the greater community of Cabots, but she still longed to be among her kind. Then again, there were many stories at the temple that were just that, stories. They had considered her a monster, though she was not one. Perhaps these stories were similar. Over exaggerations. Jibes half-invented by those who feared the Dragon Kin.
“Do you think she’s right about them? She did also say that she was glad we had met, for all that my loving you means that I will not produce more of my kind.” A spark of humor danced behind Delyth’s eyes.
Alphonse’s brows knitted together before a little smile tugged at her lips. “Oh? I hadn’t realized I was holding you back… Perhaps we should go off on a journey to find a nice, big strong male Dragon Kin so that you two could make a hatchling?”
Delyth just snorted. The idea was entirely inimical. Even if she had ever been attracted to men, she could not see herself with anyone but Alphonse. Teasingly, she leaned over to press a kiss just under the healer’s ear, hidden in the shadow of her wing. “I like things just the way they are.”
“I do too,” Alphonse agreed. “But, in all seriousness, Del… I think a lot of stories only show one side of things. As you know, life is more complicated than that. You won’t know the truth if you don’t ask. Right?”
“Right,” Delyth said, hugging her closer. “When did you get so wise?”
She would just have to see for herself what her people were like. There was no sense in fretting over stories before she ever found them.
The healer smiled and nuzzled against Delyth. Brande and Kala were looking out at the stars, and Alphonse turned her eyes towards the heavens as well. “One time when I was with Enyo, she told Va’al that some of the stars still had wishes left. So I looked up at the stars and wished. And wished. And wished. That I wouldn’t be trapped forever with her, that I would get to see you one more time as me. I don’t know if it worked, but that was the night we dreamed.” Alphonse turned towards Delyth, and in the shelter of the wing, kissed her lover. “Do you believe the stars gave that night to us?”
Delyth kept her lips close to Alphonse’s, her face softening into a smile. “I don’t think there’s any way of knowing for sure, but just in case, I’ll be thanking the stars every night.”
“I will too. Maybe there are still wishes in some of the stars.” Amber eyes flickered to the sky above. “Should we wish to find the Dragon Kin?”
Delyth closed her eyes and wished with everything she had that she would one day find the Dragon Kin, that Alphonse would be safe and well and happy for the rest of their lives, that Brande and his family would prosper.
She didn’t know if the stars had three wishes to give, but then, they were stars, so she was sure they would choose the best of them. “Alright, I wished,” the warrior said, smiling down at Alphonse. “Perhaps the stars will favor us again.”
Pronounciation Guide
Characters:
Alphonse: Al- fonz
Anwen: An-win
Arawn: Ar-awn
Artur: Ar-tur
Awsten: Austin
Brande: Brandy
Branwen: Brahn-win
Delyth: Del-ith
Degale: De-gal-eh
Etienne: Eh-tee-en
Gethin: Ge-thin
Henri: Ahn-ree
Izel: Ee-zel
Jacques: Jzock
Kala: Call-a
Maiak: My-ack
Maya: My-ya
Maxus: Max-iss
Meirin: Meer-in
Niclas: Nick-lahs
Patli: Pat-ly
Rhydian: Rid-ian
Risette: Riz-ette
Tanwen: Tan-win
Tristan: Trist- an
Zuma: Zoo-mah
The Gods:
Aryus: Air-ee-us
Enyo: En- Yo
Esha: Eh-sha
Iluka: Ill-Luke -Ah
Kirit: Cure - it
Maoz: Ma- Oz
Ruyaa: Rue - Ya
Tha’et: Tha-et
Va’al: Vah-all
Children of the Gods:
Enyo & Esha:
Mother Agathi, Goddess of Hearth, Home and Family: A-got-thee
Enyo & Va’al:
Mascen, First Child, God of Disasters and Destruction: Mass-in
Enyo & Maoz:
Bledig, God of Wild Forgotten Places: Bleh-dig
Enyo:
Pwll, Forest Sprite: Pwil
Maoz & Va’al:
Eifion, God of Shapeshifting and Change: Eff-ee-on
Maoz & Illuka:
D’draig, Dragon Goddess of the Deep Ocean: De-draeg
Maoz & Tha’et:
Ral’draig, Dragon Goddess of Dawn: Rahl-draeg
Llu’draig, Dragon Goddess of Dusk: Thule-draeg
Esha & Iluka:
Wynne, Goddess of the Sea Bounty: Wine
Esha & Va’al:
Rhaimon, Goddess of Magic and Luck: Ray-mon
Rhodd, God of Charisma and Leadership: Row-odd
Rhan, God (non-binary) of Spurned Lovers and Adulterers: Rohn
Rhianu, Pure, Blind, Dumb Luck. Sometimes Male, Sometimes Female: Ree-ann-oo
Esha & Tha’et:
Enfys, Omen of Good Luck, God of Sky and Rainbows: In-fis
Iluka & Va’al:
Derog, God of Shipwrecks and Pirates: De-rog
Iluka & Tha’et:
Dyl, God of the Martine Sky: Dill
Gar, Goddess of the Moon and Tides: Gar
Ruyaa:
Awen, The Muse: A-win
Siwan, Imagination: See-wan
Huw, Creation: Hou
The Ladies, Chickens:
Bram: Bram
Ines: Ih-nes
Lilou: Lee-lou
Margot: Mar-go
Silvie: Sil-vee
Places:
Aberdwir: Ah-ber-dweer
Araria: Uh-rar-ee-ah
Aur’Draig Peaks: Our’draeg
Bwystfil Hilion: Bwist-fill Hil-lee-on
Caerthleon: kair-thlee-on
Glynfford: Glen-ford
Gwynhafan: Gwen-haf-an
Ingola: In-gol-a
Moxous: Mox-us
Morpentre: Mor-pen-treh
Mynydd Gwyllt Clan: My-nid Gwilt Clan
Thloegr : Thlo-ger
Thlonandras: Thlan-an-dras
Tir Maru: Tear Mar-oo
Tupa Gali: Too-pah Gal-ee
Nyth’draig: Nith-draeg
Treffin: Treff-in
Rhith Gwerin: Rith gwair-in
> Translations:
aderyn bak: ad-er-in bahk (little bird)
Afon: af- on (river)
Annwyl: ann-wil (Darling, Beloved, Dear)
Bak un: bock een (small one)
Brig ia: Brig ee-uh (ice peak)
Bykhan: bee-khan (little one)
Cabot: cah-bo (descendants of humans and Gods)
Caer: kai-er (real goddamn fast) (fort or stronghold)
Crael: cray-el (posessive pet name)
Dewr: deh-oor (brave)
Fford: ford (road)
Mynydd: My-nid(mountain)
Neidr: nay-dir (snake)
Tref: tref (town/village)
Acknowledgement
It's insane to think that we are already publishing book two! It has been an incredible journey, with plenty of people to thank along the way.
First, thank you to our friends and family who happily supported the tremendous amount of time and energy Goddess took from us. Your understanding made the writing, rewriting, editing, proofing, and beta editing process guilt-free.
Thank you to our unbelievable beta readers who go above and beyond. Special thanks to Lauren for catching everything and Franz for your expertise in fight scenes and history!
To our freakishly talented cover artist, Sara, thank you, thank you, thank you. You take our rambling "brainstorm" zoom call sessions and turn them into true pieces of art.
And last, but never least, to our readers. Your support, reviews, and fan art mean the world to us!
Priestess
Book III in the Call of Calamity Series
Follow the origin story of the women who
started it all: Delyth and Enyo.
COMING JUNE 2021
Join our newsletter for a sneak peek!
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