*Summer 5121*

“Fourteen years and nothing reported,” the voice outside her cell was heavy with anger.

“Fourteen years and nothing TO REPORT.” Uniana shouted with annoyance and laid her head back against the stone wall of her cell. “I told your Commander a year ago, kill me. I have no desire to waste away in this cell giving myself over to madness.”

“It will not be much longer now, Commander Javillerre requested your file this morning. You’ll be in the embrace of Gosaena before sunrise tomorrow.”

She didn’t want to give in to the fear or the taking stock of how she got here and what it all meant. Her regrets, her struggles, her joy, and triumphs were vacant now. She found solace in the fact that maybe that was true for everyone at the end. Her laments were mostly with regards to her cousin. Lysistrata was never overly tender but her words always provided a measure of strength to Uniana when she doubted herself and she desperately wished she could tell her how much her mentorship and guidance had meant. Somehow she still managed to feel embarrassed that she had never discovered the fate of Eryael.

She paused to quiet her mind and still her breath. Only one heartbeat. Her own lonely heart pumping with increasing speed at the threat of her anxiety.

A loud clatter made her recoil in fear. The gate to her cell was pulled open. A small box filled with her things was placed on the ground and then kicked inside. Atop her belongings was an elegantly scripted vellum letter sealed by a dark crimson wax imprinted with a storm griffin rending a deer. Her dirty hands pulled it apart with a frustrated curiosity.


Lady Uniana Le’Gondren Nalfein,

I await you at the garden shrine. This is not a request.

- H



Her lips parted into an open-mouth smile as she let out a pant of relief that ended up sounding more like a chuckle.

Some things never change.