Temperance (23 page)

Maeve could feel her breathing hasten as she remembered the pain from that night many months ago. Her eyes darted around, frantically trying to spot her estranged sister, but she could see nothing.

I could never forget you, Sera.

My name is Seraphine, Empress. You’d do well to remember it.

Where have you been?

A jarring cackle filtered through the air, and then Seraphine appeared before her.
 

Maeve was shocked by the clarity in which she could see her. She’d only been learning this piece of magic months before, but as Maeve faced her now, it was as if Seraphine were in the room with her. It was more than apparent that this was one power her sister now had a firm understanding of.
 

Maeve stood as still as she possibly could with her back to the wall, stunned by the transformation in her sister. Standing before her was a stranger, and when she took a step forward, Maeve could tell she was a dangerous one at that.

I was banished, dear sister. Did he not tell you?
Seraphine’s tone was cold, her black eyes frightening as they pinned her where she stood.

Did who not tell me?
Maeve thought.
Who knew?

The Hierophant.
She spat the word into Maeve’s mind as if it were a disgusting taste in her mouth.
He wasn’t strong enough to kill me, but he got inside my mind, saw what he saw, and then he banished me with no reason as to why.

Maeve blinked several times, trying to understand, and then Seraphine reached forward and placed a hand on her belly, making her flinch. A sneer curled the side of her sister’s mouth as her coal-like eyes met her own.

Didn’t think I could touch you, did you?

No, she had not. Never before had Seraphine been able to touch or talk in this form. She would merely appear as a vision and have to communicate through the mind.

Well, when one has nothing to do but hone their magic, one soon learns a few tricks.

Maeve could feel her heart hammering inside her chest at the angry determination she could see on her sister’s face. Her dark hair now had a red hue to it, and when she reached out and gripped the back of Maeve’s neck, a cry of shock left her mouth.

Did you think I would forget, sister?
Seraphine thought.
Happy with how it turned out, you say. Well, I for one am not.

Sera,
Maeve thought, wondering if any part of her sister was still in there.
I never meant to hurt you. You know that. I had no control over who was called. I didn’t know.

Seraphine’s eyes turned to slits, and Maeve felt a sting of pain against the back of her neck. Something had pierced her skin.

You are going to leave…

Leave?
Maeve thought, panicked as Seraphine’s grip tightened and the pain increased.

Yes, leave. Go far, far away, and leave your Emperor behind.

Maeve felt her heart ache as the words were hissed inside her mind.
You know I cannot. We are ayon. If I leave…no one knows what would happen. We could both end up like mother—mad.

Seraphine ran her eyes down to the belly Maeve was protecting with both hands.
That may be so. But it’s not written anywhere that you have to be near one another, and I am quite content to have a slightly mad Emperor sitting beside me on his throne. Especially one such as Lach’Lan.

Maeve stared in disbelief of the cruelty of Sera’s words.

Oh, it hurts to be betrayed. Doesn’t it Maeve? To know that what you expected would happen—the happy little life—instead has changed course.
 

The biting sting at the back of her neck intensified as Seraphine brought her hand, and that once golden index finger, to the base of her throat. The markings that used to be hidden away, the ones that adorned Seraphine’s arm so beautifully, were now a twisted map of black up the length of her arm. Like a diseased river.

A river, you think? Perhaps. You will leave tonight, or come tomorrow eve, you will wish you had.

Seraphine knew what she was doing. She wanted her gone so Lach’Lan’s draw to her lessened. That way, she could manipulate him, control him, and have what she’d so desperately wanted all along—everything Maeve had.

It will never work, Sera. Once someone is paired, their heart cannot be swayed.

Seraphine encircled her throat in a tight stranglehold, causing Maeve’s breath to leave her.
Leave. Or everything you hold dear—your precious babes, this land, even the man we both desire—will leave you for good. It’s time the tables were turned. Time for you to have nothing and for me to have everything.

The grip around her throat disappeared, and before she could speak, so did Seraphine. The second she was freed, Lach’Lan ran from the room where he’d obviously been held captive.

“Maeve!”

“I’m here. I’m okay,” she reassured immediately, but as she took his hands in her own, she knew they wouldn’t be for long…

“Come,” Rhiannon urged, dragging her from her painful memories. “Let’s see if we can find anything to help us.”

She let herself be drawn away from the harsh reminder of her choices, and that was when something shiny caught her eye from the round table in the center of the room. She stopped where she was, and as she focused on the gleaming object, she almost couldn’t believe her eyes.

Maeve blinked several times, but it still remained, and as she made her way towards what was beckoning her, her worst fears were solidified.

There, sitting in the center of the table, was the silver circlet with a stone the color of Sera’s eyes gleaming back at her. Only one could have put it there, and as Maeve reached out to pick it up, her fear turned to anger as she willed Sera to come for her.

Come out, come out, Seraphine—wherever the hell you are.
 

Arcania

When it finally came through, the link was faint as it roused Seraphine from her rest.

Discombobulated sounds overlapped as they meshed and became one before splitting apart inside her head to bounce off the corner walls of her mind.

Voices, echoes of the past, filled her mind and had her eyes snapping open.

Maeve… Ahh, look, Seraphine,
she thought to herself.
Look who’s here to see you.

Clamping her hand down on the marble table she was sitting at, she scraped her nails along the surface and watched in delight as her sister crumpled to the floor, clutching in her hand the circlet that had brought them together once more.

