Dreaming of Sharmarli…

  Good grief. Where do I even begin with the Holy City? But like I said – I’ll try to do the whole damn place justice with my words!

  “I’ve heard so many wonderful stories about Sharmarli…” Anna muses, her eyes shimmering with wonder. “Mostly from travellers and pilgrims visiting the Chantry. They say it’s a marvellous place!”

  “You’ve never been there before, right?”

  “Not yet, Arisa. I've lived here all my life. At least, for the entirety of the life I’ve known.”

  “Oh, right. Your Second Mom brought you here. You told me that in the previous timeline.”

  “Yes. Mom adopted me when I was… ten? And I never got to meet my Second Mom… she passed away before I began my life with the Order of Selene.”

  “Lady Claire, the Executor… right? I’m sorry.”

  “Don't be, Arisa. She saved my life. For that… I'm forever grateful. Anyway, the Holy City?”

  “Right, of course! You’re in for a treat if it’s your first time!” I tease, my gloved fingers weaving through luscious locks of purple hair. “Sharmarli’s a dream, Anna. A living, breathing fairytale!”

  Anna giggles at my enthusiasm. “Is it really as grand as the stories say?”

  “Damn right! It’s nothing like Light’s Hope! You’d need a map, a guide, and the stamina of a horse to see even half of it!”

  Her eyes widen with delight. “Tell me about it! What’s it like?”

  “Where do I even start? There's a colossal Shopping District brimming with everything you can possibly imagine – boutiques, markets, stalls selling trinkets from all corners of Nisha!

  “Ahh…”

  “And the food, Anna. The food! Street carts on every corner, each one offering some new, delicious delight from across Nisha. Flaky pastries stuffed with exotic fruits, skewers of sizzling lamb, sweet teas served in delicate glass cups… oh, you’d love it!”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Anna claps her hands together, her excitement infectious. “Oh my. That sounds… heavenly!”

  “And that's just the start! There are these charming little bookstores, cosy cafes where you could lose yourself for hours, luxury apartments overlooking the grand streets…”

  “I’d love to sit at a café and watch the city life go by…” Anna wonders dreamily. “Or spend a quiet afternoon in a bookstore with you. But alas…”

  “Yeah. My Prophecy. I know, I know!” I exclaim, grinning before throwing my hands up in mock exasperation. “Fucking demons, am I right!? If only they’d take a day off, huh?”

  Anna smiles warmly. “If only demons were as kind and thoughtful as you, Arisa…”

  “I know, right? They oughta… hey, wait a minute! Was that sarcasm!?”

  “Maybe? Maybe not!” Anna answers cheekily, tilting her head playfully. “I’ll just say that I’ve been learning and taking notes from an expert!”

  “Heh! Of course you have,” I declare with a smirk, placing a kiss on her forehead. “You’re my one and only, after all.”

  Anna blushes but quickly changes the subject. “Oh! You’ve also met the Oracle, haven’t you? What’s she like?”

  “Hmm…”

  I pause, cupping my chin. Lady Nhaka Mezalune is the Oracle who governs the Holy City from the Palace of Lights. She’s ageless, a powerful Conjurer without peer… her eyes steeped in centuries of wisdom. And she’s the one who summoned me here, piercing the veil between worlds. Her gaze alone weaves the threads of fate, shaping the futures of heroes yet to rise.

  And uh… good grief. I remember our first meeting one timeline ago. It wasn’t what I expected. She was playful, almost whimsical. But beneath that mischievous smile lay an unfathomable mind, one that sees far beyond mortal comprehension.

  I just wonder what she’ll think of me now. This version of me.

  “Lady Mezalune is… complicated,” I say at last. “She’s wise beyond her years – like Lady Iris, but also not at all! She’s… quirky.”

  “Quirky?”

  “Yeah! She’s not one to stand on ceremony… doesn’t mince her words… and she’s got the energy of a child hopped up on sugar and caffeine.”

  Anna laughs. “That energetic?”

  “Yes indeed. Oh, and she loves hugs. Expect a few when you meet her.”

  “I wouldn’t mind a hug or two…”

  “Good. You’re gonna love her, then.”

  “I hope I do!” Anna exclaims sweetly, but as she speaks, a deep blush creeps across her cheeks. Flustered, she presses a hand to her face. “Oh! And umm… also, in Sharmarli…”

  Oh my! Her cheeks are red – brighter than when we kissed, brighter than any of our intimate moments. I know who she’s thinking about, who lives in the Holy City. She’s thinking about… her.

  Eris Aintree. The one who died one timeline ago as the Demon’s Voice.

  I exhale softly. Anna… she doesn’t remember what happened when we met Eris. She doesn’t remember the grief in her own eyes when we had to kill her.

  But I do.

  Quietly, I meet her gaze, the weight of the past pressing heavy against my ribs. Her eyes, bright with nervous wonder, search mine for answers. She needs to know the truth about Eris’ fate – what I know, what I’ve seen – if we’re gonna save her.

  Kyshies