Nora glided through the temple’s corridors, her armor whispering against itself with each controlled step. Sunlight spilled through ornate stained glass, painting the stone floor with a mosaic of vibrant hues that reflected off her chainmail. She exchanged curt nods with passing paladins, her face a calm facade that belied the tumult swirling within.

  Inside, her guts were a battleground of uncertainty and rage.

  Under archways twined with ivy, advisors in muted robes murmured among themselves. Looming above them, Klaus stood distinct in his disdain, his dark gaze flicking toward Nora with palpable contempt.

  “Still playing the loyal hound, Nora?” Klaus called out with a golden voice laced with venom.

  “I prefer it to the company of snakes,” she shot back before her better judgment could kick in.

  Klaus bristled but then smiled. It was a cold expression, devoid of any joy save for that dark pleasure he took in Nora’s discomfort.

  “Isn’t it wonderful that little Evelyn finally has a real assignment? I am so glad I suggested it to our lord the other night. She must be overjoyed to be…useful.” Klaus’ words dug into Nora like thin fangs.

  It was her turn to seethe with outrage. She bristled, the fury coming in waves as she realized this bastard’s game, and her fingers curled into a tight fist.

  Something deep within her stirred.

  Something powerful.

  Something deadly.

  The shadow magic that she always kept locked deep inside of her stirred, and that was even more terrifying than the implication of what Klaus had said.

  Grimacing with effort, she shoved it down with a ferocious push of her will.

  She wanted to rip into him. To wring his neck, maybe, or give him the tonguelashing he so badly needed. She opened her mouth to retort, but too many advisors and paladins were already turning their heads. Unless she wanted to cause a scene—and, most likely, draw Destiny’s ire—she needed to take the high road.

  She adjusted her posture and walked away.

  “Enjoy the kennel, dog,” Klaus called after her.

  The politician’s cold smirk haunted her as she continued her path to the siren’s wing of the great temple of Destiny. As she stepped through the gilded archway that marked its threshold, the atmosphere shifted palpably.

  Here, in the sanctum of the sirens, every surface was touched by luxury. The air was filled with the soft strains of distant melodies and the subtle scent of blooming jasmine.

  Corridors lined with plush carpets that hushed her footsteps led past walls adorned with silk tapestries depicting the myths of ancient sirens: ethereal creatures surrounded by the gods themselves, each thread shimmering with hints of real gold and silver.

  A waste, Nora thought glumly.

  In direct contrast to her mood, the light here was gentle. It was diffused through panels of frosted glass that cast a perpetual, soothing twilight. Large pillows and ottomans upholstered in velvet were scattered liberally, inviting rest and reflection.

  Everywhere, there was a sense of cherished delicacy, as if the whole wing were cradling its inhabitants in a protective embrace.

  It couldn’t be more different from the paladin’s quarters; a utilitarian space defined by marble and iron, where comfort was sacrificed at the altar of functionality.

  Nora’s heart thudded unevenly as she approached Evie’s door. Her mind was a whirlwind of doubt and fear, her usual resolve tested by the weight of what she was about to undertake. The ornate door before her, carved with scenes of celestial harmony and framed with blooming flowers, used to be the promise of joyous reunion.

  Today, it was the barrier to a forbidden path.

  She paused, her hand hovering over the handle.

  On the other side of this door, she would step beyond the role of protector to become a deceiver. With a deep breath, she steeled herself against the churn of her conscience. This probably wasn’t heresy.

  Probably.

  But as she stood there, the muffled sound of Evie’s laughter trickled through the wood, light and carefree. It bolstered Nora’s resolve, reminding her why she was poised to risk everything. It wasn’t just for Evie’s safety; it was to protect the joy and innocence that still thrived in her friend, unmarred by the darker undercurrents of divine politics. Prosperity could have any other siren.

  Hells, he should’ve sought one with more experience than her young friend. She recalled Klaus’ words, and her stomach soured.

  She had to do this.

  With a final steadying breath, Nora pushed the door open, stepping into the warm, perfumed air of Evie’s sanctuary. The siren was twirling around happily in a windowed alcove, surrounded by cushions and draped in soft fabrics that made her seem more a creature of myth than ever.

  Nora paused and watched. Evie was enveloped in sunlight, dancing amidst the floral chaos adorning her hair. To call it a crown of flowers was too generous. Still, her bubbly friend somehow made it appear natural. The bright blues and golds of lilies and lotuses accented her skin and curly waves perfectly.

