Chapter 103: Betrayal
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The rectory rose above the University of Mirage, perched atop a hill adjacent to the magnificent Temple of the Moon Goddess, which signified the place as not only a religious sanctuary, but the true capital of both Valoria and the Church.
Mom was keeping in step with me as we followed Troy up the paved pathway leading up the hill. She sighed deeply, picking at a loose thread on her blue chunky-knit sweater.
She was upset about something. I believed wholehearted ly it had to do with the fact we were all sitting ducks while Ta sia hid somewhere nearby, waiting to strike.
“Did you know the White Queens split with the Church of the Moon Goddess?” I asked as we continued what felt like a
slow, endless climb towards the rectory.
“Yes, I did. That ended with my reign, however. We estab lished new ties with the Church shortly after you were born.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Mom laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, sweetheart, I did. It was taught in school. You just never listened.”
I frowned, tucking a loose lock of hair behind my ear. “I did listen-”
“Not often enough,” she teased, giving me a knowing
smile.
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I had a feeling karma for being a total pain in my parents’ ass was going to catch up to me as the years went by. I could already see the gleam of mischief in the eyes of Oli and Will. Charlie was our angel, at least for now.
“Troy, why didn’t Dad want to come with us today?” I asked as we neared the rectory.
Troy turned to us, meaning to part with us and go to the rectory himself while we met with the High Priestess of the Church.
“He and Rowan are putting a force together to find Hay den and Carl. I’m meeting up with them later and then—” he paused, looking from me to Mom. “I’m going to be going with your dad to locate them-and Ta’sia.”
“What?” I roared, which startled several people minding their own business as they sat on the benches along the path
way.
“We can talk about it later, Maeve,” he said with force, and
in front of Mom, too.
I felt heat prickle across my cheeks, running my tongue along my lower lip as I thought of a retort, but Mom took my hand and began to lead me away toward the temple.
“We’re already late, honey-”
“You’ re not going AN,chapter_version=chapter_version +1 WHERE until we have a chance to talk about this, Troy!” I said over my shoulder, giving him my best “mom look” that I had been practicing in the mirror the past few days.
Troy was oblivious to it and seemed heavily distracted. He
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had barely said a word to me about the stranger who had come to the gala. He had barely explained what he had found in the journal last night, too. Both he and Dad were being ex ceedingly secretive.
He turned toward the rectory without saying a word, and I turned my head back to the temple, vexed beyond a responsi ble doubt.
“I’m willing to assume the Priestess will need to speak to me more than she needs to speak with you, honey. You can join him after we show both of our faces, at least.”
“Hopefully, there’s a darkened corner where I can ring his
o
“You’re being too hard on him.”
neck-”
okay with Dad being distant and se cretive,
sounded. I could tell they had
“I’m sorry, Mama.”
understand
do you do it? Be married to a man who-who
Just like I hope you will trust Troy’s judgment here. We may be White
times.”
walked up the steps to the temple and entered the
I found rather ironic. She walked with grace, and talked with grace, but her words were often harsh and sharpened to such an edge
and me was obvious. Maybe those ties Mom was talking about hadn’t been met
0
which felt wholly unnecessary, especially as she explained certain rites and ceremonies we were already familiar with. Mom seemed to grow in annoyance as I glanced at her, her arms folded over her chest as Grace went over the Church’s use
us?” I said, done
seemed unbothered by my question, and answered casually, “You’re
the same rites, the same texts. I believe your attitude has more to do with the fact the
pagans. Witches,
toward my mom. I didn’t even know
Lv.1
didn’t lash out. She stood
tour, I am more interested in
was cut off by Grace, who had
fists.
back into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She was taller than Mom but not taller than me, and I had to look down at her slightly as she spoke. She looked all business in her white and
Church. I need it
her finger on the moon dial. “The moonstone belongs to the White Queens.
seemed to glow in the light coming through the glass ceiling of the cathedral, her eyes glistening with challenge as she waited for Grace’s
Mom’s use of the moonstones as singular, which matched Grace’s response. She
as I watched Grace stare Mom down, her face perfectly
don’t have it, do
her
the flush prickling across my cheeks didn’t give anything away. I
“Then where is it?”
is so important to
along her lower lip, looking thor oughly irked by
rights to all the relics related to the Moon Goddess, regardless of whose possession they are in.
aided Damian in the
fainted. I fought as hard as I could to stay upright as Mom stared blankly at Grace, tilting her head to the side as Grace’s face underwent a great
know what
map? You said it yourself. The Church lays claim to all artifacts
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began to
moon dial. Mom followed.
working with? Is
white as her robes when Mom said Tasia’ s name.
not speak her name
Will she hear us? Is this
Goddess, Queen Maeve. You
something that hap pened thousands of years ago. She is a girl with powers she doesn’t understand and powers she refuses to use for good. Had the Church not tempted Damian with the map, had they not given it to
you know all
scheme the entire time. Grace was the High Priestess. She was part of the High Elder Council. She was the
out,
her as she turned into a darkened
my voice echoing on the walls despite
ing, honestly. I was guessing, throwing things until they stuck, so to speak. I found it odd that Damian’s forces left the Tem ple untouched during their invasion, while they wrecked prac tically everything else. It was especially odd that she told you she knew about the moonstone, and that we
hit the nail
toward the entrance now. I followed, looking over my shoulder at the corridor where
as we stepped outside, the bitter chill of the air biting against my cheeks as we walked across the large, ornate
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