Chapter 41
Abigail's POV
The guard led me through a series of winding corridors, each turn taking us deeper into the temple's labyrinthine interior. The stone walls were smooth and cold, carved with ancient symbols that seemed to shimmer faintly in the torchlight. Finally, he stopped before a wooden door in a secluded corner of the western wing.
"Your quarters, Miss Rodriguez," he said, pushing the door open.
I stepped inside and immediately understood the intention behind this placement.
The room wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. A small window looked out onto a quiet inner courtyard, far from the temple's main thoroughfares and crowds. The guard nodded at the doorway and left. I glanced back at him, listening to his footsteps gradually fade away, then turned to examine the space more carefully.
This was clearly not the guest quarters where most participants would be housed—it was too isolated. Nicholas's seemingly casual remark before I left surfaced in my mind—he'd said he had "made arrangements with the ceremony coordinators." Only now did I realize what those arrangements were.
He had deliberately placed me here—far from Evelyn's vigilant gaze, far from Olivia's endless scrutiny. Distant enough from the main lodgings that I could move relatively freely without being conspicuous, yet close enough to the inner sanctum that if I timed it right, I could see what I needed to see.
"Miss?" Autumn's voice pulled me from my thoughts. She and Orchid had already efficiently unpacked my luggage, arranging my few belongings on the desk and in the small wardrobe. "Should I prepare your ceremonial gown first?"
"Not yet," I said, moving to the window. My gaze fell on the courtyard below. It was empty except for a few temple attendants moving silently between buildings. "Just put everything away for now. Tomorrow will be long enough."
Orchid folded the last traveling cloak and looked up at me, her eyes full of concern. "You should rest for a while, Miss. You've barely slept these past few days."
"I'll rest in a bit," I replied.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps and noisy chatter echoed in the hallway. I instinctively turned around. Before I could figure out what was happening, the door was flung open and Elodie burst in like a whirlwind, nearly bowling Autumn over in her enthusiasm.
"There you are!" she exclaimed, rushing over to give me a crushing hug. "I've been looking everywhere for you! I waited in the main courtyard forever, then asked three different guards before someone finally told me—you've been stuck in this forgotten corner!"
"Elodie—" I could barely breathe in her embrace, managing only a few words, "you're going to strangle me."
She finally released me, stepping back half a pace to look me up and down with critical eyes. "Have you been eating at all? You look even thinner than the last time I saw you. And this complexion—seriously, Abigail, you look like a ghost that just crawled out of somewhere."
I caught her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "I'm fine. You, on the other hand, look suspiciously well-fed. How many pastries have you been sneaking?"
Her smile immediately turned mischievous as she leaned close to my ear, lowering her voice. "I brought an entire trunk of snacks. We're having a midnight feast tonight, and you're not allowed to refuse. I even made honey-glazed berries myself—you have to try them!"
Despite everything weighing on my mind, I couldn't help but laugh. Elodie's presence was like a ray of sunlight breaking through thick clouds—warm, bright, simple and direct, exactly what I desperately needed right now. At least for this moment, I allowed myself to sink into this lightness, pushing aside thoughts of the ceremony and the dangerous gamble that lay ahead.
"Alright," I conceded. "Midnight feast it is."
She brightened immediately, already reaching to pull me toward the door. "Come on, let me show you around! The temple gardens are gorgeous, and there's a fountain—"
"Elodie," I couldn't help interrupting her, though I kept my tone gentle. "I need to prepare for tomorrow. The ceremony—"
"Will still be there in the morning," she cut in matter-of-factly. "Right now, what you need is to breathe. Trust me."
I fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded, letting her link her arm through mine and pull me out the door. Autumn and Orchid exchanged a glance, showing a hint of resigned smiles, and followed us into the corridor.
The next morning came faster than I'd anticipated. Dawn light filtered through the window. I changed into the ceremonial white robe all participants were required to wear. As I fastened the small silver clasp at my throat, my fingers trembled slightly, forcing me to deliberately slow my movements and steady my breathing.
