Stars Of Memory

Chapter 29

Jīvitaya emerges from her room the next morning, and after wandering through the palace for several minutes, finds her parents and Kysanden sitting in the courtyard where they ate dinner, all drinking from mugs. They smile at Jīvitaya as she enters the courtyard. She sits down next to Kysanden and he hands her a mug. She frowns down at the shining silver liquid inside it.

"What is this?"

Her mother answers. "Osteolu. Try it."

Jīvitaya takes a hesitant sip. It tastes like caramel-infused chocolate fudge, and it is thick like gourmet quality hot chocolate. She moans, audibly this time.

Her mother grins. "Apparently, someone has a sweet tooth." Jīvitaya flushes. "I have a sweet tooth too. Speaking of that sweet tooth . . ."

On cue, the servers from the night before reappear. They set plates before each person, and Jīvitaya looks down at her plate to see what looks like a blue grapefruit, some peach-colored cheeses, and a small pale green pastry. Jīvitaya takes a bite of the pastry to find that it tastes like a lemon bar. She forces herself to set it down and takes a bite of the fruit, and is pleasantly surprised to find that it tastes like a candy apple, both sour and sweet. She bites into a chunk of cheese next, discovering that it is the most similar in taste to that of its earthen counterpart. It tastes like a cross between Brie and Gouda, with a bit of almond thrown in. She devours the rest of it and leans back in her chair, satisfied.

It takes a moment, but she finally asks the question she had been wanting to ask since the night before. "Who are they?"

"The servers?" Jīvitaya nods, and her father continues. "Some are those who are still learning, either a craft or how to use their powers, and wish to work during that time. Others found that they wished to stay and work in our home after they finished learning, such as our wonderful cooks."

Jīvitaya nods, smiling, and her mother speaks up. "Today I thought we could go and find out what your powers are, and possibly start teaching you. Does that sound alright?"

Jīvitaya's smile grows. "Yes, that sounds like a great idea."

Her mother smiles and finishes eating before getting up from the table. Jīvitaya stands as well and waits as her mother goes over to kiss her father, mumbling something to him. Like all children, Jīvitaya scrunches her face into a grimace at the sight of her parents kissing. Her mother walks back over to Jīvitaya and takes her arm.

"Let's go! I want to know what your powers are."

Jīvitaya grins, internally wanting to know just as much as her mother does. She takes Jīvitaya to the lower level of the palace, where she had said before that many people worked. She chooses a hallway at the heart of the building and strides down it to the very end, pulling Jīvitaya along with her.

She steps into the room at the end of the hallway, and Jīvitaya stares around herself at the room as her mother converses with the old man inside. The walls are filled with bottles and boxes of liquids and herbs and so many other substances that Jīvitaya can't even see them all, let alone get an idea of what they are. In the center of the room is a raised platform, but Jīvitaya can't quite see what is on it. Her mother finishes talking and returns to Jīvitaya.

"Come."

Jīvitaya follows her up the stairs to the raised platform and steps onto it. When she turns around, her mother has already descended the steps and is walking up a separate set of steps to a balcony overlooking the platform. Jīvitaya looks back at the platform to see a row of crystals along its edges. Jīvitaya frowns at them in confusion.

"What do I do?!"

The man answers her, his voice rough. "Touch each crystal, and it will reveal how much of its power you have."

Jīvitaya shakes her head in confusion but does as the man says.

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Again, what powers do you think Jīvitaya will have?

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.