  Nora smiled at the sight of her friend—the girl she loved like a sister—and some of the tension in her shoulders eased.

  “Evie,” she began, her voice softer than she intended, “I have something important to tell you. Destiny—Destiny has spoken and we must answer his call.”

  The lie tasted bitter on her tongue, but as she watched Evie’s face light up with excitement and anticipation, Nora knew she would bear any burden, pay any price, to see that light remain unextinguished.

  “The winds are full of whispers today, Nora,” Evie sang out, her voice floating above the melody that seemed to ripple through the air.

  Nora smiled, genuine warmth breaking through her stoic exterior. “And what secrets are they telling?”

  Evie spun, a twirl of white and gold. “Oh, tales of distant shores and stars that sing back to us! I love stars. They always giggle when they think my back is turned, but I know better. Silly, cheeky stars.” She grinned up at the ceiling. “But tell me, what brings you here in such haste?”

  Before Nora could spin her tale, a golden paladin emerged from the shadows of a large pillar, her armor casting reflections like shards of sunlight sharp enough to cut.

  Lyla had beat her here.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “Evelyn, your gift has called you to grander stages,” Lyla announced, her tone smooth as silk and just as suffocating.

  She pinned Nora with a cold stare, and her heart stopped at Lyla’s presence. While she had removed her full armor to be cleaned and repaired, Lyla was still in her full, if barely used, gear. She briefly considered cutting her down here and now but knew that they would never escape alive.

  Evie’s eyes sparkled, and her smile spread like wildfire through the room. “Truly, Lyla? Where does Destiny wish my voice to soar?” She giggled and twirled.

  Her lead foot caught on a pillow and she fell off the ledge of the alcove. Nora shot forward but Lyla was quicker. She caught the siren out of the air with her golden gauntlets.

  “Oops,” Evie admitted sheepishly.

  Lyla held her for a moment longer than necessary, and a chilling smile cut across her lips.

  “Careful now, little Evelyn. We wouldn’t want anything bad to befall you, now would we?” Though she spoke to Evie, her words were directed at Nora. “Especially since our lord has called you to embark for Prosperity’s splendid courts,” Lyla declared, locking eyes with Nora, each word a silent challenge thrown like a glove at her feet.

  The tension snapped like a taut string. Nora, her jaw tight, managed to maintain a semblance of composure.

  “A great honor,” she forced out, her words as brittle as thin ice.

  Evie, caught in her joy, missed the undercurrents entirely. “Imagine the songs I’ll bring back, Nora! The stories we’ll weave together!” She picked up loose silk off of the plush carpet and waved it around the large room while she hummed a diddy to herself.

  Nora forced a smile, but her heart sank with each passing beat. “Yes, imagine.”

  Evie, buoyed by the news, twirled around the room, her linen dress billowing out like a cloud around her. She hummed a tune, then sang out with crystalline clarity:

  “In a meadow wide, where the rushes hide,

  The donkey brays at dawn.

  Clumsy hooves and a heavy load,

  He dreams of the lake beyond.”

  Lyla and Nora exchanged a glance, both reaching for their tomes reflexively. The ink scratched across the page as they recorded the seemingly innocuous verse. Nora’s eyes, sharp with unspoken questions, flicked back to Lyla.

  “Why exactly are you here, Lyla?” Nora hissed, her voice barely a whisper, masked by Evie’s lilting melody. “Was your presence really necessary, or are you just here to gloat?”

  Before Lyla could reply, Evie’s voice rose again, her body swaying gently as she knocked over a pillow with a careless step:

  “By the water’s edge, the proud swan pledges,

  To lift the sky with wings so wide.

  Yet in her grace, a silent space,

  She covets the earthy ride.”

  Their pens passed over paper once more, transcribing the odd lyrics that wove through the air like a mysterious breeze.

  Lyla’s reply was a soft snarl, her voice low. “I am here at the behest of Destiny himself. I should be asking what you are doing here, oh great sect leader? Nervous our sweet little Evie is going to forget all about you when once she sees what a real paladin is like?”

  Rage broiled in Nora’s gut. But before she could formulate a retort, Evie continued, oblivious to the growing storm between the two paladins:

  “The donkey watches, the swan beseeches,

  Each envies what the other reaches.

  Together yet apart, their fates impart,

  Lessons learned from heart to heart.”

  Once again, their activity halted as they scribbled down the lyrics. The room was a mix of Evie’s joyous abandon and the tense undercurrent between her guardians. Evie, lost in her own world, spun too close to a small table, sending a vase teetering perilously before it righted itself at the last moment.

