Page 59 of Born of Starlight
I balked, “What do you meansomeof them?”
“The rarest Source magic is water because the Source Origin Aquas escaped his ill fate by sinking to the bottom of the ocean—so I suppose he doesn’t walk, he swims. The Death Origin survived as well, of course. And then some say the Shadow Origin struck a bargain with his half brother Death to live as well.”
My mind rolled around the information that he shared.
Origins walking the realm, the rise of the Reverists, the peculiar words of the young child outside.
“The people outside think they protect this place from a Black Moon Prince—who was he?” I asked.
The Divine’s face fell. “The Black Moon Prince led the Reverists. He was both the Source Origin of Deathanda Reverist. The only known warlock in history to be purely both. After the Reverists defeated the Sources, he turned on them, killing every pure Reverist. He was never seen again.”
I stared at that image of the Source Origins beneath the slab, being pressed out of this world. My heart hung heavy.
I could not imagine a world where Source Origins still walked the land, commanding mortals. Nor could I imagine the chaos the Reverists’ power could bring to Henosis.
“Thank you for sharing this with me, are you—” My breath sucked in.
The Divine was gone—without a sound, without feeling him move.Vanished.
With one last look over my shoulder at the pictures carved in stone, I ran out of the temple as fast as my feet would carry me. But, before running toward the inn, I halted with a strange urge to look up.
There was a single candle burning in the top spire, and a dark figure stepped up to the window.
It was just a trick.
I tried to tell myself that there was no importance to a story told by a man of worship, in a temple. It was just another legend of Henosis—just another tale woven to offer an understanding of our existence.
Though just in case the Source Origin of the Sun was watching, I knelt down and lit the candle that I’d been given and placed it on the temple steps among the other glimmering flames.
“May you protect those who need the light,” I whispered into the night to no one. Though maybe Astros truly had once walked the lands, maybe he listened now.
* * *
The three stonetubs of the communal bathroom at the inn were empty.Thank the Sources.With what little strength remained, I dragged a wooden divider over to the tub. Even though it was late enough that I doubted anyone would enter.
My stomach growled, reminding me that most were getting heavy with food and drink. The wine, paired with my experience at the temple, still made my head spin. I kicked off my linen dress and knotted my already clean hair above my head. Baths had always helped me feel centered—like the water could wash away the troubles of a long day.
Someone had left a bushel of dried lavender behind. As the tub filled, I sprinkled the dried petals into the swirling pool and lowered myself in. Only the light from a few dim lanterns lit the room, and it was the perfect place to reflect on what mattered.
Get the warlock to the Queen.
Figure out where the threat was coming from.
Save Henosis.
It wasn’t a simple checklist.
Did the Black Moon Prince have something to do with this?I shook that thought—just a tall tale.
More intrusively, the thought of Fen touching that woman, leaving with her—it was making an uncomfortable tightness grow in my chest. It didn’t make sense why I was so upset. He wasn’t mine to be jealous over. Who he spent his time with was none of my concern.
My mind quickly wandered to places it shouldn’t.What was Fen doing with her now? Where was he touching her, kissing her? Would he have the same desperate passion he had when he’d kissed me earlier?
And his words burned into my mind, filling me with heat and longing. “I would give you all the gratifying distractions your body could take.” My fingers had just slid between my thighs when a knock came at the communal bathroom door.
Chapter17
Fenris
