The Ruler's Rift

Apocalyptic Hints

"Thanks for dusting." Celeste plopped a pile of papers on the desk. She didn't meet Amber's eyes.

The advisor looked up from her work. "Yeah, the maids never do a good enough job," she chuckled. She pointed her pen to the papers. "What is this?"

"Contact them, please. Figure out who's best," Celeste replied.

That vagueness prompted Amber to skim the top page. "Oh," she sighed, having read the designer's ad. "For the tents?"

Celeste nodded, her mind straying. Amber muttered apologies, surely knowing what troubled the queen. Even worse was the lingering awkwardness. Neither aunt nor niece knew what to say after the former stormed off yesterday.

The Mystearlian sighed and tapped her claws on Amber's desk. "I spoke with Nova earlier," she revealed.

Amber's rolling eyes didn't go unnoticed. "About hiring designers?" She asked.

"No," Celeste answered. "Apparently, she knows of people who are willing to, uh..."

"To what?"

Celeste paused then spit it out. "To, basically, become sacrifices. I have to eat..."

"You used to eat animals," Amber retorted, eyes hardening.

Celeste looked aside. She pulled her fingers from the desk and slipped her hands into her large sleeves. "I'll die if I don't feed on the sentient," she explained softly. "And if I wait too long, I'll go into a state I can only describe as feral. Abstinence just isn't an option."

"I suppose Nova's radicals are better suited than your innocent guards."

"I agree," Celeste said with a nod. "Even feeding on criminals doesn't feel right. At least the Encaustum Eye followers want to be my food." Although, she couldn't imagine why.

Amber flashed the slightest smile. "Good for you, doing the right thing."

"Anyway, I brought Nova up because she said some good things about you."

"She did?"

"Yes. I'm glad you two are starting to get along."

Amber's brow furrowed tightly and her gaze seemed to search a different dimension. Celeste laughed. "What? Don't think so highly of yourself?"

"No, it isn't that."

"Well, let me know when you've settled on someone," Celeste said, nodding at the stack of papers. She left the advisor's office, chuckling at Amber's perplexed face as she shut the door behind her. Was Amber not used to receiving compliments?

Celeste wouldn't find out, for she had limited contact with Amber for the following week. Perhaps their distance grew yet again. It had minimized, but like the tide it now pulled in the opposite direction. Or, setting up the gala simply consumed too much of their time. In one week, they had made extreme progress. Amber was quick and efficient in selecting a designer, although none would surpass Lucy.
The queen shook out such thoughts. It was late. Celeste meditated in her bedroom, unable to think of anything but magic in order to calm her mind. She wanted so badly to remove that awful enchantment, to right her wrong. Upon her regal mattress she knelt, hand at her chest and two fingers raised as bluish, pinkish energy rippled from her eyes and wreathed her horns.

The floor frosted over with matching color, thickening until a sheet of iridescent crystal, like ice, coated the room. From the ground sprouted reflective stalagmites like teeth slowly erupting from gums. More shards split from the larger crystals, until tall spikes of blue, purple, and pink blends filled the room. They were huge, jagged needles that reflected the moonlight which shifted between the curtains. Celeste ceased her magic and looked upon her work. Beautiful, but ultimately pointless. The same couldn't be said for all spells. Magic was art and power - maybe one day Amber would see that.