A chill ran down Cassian's spine.
"What do you mean by executed?" His heart hammered in his chest.
Theo shrugged. "It's been a tradition for a while. The last Arcane weaver tried to run. They caught him at the border." He spoke like they were discussing the weather. Cassian watched him with narrowed eyes.
How are you so calm about this?
"Young man, keep quiet." The priest glared at Theo.
The queue moved forward. Initiates whispered prayers Cassian didn't understand.
I have enough to deal with. He tried to push the execution talk away, but it stuck in his mind.
The main hall opened up. Wooden pews stretched out, filled with families in their best clothes. Some waved at the initiates. Others leaned forward, eager for the ceremony to start.
Cassian spotted his "family" in the front row. Lucian sat stiff, talking quietly to their younger brother, whose legs kicked under the pew. Their mother sat beside them, smiling warmly. It looked real but practised. The kind of smile mothers wore to please nosy neighbours.
The empty seat beside her bothered him more than it should. Where was their father?
Priests pushed them toward seats near the altar. One grabbed Theo's shoulder and steered him to the far side. "See you later," Theo whispered, before vanishing into the crowd.
Finally. Cassian let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
A bell rang out, and the crowd went silent.
A high priest stepped onto the altar. His white robes and headpiece were embroided with gold threads.
"Welcome to the twenty-sixth Awakening Ceremony of Elynor. Today, we discover which children the Great Weaver has chosen," he said. His voice was flat like he had said those words severally.
The crowd hummed with excitement. They stood when the priest gestured. He started talking about Mother Celeste, the Great Weaver, saviour from corruption, and others. Cassian stopped listening after the first minute.
Time dragged. Names were called. Initiates walked to the altar where a masked priestess sat with elaborate braided hair. They held out their arm. An orb on the table would glow in different colours. Red, blue, green, among others. When it lit up, people cheered. When it stayed dark, the silence was crushing.
One boy came back grinning so hard it must have hurt. The orb had glowed red, signifying the Fire string.
Lucky bastard. Cassian slouched, counting wooden beams to pass the time. How much longer would this take?
"Cassian Duskbane!"
He jerked upright, pulse spiking.
Great. My turn.
Whispers spread through the crowd as he stood. He felt their eyes on him, heavy and judging. His palms were damp with sweat. Each step toward the altar felt like walking into ticking danger.
"Come, have a seat." The priestess's voice was kind.
He sat down harder than he meant to. "Thank you." He mumbled.
"This won't take long. Stretch out your right arm."
He obeyed her. Her fingers wrapped around his wrist. They were thin and cold. The kind of cold that made his skin crawl.
"Do you need to touch my arm?"
She chuckled. "It's easier this way."
She started chanting in a language he didn't recognise. The words felt sharp, uncomfortable.
Pressure built in his chest. An uncomfortable feeling. Like something inside him was stirring awake.
Then pain shot up his arm. He tried pulling away, but her grip was firm. His wrist burned where she touched him. The heat spread to his shoulder, flooding his chest.
"This is strange," she muttered, still chanting.
The pain got worse. It felt like something inside him was fighting back, refusing to wake up.
Imagine some poor sucker gets the Arcane string. Theo's carefree words drifted through his mind like an unwanted message.
Oh no.
Energy exploded from him. The priestess flew backwards. Wind howled through the hall as windows cracked. The orb flared a bright purple before shattering into a million pieces.
Horrified gasps filled the air. Then silence descended like a wet blanket, deafening the noise.
Cassian blinked.
The hall was gone, and darkness pressed in around him. The only light came from ahead, falling on a table in the distance.
His footsteps echoed in the empty hall. Each one felt heavier than the last. He wasn't sure if he'd chosen to walk or if his legs just moved on their own.
A woman sat at the table. She didn't move or look at him. She tapped the table with delicate fingernails.
As he got closer, she turned her head. Red hair cascaded down her shoulders, catching the light. Her eyes were green, like precious emeralds. A smile tugged at her lips, as beautiful as it was terrifying.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Cassian." Her voice was smooth, almost melodic. But it had a sharp edge. "That is... unlike me."
His throat went tight. "How do you know my name?"
"Because I'm the reason you're here." She tilted her head. "The one who marked you. You can call me Celeste."
The goddess.
She snapped her fingers. A chair appeared across from her.
"Sit." It was an order. He sat. What choice do I have?
"You're the goddess they talked about," he said carefully. "The Great Weaver. Mother Celeste."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Call me Celeste."
His fingers dug into his thighs. "Why am I here?"
The air went still as her smile sharpened. "Straight to the point. I like that." She leaned forward slightly. "You're here because I saved you, Cassian. Pulled you back from death."
I don't like her tone.
"But why in this body?" The words came out harshly. "Reincarnation is supposed to be a fresh start. Not living someone else's life."
Her smile faded. She leaned back, eyes sliding away. "Believe me, I didn't plan that. Oriven had one job." Irritation crept into her voice. "He's getting sloppy."
A memory surfaced in his mind. One of Duvessa, her daggers, and the crumbling temple. "Someone else was there. A woman called Duvessa." She must have disrupted the reincarnation somehow. He shivered as he remembered the murderous intent in her eyes,
Celeste's expression darkened. "I see." Her voice dropped low. "That explains a lot." Then her smile returned. "Anyway. Minor problems. Let's get back to business."
Cassian's stomach knotted. Here it comes.
"Nothing in this world comes for free." Her voice was sweet but poisonous. "If you want to live here as a free man, I need something from you."
"What?" His heart pounded. What could a goddess want from me?
"It's simple." She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Slay the god of corruption."