CHAPTER NINE
NIKANDER
When Nik reached the towering sandstone columns of Tiryns’ palace, his tunic was damp with sweat, and a layer of dust clung to his skin. Theo stood waiting in the shade, arms crossed, crisp from council meetings instead of training. The pillars rose around them, wide enough for three men to stand shoulder to shoulder and taller than the sacred pines of Megara.
“I see we’ve both been summoned,” Nik said, still catching his breath from the training yard. “What do you think our fearless leader wants this time?”
He’d been mid-drill with Pelagios and the Tirynthian recruits when a messenger had appeared with nothing more than a curt nod towards the palace.
Theo said nothing at first, leading the way through the palace in polished armour and deep Megarian blue. Nik fell into step beside him. Their footsteps echoed through the hall, and the courtyards they passed were nearly deserted. Most of the guards were either training outside or posted along the city walls, eyesfixed on the Twelfth Legion camped just beyond the Maiden’s Barrier.
“I have a feeling it’s about his Gift,” Theo said at last, a shadow of unease passing over him.
Nik stopped short. “His Gift?”
When they’d first arrived, Queen Charis had welcomed them with open arms. After months of council deliberation through the winter, Tiryns and Megara had agreed to join forces against the Empire, sealing their alliance with the wedding of Charis and Leukos on the day of the spring equinox.
Everything hinged on Leukos.
He was their rallying point, his ice magic the rebellion’s strongest weapon. Nik had seen arena champions rise and fall, but none had matched Leukos in raw power or control. Without him, the rebellion would collapse.
“What’s wrong with his Gift?”
Theo slowed, then turned to face him, jaw tight. “It’s waning.”
Nik let out a sharp breath, raking a hand through his hair. “Twelve be damned.”
“I only found out yesterday,” Theo said, rubbing the back of his neck with genuine concern. “Pelagios mentioned Leukos hasn’t used his magic at all during training. I noticed it, too, when we sparred—he was holding back. I pressed him on it, and he grudgingly admitted it.”
Of course, he had. Theo, blessed by the Grey-Eyed Maiden with wisdom and far too much persistence, could pry the truth out of a rock. Even someone like Leukos didn’t stand a chance.
“Didn’t you notice anything?” Theo asked.
Nik realised he hadn’t seen Leukos wield ice in days. Not during training. Not even during their spars. How had he missed it?
He frowned. “Why is it fading?”
“Think about it.” Theo motioned down the corridor for them to keep walking. The hollowthudof their steps filled the hall, masking their voices. They couldn’t risk being overheard—not with the wedding still days away and the alliance hanging by a thread. “You said he raised a wall of ice at the hillfort, and that it brought him to his knees. You had to help him stand.”
Nik’s stomach tightened.
“He must’ve burned through a massive amount of magic, and you know the gods always demand something in return,” Theo went on. “But when’s the last time you saw him make an offering?”
Nik searched his memory. Nothing. They’d been on the road for days, travelling from the Western Lands to Tiryns, and not once had Leukos stopped to make a sacrifice. Even when Pelagios led prayers to the Twelve, Leukos had stayed silent.
“The North Wind could be different. Maybe he doesn’t require the same kind of worship.” The suggestion was wishful thinking, and they both knew it.
Theo shook his head. “I doubt it. His mother, Queen Zeuxippe, prayed morning and night, and sacrificed a white bull to the North Wind at the turn of every season. And remember Nisos?”
Nik nodded. Nisos, the Silver Shield who had trained both Leukos and his brother Galen from an early age. Nik had expected to find him among the rebels until Pelagios quietly revealed that the Blood Wolf had killed him.
“He used to hound Leukos about being better at worshipping the gods,” Theo continued. “But since his death, I don’t think Leukos has made any effort. It’s no surprise his Gift is suffering as a result.”
“Fuck.” Nik resumed his pace, eager to find Leukos and knock some sense into him. “Why can’t he send up a prayer to the old goat once in a while?”
Theo’s lips twitched. “They can hear you, you know.”
“Who?” Nik asked, raising an eyebrow. “The gods? You think some old Thracian god is going to swoop down from the sky and punish me for calling him ‘an old goat’? The gods haven’t shown themselves to anyone in years. The only one who has even seen one of the Achaean Twelve is?—”
