“The Ancient found Althea lying in a pool of her own blood, her body as cold as the stones beneath her. Realizing her advice had caused a terrible tragedy, Wisdom bound herself inhuman form to Cascadia, until she corrected her error. Only then would she rejoin her sisters in the world beyond this one.”
Rune studied Antonio, who obviously believed the historical account. It was a nice idea: Wisdom as a kind of sentinel, waiting for the right moment to set the world to rights. But obviously it was a myth.
If it were true, it would mean she’s still here. Walking among us.
It made more sense that Althea had come up with the idea to hold a council on her own, and historians wrote Wisdom in later.
Antonio nodded to the book lying open in his lap. “Arcana spells were outlawed. Why would your grandmother have a spell book full of them?”
“I don’t know,” said Rune, glancing down at the spell in question.
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD,the inscription read.
Rune had come across it in her search and set it aside to study later. But Antonio was poring over it now in the glow of his lamp.
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
CLASSIFICATION: ARCANA
A close kin must be sacrificed in the casting of this spell. Nothing less than a parent, child, or sibling will suffice. To resurrect the dead, the following steps must be taken:
To begin, cut the sacrifice and use their fresh blood to draw the required spellmarks on the bodies of the dead. Once all the spellmarks are complete, use your casting knife to pierce the heart of your sacrifice. The magic in the marks will draw the life force from the victim, infusing the deceased, resulting in their resurrection. For this reason, the sacrifice must be living when thespell begins, and only after the spellmarks are drawn can they be killed. A dead victim will not work, even if the blood is fresh. The victim’s life must be taken in the process of casting the spell, or it will fail.
An addendum had been written near the bottom of the page:
This spell is forbidden under the laws of Cascadia. If for some terrible reason it must be used, be warned: the sacrifice will die, and the witch who undertakes it will corrupt herself beyond redemption. Proceed at your own risk.
Rune shivered.
If people knew she was Analise and Elowyn’s sister, it would be in everyone’s best interest to kill her, permanently preventing Cressida from using her to bring their sisters back.
Antonio closed the book and shoved it away from him.
“What changed your mind?” he said. “You seemed so set on leaving.”
Rune thought of Gideon’s belief in a better world, and his willingness to die for it. She thought of their future children running through a field, full of laughter and joy.
“I realized he’s right,” she said. “You get the world you’re willing to fight for.”
She glanced at the medallion hanging from Antonio’s neck.
“Can acolytes officiate weddings?”
“In certain circumstances, yes.” Antonio cocked his head at her. “Why do you ask?”
“Could you marry us, when this is over?”
If he noticed she saidwhen, notif, he didn’t point it out. Only smiled.
“It would be an honor.”
Stringed instruments hummed from beneath the floorboards, breaking her concentration. Rune and Antonio frowned at each other, confusion etched into their foreheads at the sound.
Music?
They went to investigate, the music growing louder the closer they came to the ground floor. In the room where they’d left Gideon, Laila, and the others to finish their strategizing, they found what could only be described as a revel.
The furniture had been pushed against the walls, and two fiddlers, still in Blood Guard uniforms, stood in the middle of the room, furiously slashing their bows against their strings. Everyone else danced around them. As if they weren’t in the midst of a war, but an after-party.
