“Priestesses have been coming here every night, pounding on the walls and screaming and throwing things,” Wendy sobbed. “Poor Armonie’s been scared out of her mind.”
“They don’t know I’m here,” Armonie whispered, staring at the wall. “But they know my name. Madam Elise knows my Hidden Name, Penny.” She turned to her with eyes full of tears. “If she finds out that I’m here―if they find me and take me to where the wraiths are made they’ll―they’ll―”
“There’s no need to worry, little sister,” Annette assured her, though her words lacked conviction. “There’s no way they’ll find you here.”
Armonie gave a weak smile and tried to nod, but the façade fell apart and she continued to choke back tears. Gavin watched her with a tortured expression on his face.
“What are we going to do?” Hector asked in a husky voice, sounding more like he was expressing how lost he felt rather than trying to work out a plan.
“There’s nothing we can do but leave. We’ve all got to get out,” Gavin sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
“No, no way!” Penny protested, starting to feel frantic. “Even if we are able to get away, what we’d be doing is wrong. You heard what Rhea said. If I don’t give myself up, then countless numbers of people will get hurt, have their homes destroyed, or maybe even be killed. I wouldn’t feel right saving my own neck if it leads to that.”
Annette shook her head, looking very solemn. “Penny, they’re probably going to sweep the city whether they find you or not. Everything we worked for will be lost if you get killed. All the sacrifices everyone made, all the hardships we endured will mean nothing. Don’t forget, you’re part of this. You may not have a part of Seival, but you certainly have a part to play. You owe it to the world to stay safe.”
“But I can’t have it weighing on my soul,” Penny breathed, thinking of Luke falling in the snow and being torn apart by the teeth of faeries. “If I just go to Rhea, she’ll let me get close to her—no one else besides me will be able to get past the barricade alive. Rhea won’t have me killed on sight, she’ll want to be there to witness it. Maybe even to do it herself. Then if I can somehow steal that flute away we can wake Adrielle―”
“Absolutely out of the question. Don’t you dare entertain such ludicrous thoughts,” Hector snapped, and Penny frowned.
“And what would you do, if it were you? Would you be able to handle the fact that people died at your expense? That you ran away instead of trying to help them?”
Hector paled at her words. He shut his eyes and took a moment to reassemble his argument.
“I thought we had an agreement. You promised me you wouldn’t put yourself in harm’s way, remember? Did that mean nothing to you?” he whispered only to Penny, then got up without another word and left as an avalanche of guilt hit her.
Gavin pulled her into the hall. “I didn’t want to say anything while we were in there, just because I thought you might be embarrassed, or―I don’t know, something―but I thought you should know that…well, the King came here. Twice.”
“Noah was here?”
“Yes, he came looking for you. When he heard Rhea’s message, he rushed right over to see if you were all right, but of course you weren’t here. He seemed upset by it, and so he came back about three days after, looking even worse off. He―he begged me to tell you to come to the castle if you could…and he wanted to make sure that I told you he said he was sorry. ‘I apologize for how I acted toward you and your comrades and I beg your forgiveness yet again.’ Those were his exact words,” Gavin said with assurance.
“Right. Thank you so much, Gavin,” Penny said with a nod, and turned away.
“Where are you going, Penny dear?”
“To pack the rest of my things,” she managed to reply, then found her way to her room as if in a dream. She moved about, shoving things into her bag that she might need. After a while she realized she may not be coming back to the manor at all, and started to pack everything that would fit. As she did, floods of memories hit her with every item she stowed away. She took notice of all the things she’d accumulated, of all the happy times she’d spent in this place, and of all the times she’d sought comfort from her bed, and her throat felt tight.
Will this be yet another home I can never return to? She pushed the thought from her mind.
When she was finished packing, Penny felt so disconnected from everything that she found herself wandering from room to room. She had the faint notion that an argument over a difficult decision was going on in her subconscious, but like a voice lost among the crackles of static on a radio, Penny could not tune into it.
