Page 52

GEOVANI

What came were the forces of hell themselves.

A strange voice lifted in the sanctuary. Geovani heard it from where she sat in her office penning letters. She’d been there most of the night, unable to sleep like some of the other priestesses. Something foul was in the Per-Siana air tonight; it left an irritating itch on her elbows.

“We can offer you power. You don’t have to be quiet anymore.”

The High Priestess lifted her eyes, wide and sharp as her flesh tightened. Surely the priestess in the sanctuary knew better. Still —she dropped her lead pen and raced around her desk, flinging her office door open wide.

“Don’t answer!” she shouted as Quinn gasped in the sanctuary, a water glass slipping from her fingers and smashing over the floor.

“I didn’t!” she promised as she dropped to her knees and held the sides of her head. The girl wept and cried out, “Leave me alone!” It was then Geovani lifted her spirit eyes and beheld the horrors—the dark beings crawling along the ceiling of her temple.

“Priestesses!” Geovani’s shout echoed through the sanctuary to stir every soul from their sleep.

The High Priestess swept toward the pews as young women opened their doors and emerged from their rooms, yawning and rubbing their eyes.

A dark wind channelled through the temple, smacking open books on tables, making the pages roll. Candles tipped over while sacred objects fell from shelves and smashed on the floor. Priestesses screamed in alarm.

“Make a fence! This is war!” Geovani called, positioning herself in front of Quinn. The priestesses swept around the girl, facing outward in a circle. They all began to shout.

The darkness shuddered as intercession wove light in radiant branches that spread over the floor and up the walls.

Geovani pointed at her enemies, calling them out one by one.

Some shadows fled, but the braver ones grew, giving the appearance of height and strength and demanding undeserved fear.

Nebulin shrieked, and Geovani grabbed her hand.

“It’s an illusion! Don’t fear them!” she reminded her priestesses. “The enemy is full of air while El is full of power!”

The door to the temple swung open, startling the priestesses into silence, and turning the shadows’ heads. A quiet breeze swept through the sanctuary from the entrance, cooling the sweat on Geovani’s brow.

Someone stepped inside. A great blade of light was in her hand, its glow rippling off the walls and illuminating the path at her feet. Geovani released a shaky breath, clutching her chest, holding fast to Nebulin’s hand.

Every dark thing in the sanctuary turned to face the maiden at the door, and a smile spread over Geovani’s dry, cracked lips. “El,” she murmured, “what’s happened?”

“Adassah faced her first test.”

Geovani huffed a laugh. It seemed Adassah had passed.

She wondered if Adassah knew she was glowing.