  “My loyalty is to those I protect, you witch.” Nora’s voice was a whisper of steel as she leaned closer to Lyla, their faces mere inches apart. “That includes Evie. I wouldn’t trust you to protect an empty hallway, much less my siren.”

  Lyla’s lips curled into a smirk. “Protecting, is it? Or is it controlling? We both know how you love to play the hero, Nora dear. But not all narratives need saving by your bloodied hands.”

  Evie’s voice rose once more, her dance steps bringing her close before she twirled away, her laughter ringing out like a bell:

  “So the donkey brays, and the swan displays,

  Each plays their part till end of days.

  In tales spun gold, some truths are told,

  In their own bold, unbridled ways.”

  Their pens flew over the pages, capturing the last of Evie’s song. The room settled into a fragile silence, broken only by Evie’s soft hums as she rearranged the pillows she had scattered.

  Nora took a deep breath, her eyes never leaving Lyla’s. “Watch yourself, Lyla. Some narratives have a way of unraveling at the seams.”

  “Just ensure you don’t pull the wrong thread, Nora. It might just lead to your undoing.” With a cold laugh, Lyla stepped back, her armor clinking softly.

  As Lyla exited with a swirl of her cloak, Nora remained, watching Evie dance. Nora’s resolve hardened; she would protect Evie, no matter the personal cost, even if it meant…

  She turned to her best friend in the world and a small smile formed unbidden on her lips.

  “Hey, Evie! Congratulations! You passed your final test. You trusted in the paladins, even when it wasn’t your guardian who informed you of your duties.” The words tasted bitter in Nora’s mouth, but she pressed forward.

  She navigated through the small labyrinth of pillows and approached her siren.

  “But you know that only I can inform you of Destiny’s call, right?” She kept her tone light, but instructive. “Only I, your sworn protector, can relay our lord’s assignments. Lyla was here to test you, nothing more. But you trusted, and that’s the important part here.”

  Evie’s face fell and the melody on her lips died out. She frowned and the faint traces of moisture gathered in the corner of her eyes.

  “Really, Nor? He doesn’t want me… I’m… Not worthy?” Evie’s mouth quivered and she held her arms close to her chest.

  Nora’s heart broke at the sight, but she had to finish what she started. Evie’s life depended on this little lie.

  “No! No, you’ve got it all wrong, Birdie,” Nora said softly. She pulled Evie into a tight hug, but couldn’t meet her eyes. “He does want you. He—he just needed to make sure your heart was in the right place. Trust me, he wants you at Prosperity’s court, I swear!”

  “Then…” Evie sniffled and looked up at Nora, who stood a good head taller than her. She pulled back until she was at arm’s length from the paladin. “We’re going there? Together?”

  “Yes,” Nora replied softly. “Tonight.”

  “Tonight?” Evie tilted her head in confusion. “But Lyla said—”

  “Forget what Lyla said!” Nora shot back far too quickly, and with too much venom.

  Evie flinched.

  “She was a part of the test, remember?” Nora continued. “Now, pack your things. We must get ready for Prosperity, after all.”

  “Right!” Evie replied and her shining smile returned like the dawn.

  She jumped from pillow to pillow, her everpresent hum returning like it had never left. Evelyn paused suddenly on a long and narrow cushion, one foot raised to the sky while she balanced on the other.

  With a slight frown, Evie turned slowly to face Nora. “Nor? The stars just said you’re lying.”

  Nora’s heart raced. She looked up at the ceiling, a curse nearly escaping her tongue before she schooled her expression.

  “Birdie… I need you to trust me. Please,” she whispered in a calm but sincere tone.

  Evie was silent for several long, excruciating, seconds. Then, with a twirl, she resumed her flight across the pillows.

  “Alright. Silly stars,” she finally replied.

  “Silly stars,” Nora echoed. She made her way to the ornately carved door and called back over to the siren. “I’ll be here after the first toll of the new day. Be ready for me then. We ride through the night.”

  When Evie didn’t respond, she turned and saw the beautiful girl packing dresses of all sorts of colors and patterns into a large chest. She nodded, satisfied.

  Nora left Evie’s room and straightened her spine. With a hissed inhale, the sect leader of Destiny’s Fateweavers prepared to commit several acts of heresy, any of which would immediately get her and Evelyn killed.

  It was time to betray an all-seeing god.

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