As Opal sat at her chair by her window, she looked around her room, which was full of soft colors. She even had a pillow on one of her chairs, when almost two and a half months earlier she had lived in a filthy vardo.
This is strange. I’ve never had a room to myself. I always shared a room with my sister and even a bed. It is a different feeling to be free, to have space to move. It’s a little lonely, but the solitude gives me time to think. As Opal considered getting ready for bed, she allowed herself time to go over the day’s events. A voice in my head told me to eat, but surely, I wasn’t speaking to myself. Of all things a mysterious voice might say, “Get up. You must eat,” is not something I’d expect. I need to talk to June desperately, but she is gone on a trip to find her second charge. I hope she gets back soon.
Opal stood up from her chair and looked out her window. There were torches all around, ensuring enough light for the guards to see as they walked around the ramparts.
This castle is more of a city than a castle and I have a place here; I’m one of the instructors. I’m very thankful and I feel safe within the walls of the castle. There are plenty of places to run and hide. But I’m still so broken. I see Seamus in the shadows. Gema had magic no human should have. She could still find me. I did so many horrible things. I taught men how to open locked doors and kill without being caught, and taught women how to create deadly potions. In five years, not once did I use my Gift for good. I know it is my fault that Seamus caught Dia. It’s all my fault. I’m so alone with my thoughts. I need to sleep.
Opal started her nightly preparations, washing her face and hands. Then she paced around her room again, thinking. I wish Dia was here to share this room. My bed is soft and the fireplace is near enough to keep the room warm. But in spite of all these comforts, I would give it all up to see Dia again. Did Diamond get away with the commotion? Did she escape? Will I ever see her again? Damn Seamus to all the fires of Hell! I have lost five years of my life and possibly my sister, all because of him.
But I want to stay free. I’m afraid to be caught.
It is nighttime and my common fear is surrounding me like an enemy that torments with delight. That horrible, rapacious man in my vardo comes in my dreams. My nightmares are the same. And finally, today, I heard a voice that told me to eat. I’m going crazy. Nightmares at night and now I hear voices during the day!
“What to do?” moaned Opal out loud.
Opal walked to her desk and picked up her pen and inkwell with the intention of writing down her thoughts. In her mind, the question repeated: What should I do? Again, she said it out loud. “What should I do?” And without a second more to think, Opal felt something roll through her other than fear, hate, anger or pain. It was a tsunami of feelings and sensations, like a host of birds all trying to take flight, but they were constrained by the confines of a tight space.
From her heart, Opal felt a song rise up, and she had to sing. She sang a song she had never heard before and a flood of emotions overtook her. Happiness, laughter, joy, faith, pride, comfort, nurturing, longing, sadness, love—warm, fresh and moist—all flooding through her simultaneously, overwhelming her and sapping all her energy. She started to float and shine like a bright star on a dark, cloudy night. Her eyes, face, hands and her entire body glowed blue.
A voice said, « STAY. »
She finished her song and slowly her feet touched the floor. The room started to spin, but just before falling down, Opal managed the steps she needed to find the edge of her bed. She passed out for the second time today.
“Aharo, why do we need to go to Miss Opal’s room? She must be sleeping by now.”
“Listen to me Shasso, I don’t know, but I feel strongly that she may need help.”
“I’m going to get in trouble. Lady Starr wants me in bed early and I have lots to study tomorrow.”
“Shasso, don’t worry. I will talk to Lady Starr if she asks where you were tonight.” Aharo smiled at the young boy. Shasso had turned ten years old in the last month. He was short and had bright eyes. The boy was very hard-working and had a heart of gold.
“Thank you, Aharo.”
Aharo knocked on the door to Opal’s room very lightly and then he opened it. They saw Opal floating, glowing with the most beautiful cerulean light. Opal came down to the ground, walked a few steps and fell to the corner of her bed. They both ran to her side. “Get Lady Oliver. Please, Shasso, run!” And a big commotion erupted in the infirmary.
The next morning, Opal woke up early. She wasn’t in her own bed. She was in an infirmary bed. Opal had slept soundly through the night. She was feeling rested following her first night without nightmares. She had woken up without any nausea and she noticed the sunrise through an opened window.
“Dawn. Beautiful!”
Opal remembered what had happened the night before. She remembered the happiness and the warmth, so she took this time to think about possibilities.
After an hour, Lady Oliver, Starr and Headmistress van Ryland entered the infirmary. They looked concerned. Opal could tell there was something important they wanted to talk about.
“Blessed day to you, Opal!” said all three ladies, although not at the same time.
“Blessed day to you as well, ladies. Why am I here? I know I started the evening in my room last night,” said Opal.
“Aharo and Shasso went to say good night and when they entered your room, they saw you passing out. It was good you fell on your bed and they were there to find you. They called Lady Oliver and Carmen,” said Uhna.
“That is fortunate. However, why keep me here? Lady Oliver, I feel fine. I’m not nauseous. I have no vertigo and as a matter of fact, I feel much better. I’m just hungry.”
“Opal, I gave instructions to Carmen to bring us food so we could break our fast together, but we need to talk. We need to know what you remember of last night. Do you remember passing out, my dear? Lady van Ryland and I must know,” said Lady Oliver.
