Ever Lost

35

Stella was not a criminal. She had committed no sins, no treasonous acts and from her letter, she was welcomed there like the crown was her family. She was too much of a responsibility to walk around with and would draw more attention than needed when I got there. I couldn't risk getting caught as I wasn't sure I'd be able to get away. In the afternoon, I dropped her off close to the castle, somewhere near the stables where the horses could graze, then i summoned a broom stick and flew low through the woods, when they cleared, I flew high above Lauravelle's Peak and then after a few hours I saw the school from a distance. I dropped low into the trees, and ran the rest of the way on foot.

The school's courtyard was flooded with saints and guards. I snuck around the mage dorms and climbed up into my window, tumbling into the room. My room looked as though it had been ransacked, whoever was here was in search of the goblet but they wouldn't have found it. Not if Victoria had listened to my instructions. I peeled off my dirtied uniform, and took a long needed shower. Then I changed into a comfortable white dress and strapped a satchel around my waist. I poured into it, my most valuable necklaces. I slipped on a pair of boots, and Stella's garnet necklace and snuck out my dorm room. Victoria's dorm was just a few rooms down the hall. Neither her nor her roommate were there. I searched Emerson's, then Mason's but neither them nor their roommates were there. "Excuse me?" A hand tugged on my shoulder. I stiffened. "We can't have anyone in the halls at this time. Please come with me." The voice was gruff and firm. No saint spoke like that. "Ma'am?" I pulled away from him, elbowing him in the chest. He stumbled backwards, looking over me in shock. "You're-" I shushed him, running my fingers along his forehead. "You'll forget your mission and why you were ever here." I whispered. He furrowed his brow, "who are you?"

"Exactly." I murmured, I turned down the hall. The staircase and the common rooms were empty. But not simply of all students, but of all spells too. Everything that had made the mage common rooms special was gone now. My voice hitched in my throat. Maybe Apollo had been right, I should've returned it. I knew how to fix it. I needed to get to the sanctum.

I ran down the stairs and pulled open the double doors, presenting myself to the guards and saints in the courtyard. They turned and stood in momentary shock before lunging at me, I ducked out the way of a few of them, running into the courtyard. I made my way through a few of them before a rough arm yanked me backwards. I let out a yelp, clawing at the arm but another pulled me back just as sharply. "Wait!" I cried out. The guards ignored me, placing my hands in cold rusting shackles which scraped against my skin. "You promised!" I shouted. "I would be protected by the church for the year!"

The guard cuffing me barked out a laugh, "You can consider that promise null and void sweetheart."

"I need an audience with Saint August!" I shouted. The yard stilled. Saint august came forward, waving away the guard behind me. She stalked forward like a cat, her eyes narrowed at me. "What is it you have to say, child?"

I inhaled sharply, "I would like to speak with my goddess." She tilted her head. "You still believe she is guiding you?"

"I still have the gift she gave me. I am not forsaken yet." Saint august stilled, looking down on me. "If a meeting with the goddess is what you require, I am inclined to give it to you."

I exhaled with relief. "Thank you."

"Un-cuff her!" She ordered. The guard grumbled, releasing the cuffs from my hands and I was instantly grateful to have my arms back. I followed behind her. The rest of the saints fell in line behind us, shielding me from the guards. She led us the fastest route to the sanctum and locked the doors behind us. No guards were in the church nor were they allowed in so the doors were shut and locked behind us. "Aurora is with you, child. And so are we." She swore. "Do what you must." The rest of the saints nodded to me. I stepped towards the altar and kneeled. All at once, there was nothing and no one behind me. There was no sanctum, no saints, no guards. Just my goddess and I. I opened my satchel, and put forth the jewelry I had collected for her. "My lady," I started. "The war has taken my parents from me. You know best what I've suffered through, I beg of you now, if any chance to salvage what I've done, don't leave me in the dark."

The room was still and unchanging. The jewelry rattled, shifted, and it was gone. In its place, she left a small, pink orb, engraved in it were runes. I held it up, and it sank into my arms. Jügo. She said. Ay hæsevüvi bübskwerinün wæksaytüthæs yækoyu, Ay wækaayskwerlül wæketütküthæa ovüvirüt yækoyu.

"How sweet." Silas purred. I felt Aurora's presence around me, but it was overshadowed by his power. He crept out the shadows with a grin on his face. "I filled my end of the bargain, but you didn't."

I tensed. "The hell are you on about?"

"Stella, you found her. But I still don't have my goblet. You owe me Audrey."

"I don't have it." I spat. He jeered, "Oh, I know," shadow monsters stumbled out the darkness around us. "But you're going to tell me who does."

I backed away from him, my hands tingled as a crossbow formed into my hand made entirely of light. He eyed the bow. "What's that supposed to do? Scare me?" He snorted. I held it up and aimed it at him. "No," I breathed in and fired. The shadows combined in front of him, forming a giant shadow monster which shielded him from the blow. My arrows pierced it in the legs but that was all I need. It screeched and dispersed, it's mage sinking back into my hand. He stared at me in disbelief. "Never forget this." I warned. "These are my shadows. This is my power and my body." His eyes finally looked over my neck, a necklace was there but not the one which had shielded me from him. A smile fought its way on to his face. An army of shrouds appeared, surrounding us the way his monsters had. On their foreheads, the rune my goddess had marked my hands with. "Back down." I warned. He spat on the ground and looked me in my eyes. "My aunt might protect you, but she can't help you out of this zone."

"That's fine. She's prepared me for that." I said. I loaded the crossbow with another arrow and pointed it at him. My finger twitched on to the trigger, I fired and hit Silas in his arm. He yelled, falling over. "You bitch," he snarled. "I'll be back for you." He swore. "I'm counting on it."

I opened my eyes, and the world was clear again. I was surrounded by saints once more. I looked over my hands, turned them upwards and on them were runes. Like small tattoos inked in white. "The goddess has spoken." Saint Nora, a small woman whispered. I traced my fingers over the star shaped symbol, "can you get me to the castle?"