Page 3 of Ties of Deception (Tethered Hearts)

Chapter

Three

I scooped up some pomegranate seeds, hoping the taste might trigger a memory or another flow of happiness that I could use to Bless people. But I felt nothing other than the tart, crunchy sweetness I expected. A strange emptiness hovered in my chest. I was becoming used to the ache. I supposed with so few memories and experiences, it was natural to feel adrift until I got to know myself and my world more. It wasn’t normal to be born as an adult after all.

I finished my breakfast while listening to a talented woman play the flute. It was a happy joyous melody that made me think of spring, gurgling brooks, and fields of wildflowers. I still found it strange that I knew what these things were when I’d never seen them.

Two weeks had passed since my trip into Yienna, but I hadn’t left the villa again. Instead, I’d agreed to see petitioners every morning, and Drusella kept a strict schedule with plenty of breaks. The problem was people expected a repeat of the healing of the toddler where ripples of my power had spread far into the crowds, but I couldn’t replicate it. The image of the basket had faded to an emotionless memory. Some days, I stayed happy enough to meet most of their needs; other days, people came and went with little to show for their efforts. The pressure and expectations for me to remain constantly happy were exhausting. It was hard not to feel despondent.

Silvia hurried to my table as I set down the empty pomegranate rind. Ever since I’d called for Flavia to join me in the litter instead of her, Silvia had been overly cheerful around me, rushing to help me in any way she could. I wasn’t sure how to reassure her and hoped she would relax as she got to know me. I hadn’t intended for this to become a competition, I simply found Flavia’s presence more relaxing and grounding. Silvia whisked the empty rinds away and peered into my glass. “Oh, you’re low on orange juice. Let me pour you some more.” She grabbed the jug from across the table.

I held up my hand from the couch where I was reclining. “No, I’m fine, thank you.” I hadn’t meant my hand to catch hers, but she knocked into me as she tried to stop halfway to my cup. Juice sloshed over the rim and onto my arm.

Silvia froze in shock, her eyes wide as she stared at the spilled juice. “I’m so sorry.”

I got my napkin and dabbed away the liquid. “Don’t worry. It didn’t spill on my dress. It’s fine.” I moved the cloth to the table to dry the remaining drops.

Silvia was still staring, then she took the cloth from me. “Let me clear that up for you. I’m sorry.”

The frantic edge of her voice made me stand and get out of her way. I didn’t want to add to her stress. Across the room, Flavia arrived with a bowl of water and a towel. She placed them on the low table. “You may want to wash your arm so it’s not sticky.”

I obliged, though it had only been a few drops. I checked to see that my dress was still clean, then glanced back at where Silvia had been. She’d disappeared along with the dirty cloth.

Flavia bowed her head, returning my attention back to her. “My lady, are you ready for the petitioners?”

I dabbed my lips with the towel in case any of my breakfast remained and nodded. “Can the flute player come too, to help my mood?”

Flavia’s lips formed a conservative smile. “I am sure she’ll be honored.”

I stepped through the pair of pillars that began the walkway to the petitions room. Drusella was waiting by the door in a dark blue, expensive-looking dress that accentuated the brightness of the tall gold headband pushing back her hair. Her hands were folded before her, and I noticed that her skin looked younger than when we had first met. She normally met me here each morning to brief me on who I was seeing.

Today, her small smile seemed to hide a more serious, determined expression. I was growing to be wary of the hidden emotions around me. I suspected she was worried about something.

“Lady Purity, how did you sleep?”

I smiled as if I didn’t suspect anything was amiss. “Very well, thank you.”

She looked down and squeezed her hands. “I’ve decided to cancel your morning petitions. I hope you don’t mind.”

My breath caught in surprise, and I opened my mouth to object, but she interjected quickly. “Don’t worry. They’ve all been rescheduled, so you will still be seeing them. But Purity, you’re very young. Please don’t emotionally exhaust yourself. You’re still learning what makes you happy. At the moment, your Blessings…well, they’re not the most reliable. I know you want to help people, but the best way to do so is by concentrating on your own wellbeing, which will improve your power to Bless others.”

