Respite Beneath the Iron Dome (Book One of the Single Universe)

Chapter 2: Review Part 1

Three days prior. The Day of Jadin's Death. One month and four days before the next eclipse.

Ellen flinched at the memory of her mother's shrill voice, a familiar herald of the day's demands.

"Ellen!"

"Remember, we are only reviewing, not reliving. Who was the shadow?"

"Ellen! Come here, now!"

With a resigned sigh, Ellen pushed aside her dread, hunger overriding her reluctance.

"Seijina, Emma, Irina, Ellen, as you all know, your father is extremely ill. I've called us here for tea to discuss the potential outcomes if your father should perish."

"Perish?"

"Well, come now, Ellen. You can't tell me you haven't noticed the decline in your father's health. He's barely left the infirmary in more than a fortnight now."

Agatha swept into the dining hall, her regal bearing commanding instant attention despite her ninety-three years. Her Nupian red-wood complexion stood out amidst the lighter Norwoodian hues, a striking contrast seeming to catch her off guard as she faced Queen Grace and her children.

Agatha scurried off towards the scullery, her graceful, rhythmic footsteps echoing like a metronome. The vaulted ceilings amplified every tap, holding the room in thrall until she vanished behind the saloon door. Unease settled over them like a shroud in the sudden stillness.

Ellen's eyes darted to her fraternal twin, Emma. Her rigid posture and blazing brown eyes radiated hostility toward Agatha. The room's tension crackled like a live wire. It set Ellen's nerves on edge.

"Emma appears ready to pounce," Ellen whispered, her Ethereal Twin's presence prickling at the back of her mind.

Ellen studied Emma, taking in the tightness of her jaw and lips pursing into a thin line.

"Poised for action. Hungry for change."

"What do you sense beneath the surface?"

Ellen focused inward, letting her empathic abilities unfurl.

"Envy. Not only for power, but for something I have she wants."

"What does she envy?"

"The attention I got from Father."

But Ellen sensed something deeper than typical sibling rivalry. She suspected Emma was upset over something else she had she desperately wanted.

"Never forget that."

Ellen nodded to herself, storing the insight away before focusing on her eldest sister. Seijina, who was forty years old, bore a refined beauty. She released a quiet breath, almost inaudible amidst the tension. Ellen noticed her checking her appearance in a small mirror, angling it to scrutinize her flawless makeup and hair.

"Even at the family breakfast table, she's concerned about maintaining her image."

"Aloof yet poised, she's perpetually primed."

Ellen glanced at her sister's elegant outfit, no doubt selected to project sophistication. The jewels adorning Seijina's ears and fingers flashed as she adjusted her seat. Though Seijina exuded an air of refinement, Ellen sensed it was a veneer.

"She's calculating. Patient. Conserving strength for something greater. It's not apathy; it's strategic reserve."

"Good. What else do you sense from her?"

Ellen studied Seijina for a moment longer. Having learned from their mother's expertise in managing perceptions, Ellen observed Seijina studying Grace's mannerisms.