Excerpt from Sisters of Shadow Coming July 1st

[Paul]

"Ilvaria, you've always had a knack for finding trouble," Alethria said, her voice echoing through the dimly lit library of the Sisters of the Sylvan Covenant.

Her eyes narrowed, Ilvaria looked up from the dusty tome she'd been absorbed in. Alethria, her oldest sister, had a tendency to make dramatic entrances, but this was something else entirely. The urgency in her tone was palpable, sending a shiver down Ilvaria's spine.

"What brings you to the heart of Cartheim, Alethria?" Ilvaria inquired, her curiosity piqued. The Human city was a far cry from their shadowy forest home, and Alethria's presence here was as unexpected as it was alarming.

Her sister's expression grew grim as she stepped closer, her eyes flickering with an unspoken warning. "Mother has sent us all a message," Alethria said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your affiliation with the Light Elves has brought disgrace upon our house. Your achievements in her eyes are a betrayal to the Vel`Dynn name. She demands your return to Nasfera, or your head in a bag."

Ilvaria felt the color drain from her face. The library's warm glow seemed to dim, the dust motes suspended in the air grew heavy with the weight of her mother's wrath. She had always known her path would lead to conflict.

"Are you here to collect it, then?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. Alethria paused, her gaze flickering over the gleaming gold of the Sisters' Brooch that Ilvaria wore proudly. The brooch was a symbol of her newfound home, a place where she felt accepted despite her dark heritage.

Alethria's eyes softened, a hint of regret shimmering in their depths. "No, little sister. I came to warn you. Our mother's wrath is not to be underestimated, and your other sisters... well, they are more eager to prove their loyalty."

Ilvaria took a deep, shaky breath, her gaze drifting to the intricate tome before her, its pages filled with the secrets of the arcane that had become her sanctuary. "Very well," she said, steeling herself. "What options do you suggest we present to her? Perhaps there's a way to mend this fracture without spilling blood."

Alethria's expression grew grim. "Our mother is a creature of honor and duty, Ilvaria. She sees your path as a betrayal of the Vel`Dynn name. To her, your affiliation with the Light Elves is akin to embracing the enemy."

Ilvaria's heart sank. She had known the risk when she left Nasfera, but she never anticipated that her pursuit of knowledge would lead to such a dire consequence. "But I've done nothing to dishonor her or our house. I've only sought to expand my understanding of the arcane."

Alethria nodded gravely. "I understand, but our mother sees it differently. The Vel`Dynn are known for their Shadowknights, not their mages who cavort with the light. To her, you've turned your back on us."

Ilvaria closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her mother's accusations like a heavy shroud. "I will not return," she said firmly, "to do so would be death anyway. And I would rather die fighting than be slaughtered like a sheep."

Her sister's expression softened, a hint of understanding flickering in her gaze. "Then you must be prepared. Mother has sent them all—each one more skilled and merciless than the last. Can you truly best them all, Ilvaria?"

Ilvaria's hand tightened around her staff, the intricate carvings warming under her grip. "I do not seek to harm them," she replied with quiet conviction. "But I will not let them harm me. Or those I've come to call friends."

Alethria studied her sister's face, the candlelight playing off the amethyst hue of her eyes. "When I return, I will tell her that you are not what she believes you to be. That your heart is true to the Vel`Dynn, even if your path is... unorthodox."

Ilvaria's smile was bittersweet. "I appreciate your efforts, Alethria, but I fear it may be too late for words to sway her." She paused, her gaze drifting to the flickering shadows dancing on the library's ancient tomes. "Should she decide that my existence is a threat to our house, I will defend myself. But I will not be the one to spill family blood."

Alethria sighed, the weight of her own loyalties clearly weighing upon her. "I shall do what I can," she murmured, her eyes flicking to the staff in Ilvaria's hand. "But you must be ready, sister. The others will not be as forgiving as I."

Ilvaria nodded solemnly, gripping the smooth oak of her Staff of Balance tightly. "Thank you, Alethria," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "You've always had my love, and I hope that one day, our mother will understand that the path I've chosen is not one of treachery, but of truth."

Alethria reached out to touch her sister's arm, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and sadness. "Our family is bound by more than just blood," she whispered. "We are Shadowknights of the Vel`Dynn House, and our duty is to serve Yara. But I believe that there are many ways to serve the Dark Goddess, and perhaps your way is simply... different."

With a final, lingering look, Alethria turned and disappeared into the shadows of the library, leaving Ilvaria to contemplate her precarious situation. The Library of the Sisters of the Sylvan Covenant had once been a sanctuary, filled with tomes of ancient knowledge that had fueled her insatiable curiosity. Now it felt like the walls were closing in around her, whispering of the impending doom that awaited outside.

Muttering under her breath, "Gods and Goddesses! The pox on them all," she couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger at the divine forces that had set the world on its current, tumultuous course. In her mind, Velara could be a utopia where light and dark coexisted in harmony, where the whispers of ancient lore didn't lead to bloodshed and discord.