In her daze, she nearly stumbled over Armonie kneeling before a coffee table covered in herbs, flasks and beakers. The young woman was concentrating on squeezing an aquamarine liquid from an eyedropper into a flask.
“What is all this?” asked Penny as she looked through the huge collection of potions.
“They are all medicines,” she answered. “People are going to get hurt, and just because they have excommunicated me does not mean I’m going to give up on what I dedicated my life to. Our side is going to need medics, and I refuse to be useless.”
“That’s incredible, Armonie,” Penny marveled, looking through the salves, potions, and elixirs that Armonie had mixed up from scratch.
“I’m just doing what comes naturally. And anyway, I hope your friend Argent won’t mind that I raided his lab for some of these ingredients.”
“No, I mean that you’re holding up so well in the face of all this danger. You must be so scared.” Penny sat down on the sofa to watch Armonie work, but Armonie set down her eyedropper and looked earnestly at Penny.
“I was thinking the same thing about you,” she admitted, her expression serious. “And I’m not really as strong as I’m trying to appear. On the nights that they came, I nearly collapsed under all the fright and grief at seeing my old friends turned against me. If Gavin hadn’t been there, I just don’t know what I would’ve done. He stayed by my side all night long.” Her face went pink.
“Wow.”
“It wasn’t like that!” she shouted, her blush darkening. “It was just…very sweet of him. He just wanted to make sure I was okay, that was all.”
Penny grinned, welcoming this distraction.
Armonie frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, big sister, don’t tease.”
“You like him, don’t you?”
“No, that’s just sil―oh, dash it. Of course I do.” Agitated, Armonie picked up her potion again but couldn’t seem to regain her focus.
“Then why run from him? He seems honest enough with his feelings, and Gavin’s one in a million―you’d be hard pressed to find a nicer guy,” Penny argued, and Armonie gave a heavy sigh as her face became even redder.
“You don’t have to tell me all that, I know,” she grumbled. “It’s not like I’m opposed to his affections…it’s just that…well, he’s―”
“You can’t be upset about how he dresses,” Penny said with a bit of anger, and Armonie hastily shook her head, looking alarmed that Penny had mistook her reluctance.
“No, no! Please don’t misunderstand! It’s not him that’s the problem, it’s...” Armonie trailed off, looking at Penny with frightened eyes. “You must understand that I was set to become a High Priestess from the time I was eleven years old. Since it’s such an important position, one of twelve in the whole world, all manner of courtship is forbidden! I grew into adulthood with the belief and duty that I should avoid such things at all costs, that if I were to stray it would be a sign I was not devoted enough to hold my office. And I have no idea what to do, or what to expect, or how to act―it’s completely unknown to me.”
“I think I know what you mean, but I also think everyone feels that way at first. You shouldn’t be afraid of what you don’t know―well, maybe if it was Simon after you, you should be afraid, but I think you’ll be okay,” Penny advised, feeling a stab of pain as she tried
to laugh at the memory of Simon.
“It’s all so confusing,” Armonie admitted. “Did you have something to ask me, by the way?”
“Yes,” Penny answered, thinking about how she wanted to word what she had in mind. “Armonie, you’ve met Cardinal Rhea, haven’t you? Why does she want to find me so badly? They wouldn’t be asking for me to be brought in alive if they only wanted me destroyed.”
“That’s true,” Armonie nodded, her brow furrowing. “Rhea seemed to be fixated with finding you during the short encounters I had with her. I can’t be sure, but I think she wanted to ask you something, or maybe even just see you with her own eyes. You seem to mean a great deal to her for some reason.”
“She’s not bluffing then, is she? She’ll really tear this city and everyone in it apart to find me, won’t she?” Penny surmised, and Armonie nodded soberly.
“I’m afraid so. She was never like the other Priestesses. She was always so filled with rage. Cardinals are not appointed by their choice, you see, Cardinals are born. Rhea’s soul is bound to this world, and it consistently returns to Elydria with each reincarnation. She’s filled with magic as deep as the ancient ones, which explains her particular appearance and abilities. Rhea is indeed devoted to Lord Nestor―such absolute dedication I’ve never before witnessed, but she is angry. She has so much hate in her soul.”
