The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. - Chapter 126

Chapter 126: How is your child?
Miriam

I sat alone in the temple, the golden rays of the evening sun filtering through the stained glass windows, casting shadows from the windows on the marble floors. I was on one of the meditation alcoves, staring intently at my phone.

My fingers trembled slightly as I traced the outline of the figure on the screen, holding back tears as I took a deep breath. I’ve been coming here every day since I arrived to pray for him. I wanted to mourn him too, to release the anguish in my heart but I couldn’t.

Most of all, his last message to me, two days before he died was a chance to reconcile and confess everything to our daughter but… as usual, I was adamant because I thought I had all the time in the world.

I heard footsteps coming towards the temple and I hastily shoved the phone into my pocket, wiping the tears in my eyes as I composed myself into a meditation pose.

The door finally creaked open and Terra’s aura filled the temple. I turned to her, flashing her a quiet smile. Her auburn hair was tied neatly into a braid and her sharp green eyes were filled with concern as she paused returning my smile.

“Miriam,” she said gently, closing the door behind her. “Are you alright? You’ve been praying a lot more these days than when you were here. Is everything fine?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I responded, perhaps a bit too quickly but I managed a faint smile to throw her off. “Just felt like praying.”

She arched a sceptical brow at me but didn’t press further instead she walked over and sank onto the alcove next to me, resting a hand on my shoulder.

“Mother Liora just returned from the White Mountains and she’s asking for you.”

“Oh, do you know why?”

“No idea,” she shook her head still studying me. “Are you sure you’re fine though? You seem a bit distracted since you came. You’ve hardly been sleeping and what’s with the hunger strike? The kitchen said you’ve been returning your plates with food and I can tell you’re grieving. Is something wrong? Maybe I can…”

“Terra,” I cut her short, flashing her an assuring smile. “I have a lot on my mind but it’s mostly just business and all. I’m fine. Now, I better go to Mother Liora, I don’t want to keep her waiting.”

Terra nodded. I summoned another smile as I rose to my feet and without another word, I left the temple making my way to the praying room reserved only for a High Priestess. I wondered why she wanted to see me.

As I approached the praying room, I heard loud voices of argument. I paused, my heart pounding, wondering what they were arguing about. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and quickly scanned the room.

Mother Liora was sitting serenely on a low dais, her eyes closed in meditation while Superior Priestess Diana – one of the priestesses of the Temple who held authority equal to Mother Liora – stood in front of her, practically shaking with fury.

“You cannot simply do as you please and claim it as the Moon Goddess’s will and expect us to obey without question,” she shouted.

“Diana, it is the will of the goddess,” Mother Liora said, her eyes still tightly shut. “Why are you insinuating that I am lying?”

“Because…”

The door to the entrance of the praying room creaked slightly and all eyes turned to me. Mother Liora’s eyes opened too fixing me with a penetrating gaze that had always made me feel as if my soul was being examined.

“Miriam,” she called out. “Prepare yourself, we’re travelling to the White Mountains tomorrow at dawn. There is a cleansing ritual that needs to be performed on the Moonsinger and only you, with your Silver mark, can perform this task.”

“Liora!” Priestess Diana yelled. “Will you seriously take her? She abandoned this temple, fled from her duties and stayed away for years and now you want her to take on such sacred task? She has no right!”

The blood drained from my face as the implication of what was happening dawned on me. I rushed toward Mother Liora, kneeling beside her as I whispered.

“Mother, you know I can’t do this. Lyla… I haven’t even told her…”

She raised her hand, silencing me. “You saw the signs yourself, Miriam and you reported them to me. The Dark One has already marked her and his power has taken root inside her. If we do not act, her powers will never be activated. So, we need to cleanse her and draw out the poison of his mark and only the one who bears the silver mark can draw away such darkness.”

“How about you, Mother Liora? You have the silver mark too.”

“But I am old and feeble. I will not last through the first few minutes of the cleansing. You will need to connect yourself to her for the cleansing to take place. The Dark one’s power is nothing to joke about and needs someone with strength to fight it.”

“Are you ignoring me, Liora,” priestess Diana cursed out loud again. “If that’s the case, let Jemimah perform the cleansing ritual. She’s trained her entire life as a Silver Wolf. She’s more qualified and refined than Miriam who hasn’t done anything for years now.”

Mother Liora’s gaze turned cold. “Jemimah may have trained all her life as a Silver wolf, but without the mark, attempting to perform the cleansing will kill her.” Her voice dropped into a whisper. “But if you think I’m bluffing, you’re welcome to take her to the White Mountains yourself and have her perform the cleansing.”

“You’ve always played favourites with her, Liora. You’re too blind to see her fault.” Priestess Diana complained.

“Don’t we all have favourites?” Mother Liora retorted. “Even the goddess has favourites that’s why she chooses one out of all the people born as Sigma Wolves to bestow the silver mark. Deal with it, Diana. I’ve told you several times that we can only have one high priestess for each season. Mine reign is coming to an end, and soon she’ll take over. I don’t want to talk about this again!”

Priestess Diana’s face turned red with fury. She glared at me and huffed angrily before storming out of the praying room. One by one, the other priestesses began to leave too. As soon as it was just me and Mother Liora, I opened my mouth to talk but she cut me short.

“Mother…”

“Leave too, Miriam,” she said quietly. “It’s time for my devotion. We’ll meet in front of the gates by 5 am tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

I nodded rising to my feet slowly my mind racing.

As I came out of the praying room, I jumped with fright when I saw Jemimah leaning on the wall, a quiet expression on her face.

“gods!” I shouted holding my chest. “You scared me, Jemimah. Are you waiting to see Mother? She’s doing her devotion, maybe you should come back later,” I said.

She pushed away from the wall and came to me, slipping both hands inside the pockets of her robe. Her grey eyes bore into mine as she stopped in front of me.

We stared at each other for a moment before she spoke.

“You’ve been back for a while now – the second time precisely but we haven’t had the chance to meet or catch up with each other.”

I nodded warily, narrowing my eyes at her. We weren’t friends when I was here. Jemimah hated me and she didn’t hide it. Still, I was hoping all the growing may have made her nicer than she was before.

“There hasn’t been much time,” I replied.

“I see,” she nodded, tilting her head, as a faint smirk played at the corners of her lips. “How is your child?” she asked casually like it was a normal question. “Did you ever find it?”

The question stole my breath away. I stared at Jemimah, unable to form words but I mustered a smile, stuttering. “W-what?” I whispered.

“You heard me,” she said, her smirk widening. “I’m curious. Did you ever find the child you left the temple for? The one whose pregnancy you carried for nine months outside the temple. The one you gave up everything for. Did you later find it?”

My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my mind was reeling. How did Jemimah know? Who else knows? And why was she bringing it up now?

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tried to sound confident.

She chuckled softly, stepping closer. “I knew you were going to deny it and it’s such a pity that you’re denying your child after sacrificing your position as a Moon Devotee for it. You left this place, this life and yet here you are, being called to perform the most sacred of rituals. What a twist of fate.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jemimah. I left because I was suddenly overwhelmed…”

“Or you were suffering from Postpartum depression,” she furnished smiling at me. “That’s what the humans call it right? Anyways, I don’t know why you came back but I was doing much better without you here and I’m not supposed to spell everything out for you.”

She paused, running her index finger at the side of my cheeks.

“Good luck tomorrow, Miriam, but this would be the last time.”