Chapter 1
The houses are all run down, in tones of gray and brown. They look as if a stronger gush of wind could knock them over like a card tower. The moon is casting soft silver rays of light. There is nothing to be heard except a child’s cry, piercing the silence of the night. Not a single human being paid attention to the raven-haired baby with crystal blue eyes.
No one but a divine being with great power that happened to look at the right moment. Morana, the goddess of death itself. Seeing the child in the cold and wet streets of Estellia, she couldn’t leave the child like that. So, she picked the baby up and made her way to the nearest house that looked stable enough to survive through the end of the world, she wanted the girl to be safe so that she knew her time wasn’t spent in vain. The closest building that fit her expectations smelled a lot like embers and oak moss, very similarly to her own scent. After quickly finding an empty room, she put the little one on the couch, mumbled some words and then disappeared in a flash of black smoke.
That is the night Evelyn was blessed with a gift of death. Since that night she was and still is protected by Morana.
It was a long day for Lady Cardenas. The contractions haven’t been kind to her, the pain almost unbearable. But she could feel her torture nearing it’s end. In an hour or two, the house would be filled with laughter and sharp cries of a newborn baby. Even with the maids wiping the sweat, she was bathing in it. Not even the presence of her beloved husband helped relieve the pain. It was as if the child didn’t want to leave the warmth of the mother’s body.
The bells in the distance rung for midnight when a beautiful emerald-eyed boy was born. The whole house erupted in delight as the Cardenas heir released his first wail.
Unbeknownst to everyone, in the stillness of the night, someone else watched these events take place. A small smile graced her face, eyes twinkling with happiness, for another child is born at midnight. Kids like those were so rare, she had always had a habit of blessing them and giving them a gift. A few uncomprehendable words broke the tranquility of the full moon. Silence fell once again.
The first rays of the sun cracked the darkness of the night. The castle was drowned in an eerie silence. In the fluttering light of the melting candles, even the shadows looked more ghostly than usual. Or perhaps it was just the maiden’s imagination as she ran down the stairs to the kitchen, with what looked like a blanket bundle. She almost made it to the doors, but it was too late. The guards were already there. The Queen saw how the sun flared when the maid’s child was born.
It was a blessing from Aelius, just as the Queen suspected. The young mother wanted to take her daughter away from the cruel and vicious Queen before she knew of the prophecy gift her little girl received. Yet, she was unsuccessful.
Now the Queen has her own little Oracle that is to be raised in a chamber with one window and forever locked doors, with no chance of escape on her own.
The forest air radiated with excitement. Every creature that had it’s home in or near the forest felt that today is the day a new life will enter this world. On a small clearing in the middle of the woods, on a soft mossy bed laid a witch. Wood nymphs whispered in anticipation when they felt Her presence. Rhian. Also known as the goddesss of magic, witchcraft and graveyards. It was a tendency of hers to be present when a witch gives birth.
With her fondness for witches, Rhian made sure that the witch in front of her felt as little pain as possible. Few hours passed before a baby boy’s cry was heard throughout the forest. All nymphs that stood in the circle around the witch could see a baby with locks of chestnut hair and purplish-gray eyes.
Rhian smiled and waved her hand over the boys head, leaving a trail of dark purple smoke. No one notice when she left. One of the nymphs suggested a name for the boy. Kieron.
