Three Floating Coffins by Rebecca Lang

Author:Rebecca Lang [Lang, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Winter Dragonfly Press
Published: 2018-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

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A light rain fell pit, pat, pit, pat on top of Odele’s head as the three of them climbed the edge of the volcano for the Fountain of Dionysus. The night was black as tar, except for the faint yellow glow of the lamp, which Philomena held. For a long time, they wordlessly passed farms and small villages. But as the road grew muddier and the vegetation wilder, Philomena spoke in a hushed whisper.

“I’ve yet to tell you about the final time I met the queen.”

Odele’s heart shivered. “What happened?” she asked quietly.

“I was at the Monastery of Holy Peace, praying for the safety of a young sailor—your father, Damianos. At sunset the bells sounded. I was about to leave, when a monk touched my shoulder and told me someone wished to see me. He led me to an empty room and left, shutting the door behind him. I was puzzled and a little anxious. Suddenly, two people appeared: Queen Sophia and a man in a wooden mask.”

Invisibility. Odele bit her cheek.

In the story of Princess Sophia’s Riddle, the one she’d grown up with, King Kyrillos had tried to kill her father as soon as he presented the amulet. Her mother and father had run out of the room and promptly vanished. At the time, Odele thought the amulet could do any magic her mother wanted. She knew better now. Someone had the power of invisibility. But who?

“Did you see the amulet in my mother’s hand?” Odele asked.

“Not at first. The man in the mask had it to begin with.”

“And what did he look like? Did he say anything?”

“No,” Philomena said. “And he never took off his mask. He wore a monk’s robes with the hood up.” Pause. “He was clutching a book that had a dark cover painted with silver stars.”

Who could this strange man be? Her father? No—not if the story happened on the eve of her mother’s wedding. At that point, Eustachius was seen on King’s Isle. The whole castle had witnessed it.

“What did the queen want?” Damianos asked, sounding impatient.

“She asked if I’d told anyone about the fountain. I swore that I hadn’t. She said I should continue to keep it a secret, because she saw darkness in the future, and if I spoke, I would put myself in danger.”

“Darkness… in the future?” Odele repeated the words slowly, making sure she heard them right.

“And then a strange thing happened,” Philomena said. “Your mother took the amulet from the masked man. In her hands, it flashed bright, almost blinding me. I stepped back. Your mother caught me and stared into my eyes. I felt like she was peeling me open like an apple.”

“The queen said, ‘Though our paths will not cross again, our families’ fates are intertwined. One day, my daughter will come to you for help. When she does, you must tell her all that you’ve witnessed.’ ”

Now Odele was sure. My mother’s power was prophecy—true prophecy, not the lies Anso spread. Her heart ached; Odele rubbed a hand over her chest.

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