LATE THAT NIGHT Penny paced the room that had once been her sanctuary, but now was stripped bare and devoid of comfort. Her heart was racing and her stomach clenched, and she feared her body wouldn’t allow her to go through with her plan.
I know I can do this. Rhea’s strong, but she doesn’t know what I’m capable of. Maybe I should tell the others, maybe then can help…but no, they’ll kill or capture them as soon as they see them. I’m the only one Rhea will allow to get near her; Armonie was sure she wanted to talk to me. I have to go alone, it’s the only way. I can’t run away, no matter what. If I can spin a dream that will stun her long enough, I can get that flute. Then I can find a way to stop her.
Or maybe I can just use it to call Adrielle, and then everything will be fixed. I won’t have to hurt anyone. Adrielle can stop this from happening. She’s an Angel.
And how exactly am I going to call Adrielle before she wakes up? Take a quick jaunt to the Garden of Eden?
I’ll figure that out once I get the flute.
If I get the flute. When I go there, Rhea will most likely kill me.
I know she will. But I can’t run away and let everything fall to pieces because I didn’t want to try. Everyone thinks it will all be lost if I get killed, but they don’t really need me, do they? I haven’t got a part of Seival in me, I have no real purpose in this. Or maybe this is my purpose in this. Maybe I’m supposed to do for this very reason. Is that what Della meant? Annette, Noct, Mia, and Hector will be able to find the others without my help.
Oh God, Hector…Will you ever forgive me for this? Will I ever see you again?
“Stop that,” Penny admonished herself, causing her thoughts to disperse like frightened fish. The hours wiled away painfully, but when Penny saw dawn peeking through her window, she knew it was time. She gathered up her bag and stepped into the hall. She took her time tiptoeing through the silence of the manor, looking around at all the familiar adornments with a renewed sense of love and appreciation for them. She found herself haunted by the suspicion that whether she made it out of this or not, this would be the last she set foot in this house.
With every beat of her heart, Penny’s emotions changed. At one pulse she felt a deep, inner peace about her decision, and at the next dread and fear would overwhelm her. Her eyes darted around the roads as she crossed into the Business District, and she paused when she spotted a familiar alleyway.
Just like that evening on Blossom day, Lydia’s caravan was parked in the pale shadows. Smoke was puffing out of the tiny metal chimney, and the door suddenly burst open as Simon exited, a toothbrush in his mouth. Penny moved to leave, but he had seen her.
Their eyes locked for a moment that seemed to last hours, and then Penny fled. She jogged for as long as she could, appreciating how the exercise seemed to alleviate some of the nerves in her chest.
All too soon she was crossing the bridge into the Royal District, and by the time the sun had risen over the horizon, tinging a sky that bled in purple and red, the Grand Cathedral was in her sight. Penny stood frozen, her heart throbbing as she begged herself to turn away.
They’ll kill me.
You’ve got to try, Penny. You’ve crossed worlds and driven back Angels. You can do this.
With a deep breath, Penny gathered all her willpower and forced her legs to move forward. Around the Cathedral a blockade had been erected, and the open archways sealed shut. Seeing no other way, Penny ran and jumped, clearing the blockade with surprising agility. She charged to the Cathedral door and pounded on it with her fists. It swung open.
Two young priestesses who looked half-asleep gaped at her.
“Bet you weren’t expecting me, huh?”
“Madam! Hurry!” the first girl screamed, tripping over her own feet as her partner lunged forward. She plunged her own hand into her pouch.
Penny reacted out of terror, shoving past the girl before she had time to find whatever she had been looking for. She broke into a run, logic fading as her instincts took over. She felt as though she were looking at her body from a bird’s eye view as she called for the Cardinal to come out and face her. Priestesses were scrambling in from every door and hall to stop her.
