Page 1 of Oath of Revenge
Prologue
The old woman’s medallion glowed brighter with each minute she hesitated to answer the summons. She didn’t want to face them again, not yet, not until she had fixed this. But there was no time for delay.
With a burst of energy that contradicted her age, she quickly tossed the special blend of herbs into the stone hearth along the wall of the one-room wooden cabin.
Purple and green flames flashed, and she closed her eyes as smoke billowed from the fireplace. Her mind spun, and she felt like she was falling. The magic pulled her apart, cell by cell, knitting her back together as she tumbled through the portal. A silent scream ripped from her throat as agony filled her. The burning flow of magic twisted and turned, offering no relief until she slammed into the floor, breathless and disoriented.
She lay there for gods knew how long, staring at the glowing medallion shape that matched her necklace on the door in front of her. She focused on her breathing and the glow, willing the pain to recede.
The magic listened, healing her by the time the light faded from the emblem on the door and her necklace stopped burning her skin. The sweet, citrus air that was only found in her homeland filled her nostrils as she slowly sat up.
Carvings as old as time itself adorned other doors like hers along the open-air corridor. She eased onto her feet and brushed her shaking hands down the white silk dress, thick stacks of golden bracelets jingling with the motion. The sight of the large, vibrant tree in the courtyard brought a pang of nostalgia. Birds swooped and played in the branches, but her gaze didn’t stop to watch them.
There was an excessive amount of overgrowth. A quick glance down made her frown. Vines and weeds grew thick around the base of the tree. Her father never would’ve let this happen. The ache in her chest drew her gaze through the thick foliage to the corridor on the opposite side of the square building. That corridor housed only two doors, and she yearned to see the white and gold one restored and not this hacked and chipped, lifeless monstrosity. All life and magic had drained from it, just like her father.
Her chest burned with emotion as her gaze swung to the other door. Solid black, apart from the gold and red veins swirling along the surface as it vibrated and threatened to come off its hinges. Fear snaked down her spine and sent her down the hallway to the great room.
There was only one reason for a summons like this, and dread made her stomach twist as she went through the wide, tall marble archway.
The meeting room stretched the entire length of the building and it, too, was open to the elements. That used to be a good thing in this land of perpetual spring, where it never rained or snowed… but that was back when her father was alive.
Now, vines and ivy grew around the columns between the open windows, threatening to choke out all life. She paused in the doorway, the signs of decay and overgrowth driving her fear and anger into overdrive. Magic pulsed just under her skin, making her itch and want to expel it for relief from the raging emotions.
But she wouldn’t—couldn’t—do that.
If only her father and uncle had controlled their own emotions... They’d all be together, eating family dinners along the long, low table in the center of the room. Mother would sit at Father’s right hand, and they’d both laugh with her brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Her gaze turned to the far end of the table where that uncle had always sat. No matter how clean, open, and airy the room was , the sun had never shone on his end of the table. Many in the family drew straws to see who would sit next to him. Someone always ran away in tears or tried to flip the table in anger before the end of the meal.
But Father had always diffused the situation with a laugh until that fateful day that she had tried to forget for hundreds of years. Tears pricked her eyes as birds flew in and out of the open arches. She focused on their movements, willing herself to calm. Stay rational, think logically, detach her emotions.
All wasn’t lost like it had seemed all those years ago. The tree was still alive. Magic still flowed throughout the room, the gold pulsing occasionally over the floor and walls in ribbons so small one had to know they were there to see them.
A movement from the table drew her gaze. Almost directly in the middle sat one of her sisters, arms crossed and frown in place as she stared into the bowl of fire in the center of the marble table.
The fire couldn’t quite diminish the smell of ripe ambrosia on the vine, and she breathed deeply as nerves assailed her. This summons—the first in centuries—meant change was in the air. It made her nervous, but she strode to the table, tightening her control on her dread, fear, and anxiety.
Her sister looked up as she approached, and the frown turned to a small smile. Druexxa touched her right thumb to her forehead and pulled it away in a salute. “Well met, Fisica.”
Fisica smiled at her lyrical voice, and the nostalgic memories of their childhood flooded her mind. Back when all was as it should be, their mother had tended the garden, singing in such a similar voice to Druexxa while their father played games with the boys.
Her limbs grew heavy at the peaceful memories long gone as she sat on a brightly decorated cushion. The pulsing golden veins in the table caught the light of the fire, casting the entire room in a warm glow. The white columns shimmered with gold between the vines as the light dipped below the horizon.
Druexxa’s face eased with relief. “Thank the gods you’re here too. It’s been a long time.”
“Too long,” Fisica said, returning the gesture with her thumb to her forehead. “How many of us were summoned?”
Druexxa’s frown returned, her tight curls full and rounded, perfectly framing her glowing face. They shared the same wide nose, high cheekbones, nearly white hair, and dark skin of their mother, Gaiana.
“Better yet, who summoned us?” Druexxa asked.
“I did,” another voice echoed from across the doorway. They both turned to see their sister Honifery floating toward them, her light pink and white silk dress flowing behind her. “And it’s just the three of us today.”
Some of the tension in her shoulders relaxed. If they were the only three, perhaps things hadn’t progressed quite as badly as she feared.
They greeted each other with thumbs to foreheads and soft murmurs as Honifery sat beside Fisica, her loose, long, blond curls flowing below her shoulders as she settled on the cushion.
“To what do we owe this meeting, Honifery? Is it time to act? Are we safe to meet like this?” Druexxa’s lyrical voice asked. She uncrossed her arms to reveal golden veins glowing like intricate tattoos, bright against the dark skin as she sat her hands daintily on the table. Fisica breathed a sigh of relief to see both her sisters’ magic flowing so strongly along their dark skin, the gold lines pulsing with life.