I took a deep breath to argue, but with rising frustration, realized she was right. The sinking feeling of failure arose before I could stop it. How could I be so bad at my single purpose here? A sharp noise echoed from the floor beside me. I realized one of the beautiful checkered tiles had cracked.

Drusella stared at it with wide eyes. “Maybe two days recuperating would be better. It’s normal to take days for rest and leisure. You’re doing too much too soon. It’s not a reflection on you. Graces can live immortal lives, you know? They can only be harmed by severe physical injury. You have no need to rush. No time restraints. Some families keep their goddess confined for a whole year before expecting them to Bless people. Please understand, Purity. Your emotional wellbeing has to be everyone’s priority.”

I nodded. What she was saying made sense. I was just…disappointed in myself? Upset for all those people I could be helping? My mood sank. As a goddess, I just felt like I should be…more.

I returned to my main room. The flute player looked confused as she scrambled to keep up. I sank down into the silk cushions of my couch and accepted a glass of wine from Flavia. I looked around. “Where’s Silvia gone?”

Flavia licked her lips. “She’s gone, my lady.”

I frowned. “Gone where? Was she unwell?”

Flavia’s expression was blank. “I’m not sure, but I think she might not be coming back.”

Oh. Had I been too much for her? Had trying to make me happy been too overwhelming? Guilt stirred, even though I wasn’t sure that I’d done anything wrong. I massaged my temples until Flavia’s own fingers took over, moving in slow circles around my scalp.

A large carp pond in the garden lay half sheltered by an enormous weeping willow. It was becoming part of my routine to feed the fish every afternoon and watch their colorful, graceful bodies suddenly swirl around in a frenzy. It felt satisfying to see the frantic energy that had been so carefully buried beneath a calm exterior.

This afternoon—my second day recovering from petitions—I sat on the marble bench, watching them return to their lazy, aimless wanderings weaving between the stems of lily pads. A few lily buds bloomed in my presence, causing stars of pale pink, white, and rich magenta. There was something timeless about this place. Aimless and peaceful.

“Purity!”

I looked up and saw Pris crossing the ornate bridge that arched over the stream that fed the pond with a little waterfall. She waved in excitement as if she didn’t see me almost every day.

She hurried down the path, then collapsed onto the bench beside me. “I’m so glad I found you here. Can you help me?”

She held out a finger. One of her nails had broken, and a half moon of crusted blood rimmed the fingertip. “It hurts. Can you fix it for me? I’d be so grateful. I’m meant to play the harp tomorrow for the councilman’s visit, but it’s hard to perform like this.”

I turned back to the fish and searched for that feeling of peace and enjoyment again. “Will my powers work on such a small wound?”

Pris frowned down at her finger. “I hope so. I think Mother wants the councilman’s son to court me. She’ll murder me if I don’t make a good impression.”

I raised an eyebrow. I’d never thought that there’d be events hosted in the main villa that I wasn’t invited to, but I supposed that made sense. The family had their own affairs apart from me, and I got the impression that I wasn’t privy to much pertaining to their lives. “Do you want him to court you?”

She wrinkled the bridge of her nose. “Maybe. I don’t know. I haven't spoken to him often. But still, I need to play the harp well…oh.” She looked back down at her finger and leapt from the bench in excitement, whirling her hand around. “You did it! You did it!”

I wasn’t even aware it had happened, but Pris was moving too fast for me to verify the state of her nail.

She bent down in front of me. “Thank you! Is there anything I can do for you in return?”

I was about to decline, then thought for a moment. “Can you teach me?”

Her eyes widened. “Teach you? Teach you what? Goddesses don’t need to go to school. You’re not meant to do anything stressful.”

I nodded, feeling more certain about what I wanted. What I needed. “Can you teach me about the city? The country? How everything works? What I need to know to understand interactions with different people. That sort of thing.”