How can I tell them what happened? The Voice, the pen and ink, the glowing warmth and emotions. All of it was part of a lovely dream. I’m the one with nightmares, not dreams!
“Opal, please, we need to know if there is something amiss!” Lady Starr sounded and looked worried.
They helped me, but life tends to be full of illusions. Nevertheless, I still need help.
“Yesterday when I fainted in my classroom, I woke up to a voice that said, ‘Get up! Get up! You must eat!’ So, I got up and felt compelled to eat. Then later, last night, I was thinking of all of the crazy things that happened to me and what the voice said. I was getting nervous and anxious and getting into a state. I wanted to write in my journal, so I touched my pen and ink bottle, and from them I received this warmth. Then from my chest came a song. I felt as if I had a million birds trapped in my body and they were all trying to escape. I opened my mouth and sang a song I had never heard before in my life and then, I started glowing. It was scary and amazing” said Opal.
“Lady Oliver, she can access her Vessel. We have a strong one of the eight Gift-Vessels. Can you believe this? For the first time in over 180 years, we have under this roof a Blue Companion Judge and the Teacher-Magi who has linked her Gift to her Vessel!” said Starr.
“Lady van Ryland, ma’am, what do you mean? Lady Oliver, what is going on?” Opal was getting agitated.
“Oh, dear Opal, calm down. Starr, it is no time for celebration. Opal is one of eight, but she is also carrying at the moment. This event has never happened before!” said Lady Oliver.
“Lady Oliver, Headmistress, please tell me what is going on? Why are you so happy? And can anyone explain what is one of eight? And what am I carrying?”
Lady van Ryland sat on Opal’s bed, next to her leg. She looked at Opal and with loving voice said, “Opal, you are one of eight people blessed to be a unit of eight Gift-Vessels. The eight Gift-Vessels were supposed to be the ones that would travel around the Empire and ask the Empire Elders to propose possible leaders. The eight Gifted, together with the four Companion Judges and one Helathy Priest, would then choose a new leader,” said Lady Uhna.
“Why did I glow?”
“Each Gift-Vessel discipline has a symbol or artifact of their qualities. You are a Teacher-Magi, so yours is the pen and ink bottle. When June brought you here, she said to give you your artifact. We gave you the pen reserved for the Teacher-Magi. In your case, when you touched your symbol with a question, did you receive an answer?” Lady Starr rubbed her fingers together and a green shine started to flicker from her fingers.
Opal saw Starr’s fingers and the sparks of light she was sprinkling over a nearby plant. She had to smile, and she said, “Yes. It said, ‘Stay!’”
“That is why you glowed, my dear. You were connecting your Gift to your Vessel. You have a rare gift, Opal; not many can do what you do! From now on you can also talk to God and he will answer if he so chooses,” said Uhna.
“I don’t know any god. I don’t believe in God!”
“He already knows,” said Lady Starr.
“Opal, you need to rest, even more now than ever. Lady Oliver, she needs food and we must make sure she gets enough sun and exercise,” said Uhna.
“Wait, I appreciate all you have done. I do. I do understand about me being a Gift-Vessel, but why are these eight Gift-Vessels so important and what is it exactly I carry?”
The ladies looked at each other and Lady Starr said to Oliver, “She needs to know.”
Lady Oliver sat in front of Opal’s bed, making sure Opal could see her face.
“Opal, dear, you are pregnant. I thought you fainted because of your overeating fest from yesterday, but I tested you completely, and I can hear two heartbeats in you—”
“I need to go for a walk!” interrupted Opal.
Opal stood up and found Aharo, Shasso and Carmen walking in, holding baskets full of food for all present to break their fast.
“You go ahead and enjoy your walk. Carmen, Shasso and Aharo, why don’t you accompany Opal on her walk?” said the Headmistress.
“Are you sure she should be walking around and—” Lady Starr didn’t finish her sentence because Lady Oliver raised her hand and stopped her friend.
“We can’t baby her. She is a twenty-year-old woman. One that has been through a horrible trauma, but a woman. She needs space and support!” said Lady Oliver.
An hour later, just as Uhna and Oliver were going over the plans for June’s return with the Water-Magi, Pillor, Randall’s apprentice, walked in.
“Headmistress, a general has just entered the castle gates. The guards are trying to hide his arrival.”
“Thank you, Pillor. Now, quickly go find Opal and have her go to the healer’s section of the Judges’ sleeping quarters. Run. Do it now, and make her run as fast as she can. Have Aharo and Shasso move her things to a room next to Lady Oliver’s. Opal, Aharo and Shasso are in the gardens. Go now. Hurry!”
Uhna needed to ensure Opal stayed out of the hands of the generals. “Oliver, I have a feeling I’m going to be ordered to give up Opal to the king. June left Opal in your care. I’m giving you all power over Opal’s welfare.”
“Why now? Why did he wait all this time to get a new general here? You would think he would have known of June the moment she rescued Opal.”
“I have no idea what this lunatic of an Emperor is thinking. Take Opal to the Healers’ chambers. Oliver, meet her there before I’m ordered to surrender her to the king.”
Lady Oliver dropped what she was doing and ran to find Opal. The Teacher-Magi needed to be protected from the Emperor of Quetza. In a frenzy of movement, Opal and Aharo were taken to the lower bowels of the Athany’s sleeping chambers, barely in time to prevent the guards from collecting Opal.