Page 46 of The Garnet Daughter (The Viridian Priestess #3)

August recounts the details of our hijacking and the woman who helped us before quickly moving to the First Son fleet and every vessel he saw.

I nod and second each description as 99 sends a message to Lord General for them to make the perimeter more secure for what is coming.

The weapons they have are not enough, but August suggests turrets to combat the towerlike structures we saw being moved in the birthlands.

“Selene and the order should be updated, too, so they can prepare the priestesses who will fight on the front lines. She has been helping with the highest selections,” Ferren announces to the room, but her flicking gaze lets me know it is an update meant for me.

“A new, stronger ward will be erected soon.”

“Did she say when?” 99 asks.

Ferren turns toward me, sensing my discomfort at hearing Selene’s name. It is no secret that my relationship with her is suffering as well.

“They are casting votes on the women they have narrowed down. All divine can vote, including you, Calliape, if you wish,” she says gently.

“I can?” My brow furrows in a twist, likely making my confusion seem like disgust, so I quickly soften it.

“Yes, it is written in the ancient texts. The very first highest came to power by those who were divine, not order members.” She smiles flatly, reciting information she has stored away somewhere deep inside but can easily recall.

“Will you?”

“I am not permitted.” She smiles bigger this time.

Even the mention that she has done something to banish her from the order’s rituals and ceremonies lights up her face, then she wraps her hand around 99’s and his helmet tilts toward her, the touch making him appear softer even with all his armor on.

August watches them too, and when his eyes meet mine finally, they are so full of longing to show me the same affection outwardly that I have to quickly avert my gaze.

“Have you received word from Commander Wesley?” August blurts out. His voice has a harsh tone to it, the layers of misplaced frustration breaking through the cracks just a little.

“Briefly.” 99 sits up straighter, making sure to glance at both of us to drive his words home. “He will be dealt with.”

“I did not expect him to do such a thing,” Ferren says over the lip of her mug.

“How will he survive out there?” I shake my head.

“There have been recent reports of cannibalism. He will be lucky if dehydration takes him,” 99 adds blankly.

“Oh, do you think the woman who helped you was . . . ?” Ferren plays with the handle of her tea.

“I’m not sure. She took us most of the journey to the temple, but we knew something was off.” I dance around having to recount that part, knowing how it ended for her.

“Did she witness Omnesis as well?”

“Um . . . in a sense, yes,” August answers, purposefully higher in pitch, rolling his eyes to the side.

“But you did see the stone?” Ferren leans in, ignoring him.

I take a sternum-cracking inhale to prepare myself for the direction we are going, one I cannot divert from. “Yes,” I say plainly. “It was . . . very safe.”

“Will it be returned?” 99’s chair creaks as he reclines, placing a large arm on the back of Ferren’s.

“No. No, it won’t. It is true our enemies want to destroy the stones. Omnesis confirmed that much. It told me many other things, but the stones are the least of our problems.”

August perks up, having not been able to hear what the old god revealed to me in its own language.

“You’re scaring me,” Ferren admits with expressive brows, but the serious note in her voice gives away just how deeply my words have landed.

“Omnesis claimed First Son is looking for three women, ones he has given gifts to during this conjunction year.”

“First Son can give out gifts? Like First Mother?” August stands, pacing to help with his understanding somehow.

“I have heard of such a thing, but I did not believe it was true, a mixed-up translation.” Ferren exchanges a subtle glance with 99. Whatever they are saying through the tether is hard to hide.

“Three women? Why three? One from each world?” August asks rapidly.

“You were not in its temple?” 99 asks him.

“I was, but the . . . creature spoke to Callia. I could not understand its words.”

“I assumed one from each world, but it said three divine births,” I elaborate to Ferren, hoping she starts to put together some of the pieces.

“He is looking for them to what end?” she whispers.

“A ritual. I don’t know, something awful. She called them his daughters.”

All three of them are frozen now, staring at me, their faces blanching at the word, the meaning it holds.

“Omnesis said First Son has never been successful in finding all three, but he has one captive already. Another is in the Estate.” I glance at 99, who is leaning forward so alert, I have to fidget under his intense stare. He is following closer than the rest of them.

I gulp down air and continue, “She said he gave his gifts to someone that is known to me. That he would rip apart the Estate to claim her.”

99 jumps to his feet so fast it scares Ferren.

“99, what is it?” She is so concerned for him as he punches in a sequence on his wrist comm, speaking into it and demanding a meeting with Lord General.

She looks to me with her wide, blown-out brown eyes, and then the meaning of my words seems to impale her through the middle so hard, she has to clutch onto the table.

August is behind me, his warm hand on my shoulder, knowing we are beyond caring about displays of affection in front of others.

I hold it tighter against me, wanting it to melt into my skin, down to my chest cavity, and pump my heart for me.

But when his thumb skirts back and forth against my collarbone, reminding me I do not have to do this by myself, I am able to summon enough courage to speak again without my voice giving out.

“I’m sorry, Ferren. I am almost certain you are one of the women he is after.”

She pants like the air is too thin. “How am I even known? I don’t understand.”

“You were scanned on Frith and then attacked,” 99 joins again, pointing a jagged finger into the table.

“That thing tried to kill me, not take me back to its master for some sort of ritual,” she argues.

“We don’t know what it was trying to do, just that you were wounded,” August points out softly.

Ferren laughs nervously, looking around the room like we are closing in on her.

“If you stayed on Viathan, he would be taking his fleet there. Omnesis was clear that he knew you were in the Estate. She said his fleet comes for the stones, but he is coming for . . . his daughters,” I add.

“I did not see First Mother when I received more gifts, but many don’t. That doesn’t mean they are from First Son. Selene said Frith gave me gifts like it did her the moment she touched the ground.” Ferren grasps for anything.

99 stands closer to her, touching her arm. “Your light manifested in the cargo hull before we descended the ramp.”

Ferren exhales sharply because he is right, and then examines her hands like the answers are written on her palms.

“If it is true, you are safest behind the ward, behind the Viathan line,” August says for her benefit as much as 99’s.

“How do we know this . . . Omnesis is not lying? The last old god I spoke to wasn’t exactly honest.”

A hush falls over us, Ferren’s point sticking enough to make us all pause.

“It doesn’t change anything. You are still you either way, but we should take extra precautions,” 99 states.

“If Ferren isn’t one of the women, we still need to make sure that the fleet does not breach our line. Because what we know for sure is they are coming here, and they will do anything to get inside, whether it be for the stones or something else.” August sounds so sure.

They have doubts, but I am certain Omnesis was speaking the truth.

Ferren is one of the women, I know she is down to my marrow, but convincing her that much on top of every other reality seems unnecessarily cruel.

So, I let her cling to her doubt. 99 will secure the perimeter and protect her either way.

He says nothing has changed in their defenses, but the moment I spoke of even the possibility of someone coming to harm his wife, I knew he would do everything in his power to make sure it doesn’t happen.

First Son has one of the women, that we cannot change, but we can prepare if Ferren is the second, even if there is no indication of who the third is.