Page 97 of Awakened Ash and Alchemy

While Angela’s stomach twisted. With. As in… with.

“Good girls,” the Matriarch said encouragingly. “That’s what we’re here for.”

The words landed like a stone in Angela’s gut. No, they weren’t…

“I was worried that the Vanguard—the Sworn Exarchs in particular—were not using our services since that female had arrived.” Disdain dripped from the Matriarch’s tone. “Starss, when were you with Martar? Recently?”

The small, dark-haired woman shrugged, fiddling with her fingers. “Before that woman arrived. I haven’t seen him since.”

“Hmm.” The Matriarch paused, straightening out her gown as if recalibrating her next line of questioning. “Has anyone been visited by any of the Sworn Exarchs since this new female arrived?”

“No,” they all replied.

Angela’s hands clenched around her medallion. They’re not talking about me? Are they?

“Why is she here? And who is she?” one woman asked.

“Not sure,” the Matriarch replied. “The Commander has been very coy, avoiding my meetings. If he keeps this up, I’ll have no choice but to speak to my superiors on the Council. So, has anyone learned anything about this female they call Angela? Tell me now.”

What the—Angela gasped. Slapping a hand over her mouth, she pressed herself flat against the tree trunk, waiting to see if anyone noticed her.

“I’ve heard rumors she has some kind of hold over the Great Captain Zarek,” one woman said. “And she has different colored eyes.”

Angela bit down on her lower lip. While keeping her back against the tree trunk, she slowly gathered her gown’s skirt closer, sliding into her shoes, as if to make herself smaller. She should have snuck away, but she couldn’t stop listening as the women continued.

“And I’ve heard she wears the Great Captain’s staves among the silver threads on her sleeves.”

The woman stroked her bare arm as she spoke. Except for the Matriarch, none of them had any insignia or embroidered staves like the Vanguard and wizards wore. No patches like the students’ tunics or on the house staff vests. They had no markings at all.

Who were these women?

“I’ve heard this too,” the Matriarch said. “And that she’s under the protection of the Sworn Exarchs directly. But I did not know the rest of them had stopped coming to us.”

Angela’s stomach churned. Coming to them. For what? For—

Oh.

Oh.

Heat flooded her face.

“Have you seen her, this Angela, Matriarch?” another woman asked.

“No. Has anyone else?”

They all shook their heads.

“Maybe I should go say hello.”

“But we’re not allowed in the corridors where she may be,” the timid Starss said softly.

“You, my darling,” the Matriarch said, gently tipping Starss’s chin in a motherly manner, “it’s because of your beauty—like the rest of the Hearthbound women—it would disrupt the concentration of the Vanguard’s duty. And that is a compliment.”

The women giggled, toying with their hair, or preening their lovely soft gowns.

“However, under the authority of the Continuum Council, I can approach her,” the Matriarch continued. “More importantly, I’m sure the Council would be interested to learn how this female has power over Captain Zarek, and why the rest of the Sworn Exarchs have stopped coming to see you.”

“I heard no man is allowed to look her in the eye or speak with her. At all,” regaled Starss. “That if they see her in the corridors, they’re ordered to look away. But I know the soldiers are curious about who she is.”