A Dangerous Destiny: The Pure One Book I

Chapter Seventy-Six

KARINA

Manna's chestnut mare was quiet as she lay her head in Karina's arms, allowing her to gently stroke her soft brown nose. Breathing in the comforting earthy sent of oats and hay, Karina almost imagined that the horse could sense her anxiety and was trying to sooth her. A distinct contrast to the Simar's animal who had happily abandoned her the moment Karina turned him free in the small paddock beside Manna's home. 

Waiting for the High Priestess to emerge, tumult of emotions had become so overwhelming as to cause Karina's mind to seem almost blank, too complicated to tease out any one feeling she might cling to. Instead she allowed herself to become lost in repetitive motion. As her hand slid along Merryweather's slick coat she tried to steady her breath and think of nothing.

"Karina"

Karina jumped at the sound of her name, turning her head to see Simar Temdin walking towards her. Her heart began to beat quickly in her chest as the High Priestess's presence destroyed the calm she'd tried to cultivate. It was time.

"Manna will see you now," Simar informed her, stating the obvious. Karina nodded, casting a hesitant look at the house.

 She hated how frightened she felt. She didn't even understand why. Manna had been the closest thing she'd had to a mother her entire life. How could feel anything other than excitement at the chance to see her again? But staring to the house she had once called home, Karina felt as if she were gazing upon a place that was entirely foreign.

 Perhaps it was because she now knew how much of her life there had been a lie. In the wake of the past week of revelations about her origins, her teacher, her childhood home, even reality itself, seemed to be false. She dreaded the potential of further destroying the cherished memories she'd made within those walls should she find it now tainted with all of the deception. The High Priestess however seemed to have no patience for her reticence.

"Go on then," Simar prompted when Karina did not move. "She is waiting and I'd suggest you make the most of the time you have."

"I..." Karina began, looking into the woman's impassive expression. "What do I say to her?"

"That is not my concern, " Simar answered coldly. "When you have concluded with your teacher I expect you to return immediately to my lodgings."

"I will, priestess," Karina answered dutifully.

The woman eyed her for a moment before opening the padlock and retrieving her horse who had come at the sound of his master's voice.

"See to it that you do," she said "I would stay till the two of you were concluded but there is more I must do to prepare for our journey, and I must fetch Mina Krin. She will stay with us this evening so we may depart before sunrise."

"Mina is to come as well?" Karina asked with confusion. "Might she still be named Nita in my place?"

"Do not be foolish, girl," Simar scoffed. "Mina is already a sworn member of our sacred Initiate. It is her wish to travel to Sithrah to further her training now that her teacher has left this world."

Karina felt an uncomfortable squirming in her stomach at the though. She'd already begun to dread making the long journey to the Initiate's home with the critical priestess, but to imagine making the trek with Mina as well...Though it was not her choice, Karina knew she had stolen Mina's future. Fiona's former student must hate her.

"Do not concern yourself with such things now." Simar said, checking Arrow's girth before climbing into his saddle.

Karina nodded, trying to push the thought from her mind as the woman suggested. She had enough worries to focus on already.