126 How is your child ?
126 How is your child ?
Miriam
I sat alone in the temple , the golden rays of the evening sun filtering through the stained ss windows , casting shadows from the windows on the marble floors .
I was on one of the meditation alcoves , staring intently at my phone .
My fingers trembled slightly as I traced the outline of the figure on the screen , holding back tears as I took a deep breath .
I’ve beening here every day since I arrived to pray for him .
I wanted to mourn him too , to release the anguish in my heart but I couldn’t .
Most of all , hisst message to me , two days before he died was a chance to reconcile and confess everything to our daughter but … as usual , I was adamant because I thought I had all the time in the world .
I heard footstepsing towards the temple and I hastily shoved the phone into my pocket, wiping the tears in my eyes as Iposed myself into a
meditation pose .
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The door finally creaked open and Terra’s aura filled
126 How is your child ?
the temple .
I turned to her , shing her a quiet smile .
Her auburn hair was tied neatly into a braid and her sharp green eyes were filled with concern as she paused returning my smile .
“ Miriam ,” she said gently , closing the door behind her .
“ Are you alright ? You’ve been praying a lot more these days than when you were here .
Is everything fine ? ” she asked .
“ Yes , I’m fine , ” I responded , perhaps a bit too quickly but I managed a faint smile to throw her off .
“ Just felt like praying .
”
She arched a sceptical brow at me but didn’t press further instead she walked over and sank onto the alcove next to me , resting a hand on my shoulder .
“ Mother Liora just returned from the White Mountains and she’s asking for you .
”
“ Oh , do you know why ? ”
“ No idea , ” she shook her head still studying me .
“ Are you sure you’re fine though ? You seem a bit distracted since you came .
You’ve hardly been sleeping and what’s with the hunger strike ? The kitchen said you’ve been returning your tes with food and I can tell
126 How is your child ?
you’re grieving .
Is something wrong ? Maybe I can … ”
“ Terra ,” I cut her short , shing her an assuring smile .
“ I have a lot on my mind but it’s mostly just business and all .
I’m fine .
Now , I better go to Mother Liora , I don’t want to keep her waiting .
”
my
Terra nodded .
I summoned another smile as I rose to
feet and without another word , I left the temple making my way to the praying room reserved only for a High Priestess .
I wondered why she wanted to see
me .
As I approached the praying room , I heard loud voices of argument .
I paused , my heart pounding , wondering what they were arguing about .
Taking a deep breath , I pushed open the door and quickly scanned the room .
Mother Liora was sitting serenely on a low dais , her eyes closed in meditation while Superior Priestess Diana – one of the priestesses of the Temple who held authority equal to Mother Liora – stood in front of her , practically shaking with fury .
–
“ You cannot simply do as you please and im it as the Moon Goddess’s will and expect us to obey without question , ” she shouted .
126 How is your child ?
“Diana , it is the will of the goddess , ” Mother Liora said , her eyes still tightly shut .
“ Why are you insinuating that I am lying ? ”
“ Because … ‘
The door to the entrance of the praying room creaked slightly and all eyes turned to me .
Mother Liora’s eyes opened too fixing me with a prating gaze that had always made me feel as if my soul was being examined .
“ Miriam , ” she called out .
“ Prepare yourself , we’re
travelling to the White Mountains tomorrow at dawn .
There is a cleansing ritual that needs to be performed on the Moonsinger and only you , with your Silver mark , can perform this task .
”
“ Liora ! ” Priestess Diana yelled .
“ Will you seriously take her ? She abandoned this temple , fled from her duties and stayed away for years and now you want her to take on such sacred task ? She has no right ! ”
The blood drained from my face as the implication of what was happening dawned on me .
I rushed toward Mother Liora , kneeling beside her as I whispered .
“ Mother , you know I can’t do this .
L … I haven’t even told her … ”
126 How is your child ?
She raised her hand , silencing me .
“ You saw the signs yourself , Miriam and you reported them to me .
The Dark One has already marked her and his power has taken root inside her .
If we do not act , her powers will never be activated .
So , we need to cleanse her and draw out the poison of his mark and only the one who bears the silver mark can draw away such darkness .
”
“ How about you , Mother Liora ? You have the silver
mark too .