When we assembled at Silver Moon Plaza, the sun had just crested the horizon, painting the sky in interwoven shades of rose and golden orange. Mist clung to the ground, swirling around our feet as we were arranged into several rows. I was positioned in the middle of the crowd, surrounded entirely by unfamiliar faces, all here for the same purpose: to receive Harper's blessing.
A sound of silver bells cut through the morning air, so clear it was almost piercing. I looked up to see a procession of white-robed priestesses descending the mountain path with measured, graceful steps. At their head was a sharp-featured middle-aged woman. She stopped before the stone platform erected in the center of the plaza and raised her hand for silence.
"Welcome," her voice wasn't loud, yet it easily carried across the crowd. "You have been summoned here to receive the Matriarch's blessing. The ceremony will proceed in three parts: first, collective prayer at this altar; second, individual blessings; and finally, the moonlight vigil at dusk. You must maintain reverence and humility. Any disruption of order will result in immediate expulsion."
Beside me, Elodie shifted her feet uneasily, lowering her voice. "I heard Harper is terrifying. What if I get nervous and say something stupid?"
I turned my head and gently squeezed her hand. "You won't. This isn't an interrogation."
She forced out a laugh, though it couldn't stop trembling, immediately drawing a stern glance from a nearby priestess. When the prayers began, everyone fell silent.
The morning ritual was long and tedious, filled with chants I'd never learned and complex ceremonial gestures. I knelt on the cold, hard stone slabs, my knees aching from the pressure, but my thoughts had long since drifted elsewhere. Harper still hadn't appeared. The platform where she should stand remained empty.
According to my memories from my previous life, the assassination would occur this afternoon, when she was alone praying in the inner sanctum. And I had to get there before it happened.
The problem was—how? The inner sanctum was a strictly sealed area, explicitly forbidden to participants. Only priestesses and invited guests were allowed to enter beyond the main hall. I couldn't just barge in and announce that I'd "seen a vision of Harper being attacked."
That would sound insane at best, or at worst, like a suspect announcing herself. I needed a legitimate reason to be there, one that wouldn't immediately mark me as a threat or a madwoman.
The chanting rose and fell around me, forming an almost hypnotic rhythm that should have been calming but only made my anxiety mount. I closed my eyes, feigning devoted prayer while my mind churned. There had to be a way.
When the morning prayers finally ended, we were dismissed for the midday meal. Most participants surged toward the dining hall, excitedly discussing the upcoming individual blessings. I deliberately lingered at the back of the group, watching them gradually disappear, my heartbeat accelerating bit by bit.
"Elodie," I called softly, tugging at her arm.
She stopped and turned to look at me, eyebrows slightly raised. "What's wrong?"
"I need your help."
Her expression changed immediately, concern replacing her earlier curiosity. "What kind of help?"
I instinctively scanned our surroundings, confirming no one was too close, then pulled her into the shadow of a stone pillar. "I need to get into the inner sanctum. This afternoon."
"The inner sanctum?" Her eyes widened. "Abigail, that place is forbidden. If you get caught—"
"I know," I interrupted her. "But I have to go. I can't explain all the reasons right now, but I promise, this is important. I just need you to distract the guards and give me a little time to slip inside."
She stared at me silently for a moment, her gaze wavering between worry and confusion. Finally, she let out a long sigh, shaking her head with a touch of resignation. "You're going to get us both into serious trouble sooner or later. But... fine. What do you need me to do?"
A wave of relief, almost like exhaustion, washed over me. "Just draw their attention away from the side entrance. Pretend you're hurt, or say you've lost something important—anything that will keep them focused on you alone for a few minutes."
"Alright," she nodded, though her voice was still tense. "But you owe me an explanation. The complete kind."
"I promise," I said, gripping her hand tightly. "Thank you."