Eternal Oaths: Book One

Chapter V

The next morning, a nightmare had Solene sitting up in a cold sweat.

The morbid memories she saw of Ghilvo were screaming in the back of her mind.

I need to set them free soon. She thought.

Memories were living remnants of their owners, and she never kept them for too long. But once she released them, her memory of them also vanished and she needed that information, for now.

She grounded herself with some deep breaths, her chest heaving up and down slowly until her body felt lighter.

She was in her old bedchambers of the Luminara Coven's palace where she lived as a young witch as every witch did to train and hone their magic.

Even as a witchling, she was taught to hide her ability to mindweave. 

 The Shadow Dragon was a mindweaver and he used that power to commit genocide. After the fall of the Seraphim, mindweaving was deemed a death sentence.

A hearty breakfast waited patiently for her on a stone table in front of a soft settee. She smiled when she saw that the chef remembered her favorite foods. She rarely did anything on an empty stomach, so she scarfed it down before jogging to the ancient tree to meet the others.

Zephyrine and the Athena seemed to have just finished exercising or training.

"Right! Down to business then, ladies?" Solene mustered a smile, hoping she didn't look like nightmares deprived her of a good night's rest.

Zephyrine's eyes narrowed at her. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

Zeph never misses a thing.

"Did we not just realize the very governing bodies elected by the most powerful city in our realm are seeking artifacts of unlimited power or wish to end all magic as we know it?" Solene reminded her casually.

The four Athena poorly covered up some snickers, but gathered closer, brows furrowing.

"Right...down to business then." Zephyrine agreed, though Solene knew her greatest friend would not let it slide for long.

"We know Agnar can't stand magic and magic users..." Elowen stated.

"--But would he go so far as to cleave the world of magic... ?" Zephyrine countered thoughtfully.

"It seems less likely that he would take it for his own?" Serilda reasoned.

 Zephyrine seemed to be imagining both scenarios the way concern latched to her words.

"There's also the annoying narrative that he might be a pawn." Solene reminded them.

"Let's not wait around to find out." Limiria said as she produced a map of the Realm. She kneeled on the earth and smoothed the map flat on the ground in front of her.

The five territories of Luminara were outlined in bold, separated by mountains, ocean, or treaty.

The Vampire King Valerius Draven and Werewolf Alpha Raava Thorne ruled Kres, a fast-paced city of skyscrapers reflecting a shimmering canal lined with palm trees and glowing lights. The territory was home to the engineers and scientists that pioneered most of the magitech the realm used.

Serendipitously, it was a party town littered with the hottest day and nightclubs and it was the location of Starfell Academy, where the brightest or wealthiest families sent their children to learn.

Solene fell under the brightest category and had never much cared for wealth.

The territory of Dusk, led by newly elected Prime Minister Inez, recently lifted a travel restriction that barred non-citizens from entering its charming, narrow stone-paved streets lined with vibrant blue buildings adorned with potted plants and rustic balconies.