Page 27 of Sun, Moon & Shadow (Fate of Aemoria #1)
Nova stirred at the shrill call of gulls overhead. She straightened in her seat, glancing around the deck and blinking the lingering fog of sleep from her eyes. The sea breeze ruffled her hair, brisk and refreshing but noticeably warmer than when they set sail from Nivali.
A strong wind blew at their backs, propelling the boat toward an island just coming into view.
The crew was already awake and enjoying a breakfast of cold oatcakes.
Callan and Arik stood at the bow, taking turns peering through a spyglass at the island emerging on the horizon.
Off the starboard side, Nova could barely make out the dark, jagged line of a rocky coast in the distance.
Silvergard .
Her chest swirled with equal parts intrigue and unease as they sailed close to the infamous Lunar Court. Callan approached, holding out some oatcakes and a flask of water, which she gladly accepted.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“Surprisingly well,” she replied through a mouthful of food. She took a gulp of water and swallowed it down. “Thankfully the sea agrees with me.”
“We should reach the temple in another hour or so.” He pointed toward the island, which had grown slightly since she’d last looked.
“Is it dangerous to sail this close to the coast?” She tipped her head toward Silvergard, barely visible to the east.
“We won't draw their attention. Even if we did, we’re traveling outside their borders.”
Nova took a final sip of water and handed the flask back to Callan.
He took up position at the foot of the mast while she set to work making herself presentable, rebraiding her hair and smoothing out the fabric of her rumpled clothes.
Lowering herself onto the bench, she pulled the piece of parchment from the concealed pocket inside her cloak and read the message before stashing it away again.
A nervous energy coursed through her, her body refusing to sit still as she watched the Isle of Illora slowly come into view.
Up close, the island was massive. Carved out of a stark white rock formation jutting up from the sea, the temple consisted of a large central structure, round with a domed roof, flanked by two smaller structures of the same design.
High walls around the perimeter connected the three domed buildings.
Tall, arched windows dotted the exterior walls.
The only entrance was an enormous gate at the end of a long jetty, made from the same white rock as the temple, shaped over time by the sea.
When they were a short distance out, the crew lowered the sail and rowed the rest of the way, pulling up skillfully alongside the dock and tying off the lines to secure the ship. Callan climbed off the boat first and extended a steady hand to help Nova disembark.
She turned to the temple and observed a male walking along the dock toward them.
Roughly her height, he was slim but muscular and dressed in a spotless white tunic, breeches, and boots.
His platinum-blond hair was cut close to his scalp and contrasted with the deep brown of his skin.
He greeted them with a slight bow, his hazel eyes warm and welcoming.
“Greetings. My name is Daví,” he said. “Only Sisters and invited guests may enter the temple.”
Nova reached into the folds of her cloak and produced the letter requesting her presence.
“My name is Nova. I’ve been invited by Sister Iris.” Daví smiled as he scanned the message.
“Very well.” He handed the letter back, his eyes lingering on her blades. “Weapons are forbidden inside the temple walls.” His gaze shifted to Callan, who stood protectively at her back. “As are males, I’m afraid.”
Nova unfastened her belt and laid her sword across Callan’s ready hands before pulling her dagger from its sheath and passing it to him as well.
“Don’t leave without me,” she whispered before turning back to Daví, who motioned for her to follow.
The walk to the entrance took several minutes. While the structure had seemed enormous from the dock, it positively loomed over her as they neared the gate.
“If males are not permitted inside, where do you live?” she asked.
“There’s a modest barracks carved into the rock where I reside along with several other Brothers. We belong to a sect whose members dedicate their lives to serving and protecting the Sisters of this temple.”
“That’s very ... noble of you ...” Her voice trailed off as she gaped at the vertical wall of white rock before her. Daví halted at the foot of a set of stone steps leading up to the gate.
“In my mind, there is no cause more noble than defending those who cannot defend themselves.” He bowed and motioned for her to enter.
As soon as she set foot on the first step, the ground trembled beneath her, and the stone gate slowly swung open, leaving just enough space for her to enter before rumbling back to life and sealing her inside.
Shortly after, a petite female arrived to greet her, dressed head to toe in white.
Her high-necked robe had long belled sleeves and was cinched at the waist with a braided silver cord.
Her light brown hair was pulled back from her face in a tight braid.
“Welcome, Nova. I’m Sister Iris.” She bowed her head and laid a hand over her heart. “Please come with me.”
Sister Iris turned and led Nova across a vast courtyard toward the largest domed structure.
The ground underfoot was the same white rock.
Potted trees and plants filled the courtyard, and awnings provided cover from the sun.
White-robed figures roamed about the grounds, some tending to the greenery, others reading.
“Who are the Sisters of the temple?” Nova asked as they passed a group kneeling in a bed of soil and tending the brightly colored flowers.
“Most have troubled pasts and seek sanctuary within these walls. We overcome our own struggles by dedicating our lives to a common purpose.”
“Common purpose?”
“Serving as a light for those in darkness.”
Nova followed Sister Iris in silence, past a large pool of pristine water with a magnificent fountain and through a high stone archway into what Nova gathered was the main temple.
The structure was open all the way to a curved ceiling so high above that Nova had to tip her head all the way back to see the constellations painted across it, mirroring the night sky.
The air was thick with the murmured prayers of the Sisters gathered to pay homage to the goddess Illora.
The rap of Nova’s boots echoed loudly off the stone walls as Sister Iris approached the base of an oversized statue of the goddess carved from the gleaming stone.
Illora’s flowing hair and robes floated out around her, her kind face lowered, smiling lovingly at those who worshipped at her feet.
Sister Iris approached one of the figures kneeling before the statue, tapping her lightly on the shoulder and whispering in her ear. The female rose and turned to face Nova.
Nova’s heart stopped for an instant before stuttering back to life.
She knew the face staring back at her as well as she knew her own. The face she had seen on canvas, nearly every day of her life, was now cast before her in flesh and bone. The face of her mother, Elena.