The rest was easy. Vata Luika took it upon herself to report her selection and a priestess came to the castle to appraise her. She arrived at dusk, dressed in the ceremonial forest green robes. On each of the lapels was a large embroidery of a horned snake. The left one had a mane and webbed feet while the right one had wings on its back and smoke billowing from its mouth. These were the symbols for the goddess and god respectively that she had seen in the library books. It was said that they each represented an element, earth and water for the goddess, fire and air for the god. Together they had created the Uvyali continent and the chimaera people that inhabited it.
The priestess, a mage, was a smiling plump woman with ice blue skin and pale blue scales that shimmered in the warm light of the quiet side room the tests were to be carried out in. She lit an incense cone, placed it in the open burner and covered it.
Next, she took out a bottle of viscous milky liquid and dipped a finger in it. Then she rubbed gently at the point on her forehead where the star was located. She had finally seen the symbol that had caused all the fuss that day she had left the study in after taking on Luika's challenge. It was a purple seven pointed star with small circles at each point and three increasingly larger circles encompassing it. She thought it was quite an ordinary design for a symbol of the patron deities.
"This solution can clear off any tattoos and binding inks," she explained.
"What about illusions?"
She smiled. "For that, I have these eyes." She tapped her temple, her watery blue eyes crinkling into a smile . "With these I can see through all illusions and disguises. That is my gift from the goddess.I see that you also have unusual eyes. Maybe that is your gift."
She turned to her mark and flashed her a genuine smile. "The first test is complete."
"Now," she took out a clear crystal orb the size of a grapefruit, "Hold this and we can discover what gift the goddess has bestowed upon you."
Inoua picked up the orb, trepidation and curiosity at war within her.
"How did you discover the mark of the goddess?"
An attempt at distracting her. Inoua relayed the events of that day, her eyes moving from the orb to the incense burner where thin tendrils of smoke filled the room with the scent of petrichor.
The priestess laughed." What a perceptive mind. The second test is complete. As for the third…" Her eyes trailed down to the orb in her hands. After a minute, the orb showed no change.
"Is that supposed to happen?" Inoua asked.
The priestess frowned. "No." Then she sighed and took back the orb and smiled reassuringly at her. "It just means it would be slightly more difficult for you to become anointed as the patroness."
Oh.
She lowered her eyes in contemplation. It seemed the voice, which had been quiet since breakfast that day, had interfered again. She knew she had a gift because in her constant battles with it, the voice had let slip its desire for her talent, but with no means of identification it remained a mystery. She would have to slowly grope in the dark and discover it slowly at a later date.
The priestess packed her bag and stood to leave the room.
"Wait."
She paused and turned back.
"Can you not tell mother about my gift?"
The priestess met her hesitant eyes and gave an apologetic smile. " I'm sorry, princess, I am forbidden from lying."
She slumped back into the chair, the door closing silently behind the priestess. She got up, pressed her ear against the door, listening to the quiet murmur of exchanged words. The quiet skepticism in her mother's voice, the firm confirmation in the priestess' and the calm acceptance of her mother's. The voices faded as they moved further away from the room. She opened the door and peeked out, then walked down the hall in the opposite direction.
A week was long enough for her to familiarise herself with the castle. She walked across the carpeted halls, trying to figure out what the voice wanted.
It was a mysterious force that could fool even the church's holy instruments and trained physicians. Yet it had not interfered with the discovery of the mark on her forehead. It had also not interfered with her acceptance to become patroness. This means the path she was now walking was in line with its goals. It wanted her to become patroness. Did this mean it would interfere less with such matters? What did it want and why did it choose her beside greed for her gift?
She was stopped by the illusion of the butler that appeared in front of her. She was a woman with long white hair braided down her back and pale red irises.
"Princess, Vata Luika requests your presence in the study."
"Thank you Tewa. I'll be there shortly."
The Illusion vanished as silently as it had appeared.
She walked back, taking a turn by the kitchen to grab an orange. She savoured the sweetness, tucking in the second orange into her pocket.
Vata Luika was standing by the window, a slight frown on her face as she gazed out at the flickering lights of Shaana city. The soft light did little to soften the rigid lines of her body.
"You have no gift."
Inoua's smile faded at the words. "Yes."
"Does this make you want to quit participating in the selection?"
She turned to face her.
Inoua hesitated. Participating meant getting stronger and potentially being able to defeat the voice. But it was also a danger that she was walking into the trap the voice had set for her. Either stay at her mercy or risk danger for a chance at freedom. The choice was clear.
"No."
"Even though the path might be harder than you had imagined?"
She paused, then raised her eyes to meet Luika's. "I still choose to participate."
"Good." She sounded proud.
"You have fifteen years to train before the start of the selection. Your tutor will be here tomorrow."
"What about my partner?"
She sighed. "The selection pool has narrowed considerably due to your lack of a gift. Worry not, he will be here by the end of the week. Go get some rest. Tomorrow will be an early day for you."