She pursed her lips then held up a finger. “Maps. I’ll show you the maps. If you go to your villa, I’ll bring them to you straightaway and answer all your questions.”

Her excitement was infectious, and I felt much better as I returned to the main room of my villa, the curtains pulled back around the pillars to show the garden drenched in sunlight. Pris returned only minutes after me.

She spread out a map on the low table and helped herself to a couple of grapes as she used various bowls and cups to weigh down the curling corners. The map was drawn with shimmering gold, red, and blue ink. “Our empire is outlined in red. It was originally two different countries, and as you can see, it spans two continents. We live here in Atos. Our island might be small, but we have prospered due to the Graces.” She tapped a raggedly shaped island nestled in a vast expanse of sea.

“Atos lost their independence almost two hundred and fifty years ago to Hassia to the south.” She tapped a finger on the map. “This country here, which is part of a vast continent. The people of Hassia have different bloodlines, and instead of Graces, they have warrior goddesses, Amazones. They’re fierce and powerful, so it wasn’t difficult for them to take Atos.”

I licked my lips. “And does Atos want independence again?”

Pris winced and shook her head. “It is not seen as a polite subject to discuss so I’d be very careful about bringing up this matter if you’re in powerful company. We are ruled well by the empress and emperor-consort. Before the empire, Atos was regularly raided by many countries. Pirates would kidnap Graces as well as steal our bountiful harvests. Now, we’re safe since no country would dare challenge the might of Hassia. Both countries have greatly prospered as both goddess bloodlines are now dispersed across them. This means we now have the protection of Amazones. And Hassia now has Graces to Bless their country.”

I nodded slowly. “But I don’t understand. I wasn’t naturally born with a mother or father, so how can there be ‘bloodlines?’ Are all Graces ethnically like the people of Atos, like you and me? Why would the ethnicity of the people around me decide my own?”

Pris shrugged and scrunched her nose as if such an odd question had never crossed her mind. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s due to the bloodlines of the priests? Or maybe because you’re in some way associated with Ismara, the original goddess of life? She’s always painted with pale skin and hair. Maybe you’re related to her.”

I hoped one day I’d be able to talk to somebody who knew more about how goddesses were born. I was yet to meet a priest…or another Grace.

I turned back to the map to hide my frustration. “And what about the other countries here?”

Pris straightened. “The mainland to the north doesn’t have gods or goddesses. Some call them savages. Pirates. They raid the seas still, even though they no longer have the courage to raid our islands. To the west we have the continent of Vekatna. The countries there are our allies.”

“And the east?”

Pris shivered as she unrolled the map further to reveal a black land the artist had depicted as shrouded in mist, obscuring any detail. “The Unseen Lands. The realm of the dead. They have the only gods. The gods of death are the equivalent of a royal family, and their people are known as the Aida. There is very little travel or migration to and from those lands, and they’re very secretive. Hopefully, you’ll never see an Aida or their gods of death, but if you do at royal functions, beware their charm and beauty. Remember, whereas you bring life, they bring death. They’re not well liked here and for good reason.”

I frowned. “What do you mean they bring death like I bring life? As in, people drop dead or get sick around them? Yet they’re allowed at royal functions?”

Pris blinked, taken aback. “Well…I’m sure they control their powers better than that. Maybe they have to touch you or similar? I don’t think it’s worth the risk to find out if you see one.”

I looked down at the mist-swathed continent, brimming with curiosity, though I was increasingly certain that Pris was not a reliable source of information. “Why would I need to beware their charm and beauty? If their powers are under control, what would they be trying to do? I’m a goddess of life. Surely they can’t harm me?”

“Your right, Graces are immune to their powers.” Pris looked around the room as if worried about being overheard, then leaned in close to me. “The gods of death can’t reproduce without a Grace. They need a goddess of life to bear their children. Humans can’t survive their union or even be close to them for very long. And the Unseen Lands have no priests to create more gods. Therefore their royal family has to reproduce naturally.” She lowered her voice. “Though I have heard that some of their gods have taken mortal wives in the past, even though it kills them!”