Hands grasped her shoulders and scraped at her neck, legs and wrists. The ringing of bells sounded like a flock of enraged birds amongst the shouts of the priestesses, who succeeded in immobilizing Penny and clumsily dragged her deep into the Cathedral. Penny felt her skin being scratched and her hair pulled in the chaos.
“Wake the Cardinal! We’ve caught her!”
The frenzy gradually subsided, and Penny was escorted up flight after flight of stone steps, until at last she was allowed to stand on her own two battered legs and limp down the long hall. They passed a window, and for a brief second Penny glimpsed the burning orange dawn and tears stung.
I can’t do this―I can’t. Why did I think I could do this?! They’re going to tear me apart!
At the end of the white marble halls with their golden accents was a door of deep purple, emblazoned with the crest of the Angel Nestor. The two therion priestesses who stood guard outside the door smiled unkindly at Penny as they opened the door wide. The air filled once more with the vicious shouts of the girls, calling for the Cardinal and shaming Penny. She cringed from the blows but kept moving.
When they reached the threshold, Penny was thrown onto the floor with such force she felt her elbows would shatter from the impact. She wanted to rise to her feet and face the Cardinal with courage and defiance, but her body had been shoved and tugged every which way, and she felt it would break with any more movement. The priestesses went quiet as footsteps crossed the room.
“It’s her, Madam Cardinal! We’ve brought her to you!”
“Shut your mouth, you liar,” Penny growled, raising her eyes to glare at the woman making the claim. “You didn’t capture me. I came on my own.”
Rhea raised a hand, silencing the woman’s retort. Penny felt a hand grab at the back of her coat and she was pulled upward to face the Cardinal.
The woman gazed at her hungrily, her mane of hair burning red around the pallor of her face. “I feel all the magic within her―more than I’ve ever sensed in a single being. It is indeed her.”
“What shall we do with her, Madam?”
“Leave me. All of you,” Rhea barked. The priestesses looked at one another in confusion.
“But, Madam…is she not dangerous?” one girl ventured.
“GET OUT, all of you! I must speak with this wretch alone. Be gone at once!” Rhea commanded, her wild hair whipping around as her aura of magic swelled. Some of the girls squealed and skittered away,
but a few of the older priestesses took their time leaving, casting skeptical or disappointed looks at the Cardinal. When the last one had left and shut the door behind her, the Cardinal sighed in exasperation and let go of Penny.
Rhea pulled out her flute and quickly began playing. As the last note sounded into the empty chamber, Penny felt her body lifted as if by invisible cords. She soared through the air and came to the edge of a fountain in the center of a beautiful terrace. Stained glass windows in the ceiling poured rainbow light onto the tiny beds of herbs and flowers. The air that carried Penny sat her on the edge of the fountain, less than two feet from the Cardinal.
“I wish to look upon you with my own eyes, Penelope Fairfax. You who have darkened my thoughts for years,” Rhea said, and raised her shivering hands to the metal blinder that covered her eyes. With a click, the blinder came loose and she lifted it away from her face with her hands, revealing a pair of inhuman eyes.
They were orange in color, impossibly wide and generated a bizarre radiation that hurt Penny’s head. They were inexplicably one of the most horrible things Penny had seen, and she felt she would be sick if she looked at them for long. She focused on Rhea’s forehead.
“Strange. I somehow expected you to be much prettier.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Penny gurgled, and spit a glob of blood from her mouth onto the ground. Rhea looked so outraged by the action Penny half expected the woman to choke her on the spot, but the Cardinal pursed her lips and remained silent until her anger died down.
“You know what will happen to you here after, I expect. I’m going to call Lord Nestor to this place and he will surely dismantle you―yet you still came willingly to this place,” Rhea puzzled.
“You and your pack of zealots have already destroyed enough lives. I wasn’t about to let any more of your inhumanity happen on my account,” Penny snarled, trying to work her into a rage. She’ll be easier to fool if she isn’t thinking clearly.
Eden Undone (The Dawn Mirror Chronicles Book 2) Page 25