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    Priestess
    Priestess
    Priestess
    Ebook37 pages22 minutes

    Priestess

    By Alyne de Winter

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Sacrifice or Love... which is stronger?

    This is a short story of the ancient world and the Dianic Religion of Rome. 

    The seventh of seven daughters, Sylvana is taken at birth to be raised in the Temple of the Moon Goddess Diana. When she is initiated into the Rites of the Hunt she flees, on pain of death, because she cannot bear the sacrifices.

    Protected as Seer and High Priestess in the Temple of Proserpina, she learns through the oracular Book that she has been tracked by her ex-lover, Aurelius, who, to save his own life, has pledged to turn her in for her offence to the Goddess. 

    Who will win this battle: Love or Death?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAlyne de Winter
    Release dateMar 6, 2019
    ISBN9781386272410
    Priestess

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      Book preview

      Priestess - Alyne de Winter

      Priestess

      A Mystical Tale of Sacrifice and Love

      Alyne de Winter

      House-of-Winterspells-logo-black

      2012 All Rights Reserved

      LOOK AT THE MOON! HOW strange the moon seems! She is like a woman rising from a tomb. She is like a dead woman. You would fancy she was looking for dead things.

      ― Oscar Wilde, Salomé

      Priestess

      ::dianarome.jpg

      THE PRIESTESS PASSED her hands over the pages of the Book and where they touched, the letters of the Prophecy rose into the air as living fire. There they scintillated until a word was formed, then fell away as embers dying.

      Spell-bound by their portent, the Priestess lifted her wide gray eyes to her Goddess, and the power in her hands subsided.

      Across the stream of bright water kneeled two women, a widow and her daughter. The widow told her prayer beads, her face expectant, yet hardened by long experience of the capriciousness of Fate. The daughter beheld the Priestess with eyes of wonder and of fear.

      The Priestess addressed the widow in her low, honeyed voice: Lady Portia, your daughter loves a man, but he is not the one you have chosen for her. He is an artisan, humble and poor.

      Lady Portia glanced at her daughter with obvious disapproval.

      But she is betrothed to a Senator from Luxus. He has awaited her hand these many weeks.

      Now you know why she stalls and drags out the time, the Priestess answered.

      Lydia? Lady Portia said.

      The girl clutched her own prayer beads and wept.

      The widow’s body drooped like a windless sail.

      "If you will not fulfill your vow, you must be given to the Temple. I will not have you throw yourself

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