My eyebrows rose. “You mean they kidnap brides from Atos?”

She nodded, her eyes widening with horror and excitement. “Members of their royal family visit Atos with a party of Aida to seduce a Grace and take her back to the Unseen Lands. The goddesses never return. So stay away from them, Purity. There’s a group at the royal court now. Led by a prince, if I’m correct. I believe he’s been here several years waiting for a Grace to fall into his trap like a spider. And I’m sure his friends will want one too if they can get one. As I said, I hope you’ll never meet him.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Shouldn’t somebody stop them? Why are they allowed here if they’re essentially kidnapping Graces?”

Pris grimaced. “Well, we’re not meant to use that term. There’s some sort of agreement or something between the rulers. But still, who would go willingly to the Unseen Lands? They must trick their brides.”

A sharp voice behind us made me jump. “Pris is quite right. Stay away from the Aida and their prince. They are dangerous. Never make eye contact with one.” We turned around to see Drusella entering the room. She gave Pris a hard look, and I wondered if her daughter had been more open with me than Drusella would have. She was probably worried that I’d become scared of being kidnapped, and that would affect the quality of my Blessings.

Drusella folded her hands in her skirts, a cream square of paper held between them, and smiled at me. “But you don’t need to worry about them. In fact, there’s nothing you need to worry about at all.” She looked down at the paper, then held it up to me. “The empress has invited you to the royal summer party.” I took it while focused on her tight smile, wondering what was behind it this time. She was clearly worried about something more than the Aida and the stories Pris was telling, but then, she always seemed to be worrying about me.

I took the invitation and looked at the beautiful golden script. It was addressed to me alone and had an intricate, illegible signature at the bottom. I allowed a trickle of excitement at what this might entail.

I looked back up at Drusella. “I didn’t know I’d be invited to any of the empress’s parties.”

She sighed before giving me a gentler smile. “She likes to be surrounded by Graces. Go and have fun, my dear. But keep your wits about you. We, the family, have not been invited, so we can’t guide you in Fierro. There will be many other goddesses there and also members of the royal court—some who may…think to take advantage of your youth. By all means dance and converse, but keep yourself distant. Your home is here, remember, and your happiness is worth more than anything else. Stay away from gossip and drama. Don’t let any man try to court you. If you wish to take a husband, I’d recommend you wait until you're fully settled here and can control your emotions well.”

I half laughed, half scoffed. “A husband? I don’t think I’m ready for anything half so exciting.”

The connotation of what Drusella was saying suddenly hit me. There were no male Graces. “You mean that Graces normally marry human men? Mortals?”

Drusella nodded. “They do. Though some decide to remain purely faithful to their family. Having a husband can bring many…challenges to ones such as yourself, not to mention the fact you will outlive them and often your children too. Though any offspring will live longer than normal mortals.”

Her words stirred an unexpected sorrow deep inside me that I hadn’t known I carried. There were so many things that I hadn’t yet considered. I’d barely contemplated the fact I was immortal.

Pris straightened with an excited smile, squeezing her hands together. “Graces don’t marry just any old man. They’re normally important people from the royal court. Men on the council or royals. It is the most exciting gossip of the province every time it happens.”

Drusella frowned at her daughter. “Indeed. It is very fashionable for the higher ranks of nobility to marry goddesses, since it not only brings them Blessings, but produces offspring who live longer lives and are immune from illness. Many of them already have goddess blood in their veins themselves. It strengthens the council, but…” She straightened. “These are things to think about when you’re much older, Purity.”

My mind was still reeling with questions. “Why are there only goddesses? What about gods? Why are gods only in the Unseen Lands? Why can’t a Grace be a man?”

Drusella looked at me in surprise as if I was losing my mind. “It’s just always been that way since the beginning of time. That sounds like a philosophical question to bother a priest with.”

I sighed internally and hid the question away to ask somebody else later. At least I would meet people outside of the family at the palace.

Drusella clapped her hands. “Now, let’s arrange an outfit for the summer party. I’ll summon the tailor.”