”
“ But I am old and feeble .
I will notst through the first few minutes of the cleansing .
You will need to connect yourself to her for the cleansing to take ce .
The Dark one’s power is nothing to joke about and needs someone with strength to fight it .
”
“ Are you ignoring me , Liora ,” priestess Diana cursed out loud again .
“ If that’s the case , let Jemimah perform the cleansing ritual .
She’s trained her entire life as a Silver Wolf .
She’s more qualified and refined than Miriam who hasn’t done anything for years now .
”
Mother Liora’s gaze turned cold .
“ Jemimah may have trained all her life as a Silver wolf , but without the mark , attempting to perform the cleansing will kill her .
” Her voice dropped into a whisper .
“ But if you
126 How is your child ?
think I’m bluffing , you’re wee to take her to the White Mountains yourself and have her perform the cleansing .
”
“ You’ve always yed favourites with her , Liora .
You’re too blind to see her fault .
” Priestess Dianained .
“ Don’t we all have favourites ? ” Mother Liora retorted .
“ Even the goddess has favourites that’s why she chooses one out of all the people born as Sigma Wolves to bestow the silver mark .
Deal with it , Diana .
I’ve told you several times that we can only have one
high priestess for each season .
Mine reign ising to an end , and soon she’ll take over .
I don’t want to talk about this again ! ”
Priestess Diana’s face turned red with fury .
She red at me and huffed angrily before storming out of the praying room .
One by one , the other priestesses began to leave too .
As soon as it was just me and Mother Liora , I opened my mouth to talk but she cut me short .
“ Mother … ”
“ Leave too , Miriam , ” she said quietly .
“ It’s time for my devotion .
We’ll meet in front of the gates by 5 am
tomorrow .
Don’t bete .
”
17:58
6/9
126 How is your child ?
I nodded rising to my feet slowly my mind racing .
As I came out of the praying room , I jumped with fright when I saw Jemimah leaning on the wall , a quiet
expression on her face .
“ gods ! ” I shouted holding my chest .
“ You scared me , Jemimah .
Are you waiting to see Mother ? She’s doing her devotion , maybe you shoulde backter , ” I
said .
She pushed away from the wall and came to me,
slipping both hands inside the pockets of her robe .
Her grey eyes bore into mine as she stopped in front of me .
We stared at each other for a moment before she
spoke .
“ You’ve been back for a while now – the second time
precisely but we haven’t had the chance to meet or catch up with each other .
”
I nodded warily , narrowing my eyes at her .
We weren’t friends when I was here .
Jemimah hated me and she didn’t hide it .
Still , I was hoping all the growing may have made her nicer than she was before .
“ There hasn’t been much time , ” I replied .
17:58
<
126 How is your child ?
“ I see , ” she nodded , tilting her head , as a faint smirk yed at the corners of her lips .
“ How is your child ? ” she asked casually like it was a normal question .
“ Did you ever find it ? ”
The question stole my breath away .
I stared at Jemimah , unable to form words but I mustered a smile , stuttering .
“ W – what ? ” I whispered .
“ You heard me ,” she said , her smirk widening .
“ I’m curious .
Did you ever find the child you left the temple for ? The one whose pregnancy you carried for nine months outside the temple .
The one you gave up everything for .
Did youter find it ? ”
My hands clenched into fists at my sides , my mind was reeling .
How did Jemimah know ? Who else knows ? And why was she bringing it up now ?
“ I … I don’t know what you’re talking about , ” I tried to sound confident .
She chuckled softly , stepping closer .
“ I knew you were going to deny it and it’s such a pity that you’re denying your child after sacrificing your position as a Moon Devotee for it .
You left this ce , this life and yet here you are , being called to perform the most sacred of
126 How is your child ?
rituals .
What a twist of fate .
”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about , Jemimah .
I left because I was suddenly overwhelmed … ”
“ Or you were suffering from Postpartum depression ,” she furnished smiling at me .
That’s what the humans call it right ? Anyways , I don’t know why you came back but I was doing much better without you here and I’m not supposed to spell everything out for you .
”
She paused , running her index finger at the side of my
cheeks .
“ Good luck tomorrow , Miriam , but this would be the
last time .
”
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