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“Kassandra’s grief must truly be too great to bear,” Cassia said.
“Her magic complicates things,” Nodora explained. “She has the gift of foresight.”
Cassia tried not to sound doubtful. “Orthros has a seer?”
“We had two,” Nodora replied. “Methu had his mother’s affinity.”
“Two seers at once,” Cassia marveled. “There is only ever one at a time across all of Tenebra and Cordium. The Orders count themselves lucky if one is born every generation, and she is always appointed the Oracle of Chera.” Cassia hesitated. “I have often wondered if the Orders coach a poor girl mage to recite nonsense so they can use her prophecies to get folk to do what they want. That is no reflection on your oracles, of course.”
“I wouldn’t put it past the Orders,” Kia said, “but foresight is a genuine magical ability, specifically an extraordinarily rare dual affinity for light and time. Kassandra’s is one of the strongest in recorded history. But because she sees the past and future as well as the present, her perception of what is and is not sometimes differs from our own. It isn’t that she’s wrong. All she sees and all she has foretold is true. Just not true in the way we understand it.”
“All convoluted esoterics aside,” Lyros put in, “she made a prophecy after Methu, the first bloodborn and the last to fall, was gone. Kassandra foretold that the bloodborn would return to Orthros. She holds to her belief that Methu will eventually fulfill her prophecy. But you see, we all know it has already come true, and it wasn’t Methu.”
“Of course,” Cassia realized. “Orthros is no longer without the bloodborn. He arrived under auspicious stars and two full moons upon the Winter Solstice. He possesses a dual affinity…and a great destiny.”
Kia pointed up at the sky, where the constellation of Lio’s bloodline shone over their heads. “Those stars were Anastasios, to be exact, Lio’s own foregiver. Queen Soteira was midwife at the birth, as she is for all mothers who receive the Gift while with child. I told you my illustration was lacking in subtlety, but I think I have gotten the point across.”
Nodora took Cassia’s hands. “We’re all so grateful you’re here.”
“I meant what I said when you arrived,” Lyros told Cassia. “Lio was in bad shape without you.”
“As much as we hate to admit it,” Kia said, “there are some things his fellow statues can’t help with.”
And yet they were making a valiant effort, judging by the look on Mak’s face as he and Lio walked out of the woods. Cassia couldn’t hear their conversation behind their veil, but Lio’s hands weren’t behind his back—he was talking with them. Mak was smiling and laughing with every appearance of patience, which seemed only to frustrate Lio further. When his cousin gestured ahead of them, Lio looked up and saw who was waiting.
His gaze went straight to Cassia’s. She found she knew exactly what she wanted to say now.
Mak came to Cassia’s side and offered her a hand. She let him help her up.
“I see you’ve been getting a history lesson,” he said with a knowing smile.
“I’ve learned so much.”
“Sorry I wasn’t here to give you my story straight from the horse’s mouth. But there’s not much to tell. I cried a lot as a baby, until Mother taught me to punch things.”
Cassia laughed aloud. Did Mak always have a joke to smooth the way for others?
Most of the time. But not always. His face sobered. “Do you know there’s a statue of my sister here?”
“Yes. I have heard much about her great deeds tonight.”
“We pay our respects to her every year on the Vigil of Mercy. That’s coming up during the Winter Solstice observances. I hope you’ll join us this year.”
“I would be honored.”
“We’ll plan on that, then. But right now I’m afraid Lyros and I have to excuse ourselves. We haven’t seen much of Bosko and Thenie tonight.”
Lyros stood up and slid into Mak’s waiting arm. “We’d best hurry home if we want to spend any time with them before they Slumber.”
Kia hopped to her feet, tossing her mantle more securely around her shoulders. “I can’t go home without saying hello to Zoe. If I only see her during lessons, she’ll think I’m all work and no play.”
“I’ll come with you,” said Nodora. “It’s been all of one night since I last saw her. I have Zoe withdrawal.”
Lio’s friends did not waste time walking off. They disappeared all at once.
Lio rubbed the back of his head, opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He floundered like that a couple more times before Cassia went to him and put a hand on his lips.
He looked down at her, his brows descending. No statue could ever capture the range of emotion in his eyes. The intensity of his presence. He was a living being, messy and wonderful, flawed and beautiful.
