”Oh? You were able to express such power from your very first spell?” Rochelle’s voice echoed in my mind, full of pride. ”How marvelous! I knew you’d be amazing, but I never expected this.”

  ”Did the vessels before me not have simir success?” I asked psychically, staring up at the opy over my bed.

  ”Ophelia showed exceptional promise with healing magic, but cked strength when it came to spells used in battle. I doubt I could pare the two of you until you’ve attempted healing of your own. The only vessel I say who had simir success with magic would be Rosalie.”

  ”How did she ha?” My strength left me anxious. I didn’t want to be so powerful that even bystanders were threatened. I didn’t want to be a bomb. I didn’t want to be a sword either, but I khere were times when such things were needed. Monsters were an ever present threat, as were demons.

  ”I believe she used intations for her spells.”

  ”Intations?”

  ”In the past, spells like burst had standardized phrases everyone would recite to call for the desired effect. These intations were codified and you could tell ell someone was about to cast by the intation they used. Now we name spells not based on the image one used, or a phrase they recited, but by the effect caused. It is old magic, but if you find a book of intations, you might find that they do more to limit you than you could achieve through training alone.”

  Holding my hand out in front of me, I ied my fingers. There was no trace of the magic I used. No lingering bing under my nails, and n or crag of my skin. I’d used such powerful magic. To have sustained no lingering harm almost made me feel like a demon. Even if others could achieve the same with stronger spells.

  ”Where would I find such a book?”

  ”If the Seeds tio exist, I’m sure they could procure such a tome. But if we’re keeping your sainthood a secret, I doubt they’ll be able to find you.”

  ”The Seeds?”

  ”The Seeds of the Lotus were an anizatioed by Gina long ago. You remember why I wanted you to get to know Edna, right?”

  ”Her agelessness could be beneficial in helping to find and train future saint vessels?”

  ”Yes,” Rochelle’s voice carried such warmth. If she had a body of her own I was certain she’d be patting my head. ”The Seeds of the Lotus are an anizatioed to do just that. Only their members are not ageless. They simply find and train new acolytes and spread their influen hopes of catg wind of the new saint. They were an iial group even during Katina’s life, but so much time has passed.”

  To think such a group existed. Until now I’d believed the church was responsible for finding and training the saints, but apparently that wasn’t the case. ”Were the Seeds part of the church?”

  ”No. Though it is true that the st five vessels have all had a deeply woveionship with the chur its various forms, the Seeds are their own anization. After Ingrid’s death, I would say they became almost antagonistic toward any form anized worship. When Ophelia decided to reform the church, her advisors were deeply against it.”

  ”How would I find them… if they still exist?”

  ”Ask Edna for a map of the kingdom. I may not know what tow in this age, but I know I help you pinpoint the location of their headquarters on a map. Whether your panions will allow you to leave the capital or not, may be the more pressing issue to overe.”

  ”Speaking of my panions,” I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before mentally tinuing. ”Is it alright to tell them about you?”

  ”As long as you trust them, I see no harm in it. I would, however, keep my existence a secret from the church. We do not want them to believe their true saint is trapped within a sword and relegate you to the role of mere mouthpiece. You are the saint, ne, don’t allow ao believe otherwise.”

  “Uood.” Rochelle and I tinued our psychiversation for a bit longer until Bir came to fetch me for dinner.

  Over the couple of days, I tinued my magic lessons, though with Bir this time. While healing magic was best practiced on actual injuries, we weren’t about to g people for my training. Instead Bir first had me healing simple injuries to the flowers in the garden. After that I was tasked with healing the small injuries the maids and gardeners suffered during their work.

  The strength of one’s healing magic was categorized by how grave an injury they could heal. Without anything life-threatening to treat, we couldn’t know how strong I was. Bir was impressed though, which made me happy. Just like when Lydia attempted to teach me magic, I was capable of using the spells Bir described on my first attempt.

