“No.” The first priest concedes, bowing his head. “It isn’t.”“Will you at least tell me your names?” I inquire, feeling far more bold than I did a few minutes ago, “I keep calling you one and two in my head and it’s confusing.”“I’m Silas.” The second priest offers me something akin to a smile, “an
Ella“You’re not my mother?” I whisper, my voice positively tiny. Looking at Reina, it makes sense. She’s tall and willowy, with black hair, olive skin and dark eyes – just about my polar opposite. I’m recalling Henry telling me that I don’t resemble her or Xavier, so I must take after the Goddess,
“She appeared to me as if she’d been there all along – one moment I was alone and weeping, the next I was awake with this glowing being before me. It physically hurt to look at her, as if I knew I was gazing upon something I was never meant to see.” Reina’s attention turns back to me, and I’m surpri
EllaSeeing the Goddess again is like something out of a dream. Naturally, my memories of our first meeting have been restored, but the events my hypnosis sessions uncovered feel slightly different from my other memories – less solid, more malleable and illusive. This feels much the same. There’s a
“Very well then.” The Goddess concedes, “Reina?” She sweeps her hand towards the inner temple, and one by one we file inside. I introduce Cora, Roger and Philippe, and I’m infinitely grateful that they continue to refuse to leave me alone with these mysterious characters, no matter how many times th
Ella “I’m ready,” I reply, straightening my shoulders and sitting up, away from my mother, who is also the Goddess. “What do I need to do?” “You must go,” she urges, her eyes clear and untroubled despite the turmoil in mine. “Into the desert beyond this temple. There, I can communicate more clea
Everyone stands, ready for action, ready to follow me out into the desert to meet whatever the Goddess holds for us there. ________________ In the end, we don’t all go into the desert. Instead, it is only Cora, Reina, and I who prepare to set out into the sands. Roger puts up the biggest fuss at
Ella In the darkness of the back room, Reina instructs us to strip down to our skins and then hands us two rough robes that we pull over our heads, hardly more than bleached potato sacks with cowl necks and long sleeves. “Is this part of the ceremony?” I ask, curious and disliking the feel of th