Star People Legacy by Smith, T.L. (feel good books to read .txt) 📕

into his arms. “I’m going through something I can’t really explain, but it’s more of this transformation. I’m scared, but I understand why I have to do this.”

“I think I do too. Your father tried to explain what to expect, about being the husband of a Ci’inkwia priestess. That this Spirit inside you is special among them. As special as you are to me. That I need to be strong enough for both of you, as you face the Maxa’xak.”

“Wow, you managed saying all that without stuttering.”

“I finally saw the video. I gave him my word I’d stand beside you, no matter what came at us, even that… thing. I intend to be there, no matter what.”

“No.” I pushed my head into his shoulder. “We’re not married. You can still go and…”

“And what, pretend none of this happening?” Casey took my arms and pushed me back enough to make me look up at him. “I told you, I’m in this to the end, no matter what happens. No matter what they ask of me. I’m in this because I love you. I won’t pretend that isn’t real.” He kissed me, hard.

I clung to him, kissing him back, wanting this moment to not end, but a rapping on the door and announced our ‘couple minutes’ was up. Casey didn’t let go, holding me tighter. “I’m not going anywhere.”

I refrained from pointing out that he was, that he had to leave now. Another rap on the door delivered the message. He let go, giving me one more kiss as Daniel knocked louder. “I’ll see you at the ceremony thing.”

As soon as the doors opened, Stephanie and Olivia brushed past him, Chucky wrapped an arm around Casey’s shoulders making sure he couldn’t come back. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was also to make sure Casey wouldn’t take off.

Olivia knelt over a trunk someone had delivered to the room while I slept. Three trunks in total. Stephanie pushed me towards the bathroom. She started drawing a bath, ordering me to undress. I wasn’t sure what they had in mind until Olivia joined us. She poured a golden oil into the water, then stirred it with eucalyptus branches.

The smell confirmed I was going to get a ritual cleansing bath. A bath to cleanse away any taint of the dark Spirits that crossed my path. As soon as the bath was full and steaming, Stephanie ordered me into it.

The water was so hot my flesh felt it was one degree from being burned off. The air was suffocating with the scent of the oil and leaves. I gasped as my body sank down into the water. Did my Star Spirit have control of my senses? Could my mortal body bear this?

The bath lasted nearly an hour, Stephanie and Olivia sang Navajo songs meant to drive away the evil they washed off my body. They waved feathers through the rising steam to dissipate any darkness I exhaled. Stephanie poured water over my head, the strong eucalyptus soaking into every pore, until they were certain I was purified.

Numbly, I followed a path of towels into the bedroom. Out the massive glass wall I could see the sun over the western mountains, almost ready to set. It was morning when we arrived at the hotel, meaning I’d slept most of the day. Dreaming. Spirit walking. I stared into the distance as they rubbed my body with more oil and braided my hair with wild Starbursts.

Normally I’d have objected to all this touching, especially standing in the middle of the room naked. But my Spirit expected this and held me there, perfectly content with the attention. This was all part of what was yet to come and she… I… was calm. I was prepared.

CHAPTER

22

 

They wrapped me in ritual clothes I’d never seen before. The white leather was velvety soft, nearly as thin as silk from age, and had a shimmer only accentuated by quartz bead where the fabric was woven together. I’d never seen these clothes with these eyes, but I knew their feel against my skin. She knew the feel.

Stephanie fastened the last shell button at my hip, stepping away from me. The leather molded to my every curve. Olivia set leather slippers in front of me, backing away as I tucked my feet into them, fitting as if made just for me.

Both women knelt down as the last rays of the sun blazed through the windows, casting shimmers around the room as they reflected off the crystal beads. They sang a Blessingway, but there were words I hadn’t heard before, in a long time.

They sang to the Great Father and Mother, to the children of the gods, the Ci’inkwia left to battle for all the peoples. They sang a prayer to recognize and bless the offspring... to bless me, Din’ah, as a Star Woman. As the Ci’in.

Not a Ci’in, but the Ci’in.

They used my real name, her real name. Her real title. Even through the thick-paned glass, those rays of sunlight were a warmth glowing over me. Through me. My Spirit was alive. I took a deep breath, smelling eucalyptus, leather and Starbursts. Smelling life, as if for the first time in a very long time.

The song stopped as the sun disappeared. None of us said anything as they led me out of my suite and to the elevator. The guards stood statuesque, not a flinch of emotion, not the flicker of an eye as I passed between them. They took me to the rooftop, moving aside to let me step out alone.

But I wasn’t alone. The roof had been designed as entertainment space, glass panels surrounding the perimeters for the safety of the guests. Any other time I had no doubt there were awnings with misters, tables, chairs and any sort of other special furniture for events. Right now furniture was replaced by people. At least a hundred, if not more.

They all looked at me, but I couldn’t see anything except the display