I blink. “I can’t read.”
Realization dawns on her face. “Right, well. In that case, I shall interpret it for you.”
She begins to read out loud, the words flowing like a song.
“A human queen will bring the light of hope
To those in the shadows, forgotten and alone
The strength and courage of a noble soul
Will be the catalyst for a new tomorrow
A union between your two species
Will bring forth a new meaning of peace
Your actions now as the queen
Will build a path of freedom unseen
The world will be a place of grace
Where all will run, filled with peace and grace
A world of harmony and prosperity
Will be yours, with the human queen's decree.”
I draw my eyebrows together. Entranced by the way that the stones reverberate to Liana’s song, including the one in my chest. For the first time, I don’t despise the sensation. It is impossible to explain, but this conversation with her has left mefeelingthings more clearly.
It’s easy to recognize what she says is truth.
“You keep mentioning this stone in my chest. The one that you all have. Tell me this—should it give me… visions?”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “The Fuegorra?”
“Fuegorra,” I drag the word out for the first time since having it put in, letting the R sounds roll on my tongue. It almost sounds like a human word. “Yes.”
For the first time since she’s barged into my room, she looks deeply unsettled. “It is making you see visions,” she repeats.
I nod.
Her full lips purse, causing the beautiful lines of her face to deepen. Something different has bloomed between us in this conversation, and I can’t help but think of all the people I’ve known who have never grown old enough to have such wrinkles.
Then, unexpectedly, she holds out her hand. “Come with me.”
I stare at her for a few seconds, tentatively placing my hand in hers. As I do, something else—another sensation—rushes through me. It’s like a jolt of static electricity, but it warns me of something else—a presence waiting for me.
She takes me out of my room and down a long hallway. We eventually make our way down into a small chamber filled with crystals. A large, glowing one protrudes from the center, and I know immediately it’s the Fuegorra.
The woman leads me before the stone and my skin starts to buzz. It’s different from the intensity that comes when the king touches me. Instinctively, I reach my hand up, and the crystal starts to hum.
“Impossible,” Liana whispers.
I'm not sure what she means by that, but my attention is quickly pulled towards the crystal. It starts to glow and send warm pulses against my skin.
The humming turns into a melody, a sweet and soft tune that slowly spreads across the room. The crystals around us start to glow as well, matching the rhythm of the Fuegorra in the center.