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Mak voiced their fears. “The potion won’t kill us, but it also won’t protect Lio from a stray fireball of Chrysanthos’s.”
“Lio,” Kadi instructed, “you know the code of the gymnasium. If Chrysanthos in any way violates the prohibition on magic in the ring, all rules are lifted, and safety is the only priority. Respond in any way you must to protect yourself.”
“It must not come to that,” Lyros told Lio. “If Chrysanthos shows any sign of disrespect toward the rules, call off the match. Stalemate, or even surrender, is a small price to pay for your safety.”
“And avoiding diplomatic disaster. If I must forfeit to him to save the Summit, I will.” But Lio would teach the bloodless vulture a lesson first.
“You cannot raise a ward,” Lyros said, “and you are not trained to respond to surprise attacks from a war mage.”
Mak put his hand on Lio’s shoulder. “Don’t take any chances.”
Lio refrained from reminding them all that Aithourian battle wards couldn’t protect the Dexion from thelemancy. Could Lio use his mind magic fast enough to protect his body from a fire spell? If Chrysanthos gave him an excuse, he wouldn’t hesitate to find out.
Lyros uncapped his green bottle and clinked the vial against Mak’s and Lio’s. “No turning back now. To your health.”
All three of them grimaced and tossed the potion back. It tasted like flowers laced with burnt spices. Lio shrugged and set the empty bottle on the desk by Javed’s satchel. Mak and Lyros followed suit.
On the other side of the desk, Kadi hesitated with her yellow bottle in one hand and Javed’s hand in her other. “You’re sure you’re equal to giving Bosko and Thenie their drink again tonight?”
“Don’t worry for a moment,” Javed reassured her. “I’ll provide for them first so my blood will be untainted. Then we’ll replenish each other.”
“You’re sure the poison will be completely out of my blood before the children thirst again? I must take my turn next. I won’t let you wear yourself down.”
“I will see to it your blood is cleansed before veil hours are through.” He smiled. “And then you may cure your physician.”
Kadi returned his smile and drank the Sunfire.
Lyros cleared his throat. “Javed, since both Mak and I have had the Sunfire, how long will it take us to cleanse each other’s blood?”
“We’ll figure it out without my Grace-brother’s advice,” Mak interjected.
Javed shot him an amused glance. “It will require multiple exchanges of one another’s blood to achieve sufficient recirculation.”
Mak coughed into his hand. “Challenge accepted.”
Lyros grinned.
Javed turned to Lio. “As for you—”
“Cassia and I will figure it out,” Lio said.
Javed continued, “It will be advantageous to you that you have a source of pure mortal blood to rely on. However, given your deprivation in recent months, it may require extra effort on Cassia’s part to restore you.”
Mak clapped Lio on the shoulder. “Cassia always goes the extra mile, doesn’t she?”
At that moment, Nodora and Kia burst into the room, letting in a brief wave of noise before the door shut behind them. They went to Lio’s side.
Kia made a face. “The mages are very much in the way, but we managed to confer with Cassia during this intermission.”
Lio frowned at his Trial sisters. “Cassia shouldn’t risk that here, now. It’s too dangerous for her.”
Nodora clasped her hands, her aura throbbing with concern. “It’s your danger she’s thinking of. Cassia is frantic with worry about your match with Chrysanthos. She gave us a message for you.”
Kia cleared her throat. “I quote: ‘This time I would not step outside the veil over the Font.’ I trust you know what she means.”
Few words could hold more meaning. The Font was an ancient monument of the Changing Queen on the grounds of Solorum, but also one of the greatest landmarks of Lio and Cassia’s personal history. It was the place where they had first beheld one another, first spoken, first sworn their Oath of openness and honesty.
How well Lio recalled the occasion when Dalos had nearly discovered them there. Lio had concealed Cassia in a veil spell while he used diplomacy to throw the mage off the scent. But back then, she had still been loathe to trust her survival to anyone but herself. She had fled outside Lio’s magic to make her own escape.
