Page 107 of The Starlight Savior

She knew it deep in her bones that if any of the kingdoms had the most powerful magic, it would be a weapon. Saige thought back to Conor’s frantic words, the look in his eyes as he tried to explain why he hadn’t told her of the court’s intentions. He had claimed he had been protecting her…that Opela was not as safe as she wanted to believe it was.

“Everything you need to know is written on those pages. It’s a rare relic, so you must stay here.” The priestess rose from the chair, setting aside the empty teacup. “Take as much time as you need.”

Saige nodded, the book sitting heavy in her hands. Whatever information she found in here would either lead her to the path she was destined for, or a dead end. She wasn’t sure which she wanted more.

Curling herself into the chair, she opened the book. It took a moment to adjust to the flowery handwriting, but once she did, she couldn’t stop reading. They were the last words of the Queen of Astra Islands. She had never heard of such a thing. The cluster of islands in Eastern Opela, off the coast of Tiranos, was unmarked in the mortal lands. But she kept an open mind and heart as she continued reading.

The book began at the creation of Sydera, recounting everything she had already learned. The sun and moon birthing the Mother Goddess. The six deities pouring from Sydera’s blood and stars. This book was different from the rest of the history texts she’d been assigned. It focused less on the deities and more on Sydera.

“Sydera carved pieces of herself until there was nearly nothing left,” she murmured under her breath as her fingers trailed the lines. “Mara held a piece of Sydera’s rage close to her heart. Her power flowed through most of Opela. Rivers, lakes, oceans, and oases. Her water fueled Tonirus’s storms. She, and her kingdom, believed they deserved more from Opela. But the wards kept her back.”

Saige shuttered. If Mara was here today, she couldn’t imagine what the vengeful Goddess would do with the protective wards gone.

“By the time Caelum was forged,” she continued, heart thundering, “all that remained for Sydera to offer was her soul. It was what built the Otherworld, along with the wards. Her last act of greatness.”

She continued to skim, searching for any information on Astra Islands. Finally, her eyes landed on a section about Sydera’s witches. Forged from the stars above, a handful of wielders rose from the eastern islands, shielded from the potential greed and power already spreading across. From Tiranos’s shores, some claimed to see shadows and magic shining in the light of the full moon. Others reported seeing the tides pulled back and witches traveling to the mainland. It was a strange and unnatural phenomenon, one that seemed more lore than reality.

Reaching to turn the next page, she pricked her finger against the paper.

“Shit,” Saige murmured. Blood pooled to the surface as her finger stung. A drop splattered onto the page, merging with the ink. Before she could blot it away, the ink began to glow bright as her body lurched—

Stumbling forward, she felt her knees hit the ground hard and looked up asPriestess Domina’s quarters warped into a strange room. Pillars supported the ceiling, but there were no doors or windows. It was wide and open, the smell of salt drifting into the air. Water trickled from a large statue at the front, a woman with long hair pooling liquid into her hand. A man lounged on a stone throne. His beard was trimmed neatly, golden hair slicked back. A crown sat upon his head, forged with light blue jewels, silver flowing like water. Around his neck, an amulet with a blue stone seemed to throb with power.

“You know what is expected of you?” the man asked. He didn’t even look at Saige, instead his gaze of skepticism and malice looked past her. “We must follow Mara’s wishes, Cecilia. Expand the land. Our magic. If you can’t recruit your sisters, you know what must be done.”

“Yes, my king,” said a voice from behind Saige. She stumbled to her feet, gaze drifting around.

A witch, not much older than Saige, kneeled before the unfamiliar king, her head against the marble floor. Her hair was long and black with strands of silver.

Saige stepped forward, hands outstretched. They still didn’t look towards her, not aware of her drifting through the words and memories. When her fingers reached the witch’s skin, they moved right through her body, as if she weren’t real.

A soft voice drifted through Saige’s head, startling her.

“For years, Cecilia felt out of place, living on Astra Islands. The day she crossed over to Tiranos, her magic and power were welcomed with open arms. She rose in the ranks quickly, standing by King Tyrus’s side. Cecilia was even deemed the next heir for the Tiranos throne. If she was strong enough.”

Saige’s eyes widened as she took in the sight. The page she had turned to…the first lines had begun with King Tyrus, the previous ruler of Tiranos. Did she somehow stumble into the book? Into a memory?

It made no sense to her. But when did anything magic related make sense? Priestess Domina said starlight was the purest form. That she would find her answers in this book. Maybe the priestess knew of such enchantments.

“Sydera’s wards even dwell in the Otherworld,” King Tyrus continued. “You would defy your Goddess? Your Starlight Queen?”

Cecilia shook her head. “I worship Mara, my lord.”

The king bared his teeth. “Good. Now recruit your sisters. You’ll need their magic.”

The setting before her froze. Cecilia’s eyes were wide and determined as she looked upon the water king.

Suddenly, her surroundings shifted, and she was no longer in the open room. Cecilia stood on an empty beach. Saige could feel the black sand between her toes as she followed Cecilia towards the shore. In the distance, a castle sat upon an island, jutting from the sea. Cecilia outstretched her hands, palms glowing. The water drifted back towards the island, revealing flopping fish, tangled seaweed, and luminescent coral reefs. A flash of light shot from the island, blinding Saige.

Her feet hit hard stone. Saige looked up to see Cecilia standing in front of the castle doors.

“You’ve come home,” said a woman with a smile. Dressed in dark robes, her bright white hair fell over her shoulders. A necklace sat in the center of her chest, an eight pointed star. Saige recognized the voice as the strange soft one inside her head.

The smile fell the moment Cecilia outstretched her hands, a tendril of starlight wrapping around the woman’s neck and squeezing tight.

“No!” Saige screamed, running forward. But her body fell right through, her shoulder hitting the ground.

“I’ve come to demand what’s mine.” Cecilia’s voice was cool. “Retrieve my sisters. I need their help, Ameris.”