  Unfortunately, I was still forced to run. Lydia promised I wouldn’t have to do it much longer. Ichor flowed through me without issue, and she admitted it didn’t feel as if I needed her to act as a guide for it any longer. As a precautionary measure, Lydia wao keep using my sweat as a duit until after I’d cast my tweh spell. Thankfully until Bir’s tutege I was rapidly approag that milestone.

  “Lady ne,” Bir softly k my door as she called out. “Are you still awake?”

  I raised my arm to show Bir I hadn’t yet fallen asleep.

  Bir stepped into the room. “Lady Edna is calling for you. Prince Edmond is here as well.”

  As unusual as it was for Edna to call for me after I’d goo bed, I thought nothing of it. When Bir mentioned Prince Edmond was waiting for me as well, I tensed. Why would the prince be visiting so te? Did something happen to expose me to his brother?

  Bir helped me get dressed to meet with the Prince. As we stepped out of my bedroom, Lydia joined us, a deep crease between her brows. She’d never met the prince, but I’d tried to tell her most of what’d transpired between him and me. Even knowing Prince Edmond was on our side, her hardened expression was enough to vey her worry.

  Ohe three of us ehe lounge, Prince Edmond stood. He looked nothing like the man I’d met not long ago. His eyes were sunken as if he hadn’t slept in days. He was dressed more like a beggar than a prince, perhaps to prevent others to know he’d visited us. But if he was worried about his brother learning he’d visited Edna’s manor, why e at all?

  “Lady ne,” Prince Edmond smiled weakly. “You look even more beautiful than when I st saw you.”

  ?And you look worse. Is everything okay??

  “We have a situation,” Edna sighed. “After some debate between the prind I, we’ve decided to inform you of it. I did not believe we could keep hidden from you forever.”

  ?What’s going on?? As I signed my question I breathed a sigh of relief that I remembered t Rochelle’s sword with me—now housed in a less spicuous scabbard. Whatever we were about to be told, I was certain it was something I’d need Rochelle’s advice to deal with.

  “Please sit,” Prince Edmond motioned for me to take a seat beside Edna. I did as he requested, with Lydia and Bir both remaining off to the side.

  Gazing at me with a forlorn expression, Prince Edmond remained rooted in pce. Only when Edna tried to get his attention did he finally sit across from us. With weary movements he reached for his cup of tea and dow. As he pced his y cup on its saucer, a maid refilled it. It was then that I realized Edna hadn’t told them to leave.

  ?Is it okay for the maids to hear this?? I asked. Without transting my words immediately, Bir approached Edna and whispered into her ear. Edna smiled as Bir pulled away.

  “Your arrival here inspired me to pay better attention to my staff. I know it’s hardly been a week, but I’ve already dispersed many of our spies. I’ve also identified those I trust and promoted them. Everyoh us here tonight is someone I believe I trust.”

  My eyes widened as I gazed at Edna in surprise. She’d spoke of the spies as if they would be a persistent threat to my presence here. Now she was telling me many of them had been removed. I couldn’t imagine how.

  “It is an ongoing operation,” Edna tinued, notig my surprise. “We ot speak openly throughout the manor. But these women, I am willing to trust them all with my secrets. If you are unwilling to trust them with yours, I will ask that they leave.”

  ?If you trust them, I trust them.?

  “Thank you, Lady ne,” Edna bowed her head to me and turo Prince Edmond. “Yhness, I believe it is time for us to tell Lady ne why we called for her.”

  “You are here because I’ve made a mistake,” Prince Edmond sighed heavily.

  “Your identity isn’t promised, ne.” Edna added.

  “Yes, keeping you hidden from my brother was easier than expected. It was Azmoria’s expulsion from the knights where I’ve run into signifit turmoil.”

  ?What happened??

  “When my brother heard I was expelling one of our captains for pushing forth a false saint, he cimed mere expulsion was too light a crime. For ao push forth a false idol, he says the only punishment appropriate is death.”

