A Court of Graves and Flowers

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

The void held no light, no sound, no scent. It was an abyss of nothingness, a canvas of pure darkness. Yet, within the emptiness, a faint shimmer materialized. It grew in intensity before it coalesced into the form of a woman. The shimmering cascade of her blonde hair shined with an otherworldly luminescence.

She waited.

And then, another figure emerged, this one seeming to slip right from the very shadows that surrounded the void. Her hair was like a living flame, the red stark against the darkness around them. She lifted her twilight eyes, the color so deep, it could only be described as indigo.

"Well, how is your little witch doing?" The woman with red hair asked.

"Hello to you, too," the blonde retorted, her green eyes sparkling. "And you know Callisto is more than a witch."

"I hope you're right. You gave up quite a bit of power to bring her back."

The blonde frowned, recalling the ritual. She had not expected the seer to see what she was up to. Perhaps the little doe was better than she gave her credit for. But still, she was able to complete the ritual to bring back Callisto and escape before anyone knew of her involvement. It came at a terrible cost to her own power, but it was a cost she was happy to pay. Much to the annoyance of her father.

"Yes," the blonde said, snapping back to the present conversation. "But it was worth it. She gets stronger every day, and she will be ready soon. She's also grown to accept her gifts. The real question is—will your siblings be ready?"

The redhead squirmed. She had been tracking her siblings' progress for weeks. They weren't being as careful as she liked, but she couldn't risk exposing herself. Not yet. Too much was at stake. "They're getting closer to finding out the truth," she finally replied. "Urd knows that they've been a bit reckless at times. The Hind almost caught them."

"Then it's a good thing Lidia is on our side," the blonde pointed out. "But you're right. We need to keep a closer eye on them. I'm sure the Asteri are doing the same. They've been watching since your sister revealed her powers this Spring."

The redhead nodded, recalling the disastrous events in Lunathion. The blonde woman cocked her head to the side, observing her companion. "It's always interesting, seeing the three of you together, how rare it may be. You have your sister's hair and your brother's eyes. You are, in my opinion, the best of both of them."

She snorted at the blonde's words. "You know that isn't all I share with my siblings."

"No. And thank the Pit for that," the blonde replied. "We need to be more careful. I'm watching too many people at the same time. Something is bound to slip soon."

"For the sake of Midgard," the red-haired woman replied, "I hope not."

⭐|🌙|⭐

The last bite of Callisto's apricot tart disappeared between her lips, leaving a sweet silence in its wake. She leaned back in her chair, the afternoon sun painting warm stripes across the dining table. They had slept in, and thankfully, no one had come to disturb their moment of peace. Callisto knew it was only a matter of time. The consequences of her actions would catch up with them, and she would face them when the time came. But for now, she could enjoy this moment with Tamlin. "That was delicious," she said, reaching for his hand across the table.

"Mmm," Tamlin agreed, squeezing her fingers. His green eyes glinted with mischievous light. "And so are you."

A furious blush immediately crept up her cheeks. Her body had such a strong, visceral reaction to his words, and she had to press her thighs together before she jumped over the table to him. "If you keep saying things like that, we're never going to get anything done."