Chapter 174: Not Allowed To Use Fiery
"Did you know that every Divine Lady before you met a tragic end?" Jean asked abruptly, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.
Salviana flinched at the morbid topic but tried to wave off the gloom. "Enlighten me," she said, though her tone suggested she wasn’t entirely eager to hear it.
Jean leaned forward, clasping her hands in her lap. "It’s said that the Divine Ladies, blessed as they were, all carried burdens too heavy for any mortal soul. Each one had a unique channel through which they glimpsed the future. Yours is art—but others were different."
Salviana breathed deeply.
"There was Lady Ismara, who saw visions through reflections in water. She married a nobleman, believing he’d protect her from what she saw. But her visions showed her his betrayal long before it happened. She lost her mind trying to change a fate that couldn’t be altered, and she drowned herself in the river that had betrayed her."
Salviana shivered but continued stitching, her needle moving in rhythmic precision.
"Then there was Lady Marith, whose visions came through her dreams. She lied to her people, claiming she foresaw peace and prosperity, but the truth was far darker.
When the truth surfaced, they turned on her. She died in exile, haunted by the futures she never dared to share."
"And Lady Helindra?" Salviana asked, her voice soft despite herself. She’d heard about that one before. She was the last one to exist before her.
Jean nodded gravely. "Lady Helindra’s visions came from the stars. She saw her own death in the constellations but couldn’t understand it until it was too late. She was struck down by an assassin her dreams had warned her about but failed to prepare her for. Each Divine Lady fell, not because of their visions, but because of their isolation. They bore their burdens alone."
Salviana’s gaze dropped to her embroidery, the needle slipping slightly as Jean’s words settled heavily over her.