  My breath caught in my throat. Death? I hadn’t known Azmoria for long, but the thought of her being put to death sied me. Even though she was the leader of the knights that attacked Lydia and me in the forest, I didn’t wish for her to die. In fact, if not for her devout belief in the saint, I wouldn’t be where I was today. In a roundabout way, I owed her my gratitude.

  “Captain Azmoria is scheduled to be executed by guillotine in three days,” Edna said as she poured a cup of tea for me. “Prince Edmond has been doing everything he to secure her freedom.“

  “But I’m more powerless than I inally believed.” Prince Edmond pced his head in his hands. “The sicker my father bees, the more his advisors harden their allegiao my brother. They have given up on the possibility that my father will forsake Owen. I no longer have the clout o save Azmoria from this fate.”

  ?But we ’t just let her die. If I have to reveal myself, I will.? I wouldn’t let Azmoria die for my prote. The sequeny sainthood being public were all just assumptions. If I relied on the Exalted it ossible Prince Owen wouldn’t do anything.

  “We don’t o resort to that just yet,” Edna replied, gently ying her hand on my thigh to e. “I do have a pn to save her. For it to work, we’ll have to leave the capital for some time. Would you be willing to live in my domain, ne? I promise you the locals there are quite friendly. Despite being a rural pce, Marwood is also rather diverse. You’d easily fit in.”

  ?I have no affe for the capital. I’d be happy to go to your domain.?

  Edna lifted her gaze to look Lydia in the eyes. “I’ll also need your help, Lydia. Are you willing to lend me your strength?”

  “If my dy cares enough for this Azmoria that she’d willingly out herself to save her, then I see no reason for me to refuse. I will do everything in my power to ensure Lady ne never agaihe pain of loss.”

  ? I help?? I asked. Despite my weakness, I was a det thief. If Edna nning aion that required some amount of subterfuge I could possibly be an asset.

  “We ot risk exposing you to danger just yet. For now, I’ll ask that you stay behind. Lydia and I will save Azmoria. Once we have her, we’ll sneak her into our carriage and leave the capital.”

  “I’ll try to spread rumors that the problems Marwood has been fag with bandits have worsened.” Prince Edmond decred as he drained his cup once again. “I’ll make it clear you were returning home to look into the situation. If I’m luo one will ect your departure with captain Azmoria’s escape.”

  “I’ll appreciate whatever aid you offer,” Edna filled Prince Edmond’s cup once again. “But do take better care of your owh, Yhness. If you begin looking too disheveled it may harm any fidehers might have in you.”

  “You’re right,” Prince Edmond leaned forward and ran his fihrough his hair. “These st few days have been s. Everything we’ve tried to aplish is falling apart. To have an i woman, and a loyal knight, killed because of my judgement on top of everything else. It haunts me.”

  “We’re going to take care of this. Azmoria will not die, and ne will not be revealed. Everything will be just as it should. So focus otles only you fight.”

  I sat on the cou a daze as Edna took charge of the versation. When I’d arrived at her manor, she’d seemed hesitant to involve herself with me. In fact she almost seemed to doubt her own abilities.

  Now she was expelling spies, pnning rescue operations, and even the prince around. Was this Edna’s true self? Did my arrival really spark such a ge in her?

  Edna was a hero. A true hero, not someone who’d simply ied their title like me. I’d always believed if something wasn’t do was because she couldn’t do it. Now I realized, maybe she’d been holding herself back?

  If Edna was holding back, I was gd to see her ing out of her shell. Only she and Lydia had the power to save Azmoria. I just had to pray that the two of them would return safely.

  eri

  The “Save Azmoria” se will take part over the following:

  Side Chapter 1 (Edna POV) - ing Later todayChapter 12 - ing November 1stChapter 13 - Release date will be announced with chapter 12? The chapters listed above will be a bit darker than previous chapters ih Vessel. Side Chapter 1 will have a tent warning due to a se within it.

  If you survive the above 3 chapters, I promise you some super cute fluffy ses in Chapter 14.