        
 
Somewhere in between

Wake up, sister... Come now. This is no fun unless you wake
up
...

Maeve’s eyes opened as she slowly came to and saw that she was lying at someone’s feet. Before she had a chance to even raise her head, a voice filtered in through her mind, the power of it potent and obvious.

You once said that you would never forget me. Is that still the case my dear, dear sister?

Maeve tried to move but found she was immobilized, save for her neck and head. She knew that the black fusion of silk and lace she could see belonged to her sister—Seraphine.

That’s Empress Seraphine now. Has a nice ring to it— wouldn’t you agree?

Empress… She had not expected that.

Maeve allowed her eyes to trail up what she knew had to be a projection of some kind. Some sort of vision, one where Seraphine had managed to cast them both into the same realm for whatever purpose she had.

When her eyes reached her sister’s, Maeve was disturbed by what she saw.

Nowhere was the sister she’d once known. The blue eyes that had long ago sparkled with discovery were now gone. In their place were two fathomless black holes. Darkened windows to a soulless being.

Don’t be too cruel, sister. Remember, I have a few somebodies you may want back.

Why?
Maeve finally questioned, engaging with the stranger before her.

Do you delight in playing the role of the naïve, sister? You know
why
.
Seraphine sneered.

It didn’t make any sense. None of this did. What Sera had longed for in the past was no longer. So what was it she wanted now?

Oh,
Seraphine laughed,
you don’t know.
Telling you will almost be as much fun as eventually ripping it from you once more.

Confused, Maeve remained silent. It was the only way she had any hope in gaining the upper hand with one such as her sister.

He lives, sister….

As Seraphine’s words filtered through whatever atmosphere was containing them, Maeve knew immediately to whom she referred.

No…

Yes. He lives, and you left him behind. Untouched, un-thought of—

That’s not true,
Maeve snapped before a stinging pain split through her mind.

Feel that, Maeve? That’s only a small demonstration of what I can do to you should you try to disagree or disobey me.
 

Maeve’s mind tried to combat her sensualeer sister, but it was more than obvious that Seraphine had learned much more than what Maeve remembered.

I’ve grown much stronger in your absence. You’d be wise to remember that. Your daughters... They’re lovely, Maeve. Especially the one who bears a striking resemblance to you. I think I’ll keep her for last.

Maeve thought of Audra, her sweet, precious girl who felt everything on a deeper level, and strained against her invisible bonds.

What do you mean? What do you want, Sera?
 

Right as she thought it, Seraphine’s face distorted before her. It flickered and faded, and Maeve realized she must have had to use an enormous amount of power to have pulled them both wherever they were.

I want what I’ve always wanted, and now, I have the power to take it. He thought he was so clever—scattering the keys, binding them with a spell. But I found them, Maeve, and now, I have the missing links.

The keys?
Maeve thought.
To the Tower?

Yes, dear sister. That’s where he lies. Where
you
left him...waiting.

Careful not to think anything other than what she wanted Seraphine to hear, Maeve raised her eyes.
If you have the keys, why do you need my daughters and me?

Seraphine scoffed as though she didn’t believe Maeve had no clue.
Because the Hierophant was obviously charmed by your pathetic story of love, and he cursed the keys to be wielded by only those born to the truest of love—

My girls?

Ahh, not so stupid after all, are you? But here’s the catch,
Seraphine informed her.
The keys are now tainted after having been in my care. And soon, your girls will find themselves fighting off their darkest cravings. I guess I’m a bad influence. What do you think...Mom?
 

Maeve wanted to claw at her face and rip it to shreds, but she was held prisoner, and it was no use. Seraphine wasn’t really there anyway.

Your two eldest are the first on my list, temperance and strength—we don’t want any of that. We don’t want control. We don’t want levelheadedness. Then there’s the one with those perceptive eyes, always watching and thinking a little too much. And your youngest... Yes, the one you worry for. She’ll come last, and she’ll be a delight to play with. Tell me. With one who looks just like you, is she so true of heart and believing in others?

Maeve felt tears falling down her cheeks as she thought of her daughters, especially Audra.
 

Once they’re all in place, they’ll summon you, the final piece of this puzzle. And don’t even think about tricks or delays, sister.
 

How do I know they’re still alive?

I need them alive to get what I want. So rest assured—I won’t be killing your precious children anytime soon. But Maeve? That circlet—watch as the stone darkens and know that all of your children
will
know who and where they come from. The light and the dark—then we’ll call for you.

Maeve ground her teeth together.
Seraphine...wait.
She tried to think of what she wanted to say after all these years, but with all of the information that had just been given to her, all she came up with was,
Why?

And when a deranged kind of grin hit her sister’s mouth, Maeve realized there was nothing left of the girl she’d once known.

Because, Maeve...I can.

     
Arcania

    
Present Day…

It felt like it had been days by the time they arrived at Claremont, but it had only been one night—one extremely
long
night.

When Kai had told her that they were almost there, she’d been thrilled. Not because she was excited to see her new prison, but because she knew it meant she could finally take some of the pressure off her sore ass, which she’d been continually shifting in the leather saddle.
 

As Kai brought his horse to a halt in front of two wrought iron gates, Naeve looked at the crumbling castle and felt her mouth part on a soft, “Wow.”