AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She held up a hand. “When someone you love is in this situation, it is very easy to feel you are to blame. You must be kinder than that to yourself.”
“You knew. You’ve been trying to bring him home all along, because you could see what was happening to him.”
“I knew what would eventually happen to him. Even I did not realize he is already at this point. If I had, he would already be home.”
“I’m sorry he has kept this from you, when you are the first person he could have trusted with it.”
Konstantina sighed. “I am the last person he would trust with it, because he knows I have the power to keep him out of the field. Clearly he has gone to great lengths to hide this from our mothers and me. As you know, every Hesperine who serves in the Charge is required to visit a mind healer on a regular basis to ensure their service has not wounded them too deeply. Ioustin is not exempt. The Queens receive regular reports on his mental health from Fortress Master Baruti.”
“Firstblood Baruti is one of the most qualified theramancers in history. How could he have missed the signs?”
“He wouldn’t. Unless Ioustin deliberately deceived him. Few theramancers are more powerful than Baru, but…”
“None are more powerful than Annassa Soteira and those of you who have inherited her power.”
Konstantina nodded. “Ioustin used his power to make Baru believe he is well. You see why you should not blame yourself for not realizing your Ritual father needs a mind healer?”
Lio looked down at his hands. “Thank you, Aunt Kona.”
She gave his shoulder a squeeze.
He looked up. “Only the hope of saving Nike was enough to convince him to step away from the mage’s door. The next thing he will want to do is ride out and not return until he has rescued the hostages himself.”
“As we speak, he is making his case to the circle for that very course of action.”
“The mages are not the gravest danger to him. We cannot let him ride into his worst memories. He might not come back. He might make sure he doesn’t.”
“He will not set foot outside the ward until our mother Soteira pronounces him in a fit state to do so. Do not fear. I will make sure we do not lose him. Go get Cassia and join us at the circle. You will see.”
Lio’s duty was done. That meant the Dexion awaited.
He was just about to rise from the bench when she stayed him with a hand on his. “Lio. You have my gratitude.”
“That is a gift beyond price, My Princess.”
She would not release his hand to let him make the heart bow. “Also, you should know I have always taken it as a compliment that you and Kia chose one of my scrolls as the object of your magical experiment. You were trying to devise a way to use magic to transcribe text more quickly than scribes can, to foster the spread of knowledge. Imagine what it means to me that my legal writings were your first choice.”
Her gaze twinkled with amusement. Surprised silenced Lio for a moment, then he laughed.
“Of course it was one of your writings. The law of our land. All we hold dear.”
With a smile, she released him.
He stood, unable to quell the urge to give her the heart bow. “I’m still sorry we ruined your scroll.”
“I’m sorry we still don’t have a way of magically transcribing text. Bold experiments frequently result in destruction, but your heart has always been in the right place.”
“I was not planning to raise the subject of the Summit with you tonight, Aunt Kona.”
“You did well,” she said again. “Ioustin’s plight will only strengthen my resolve to invoke the Departure, but you put the well being of others ahead of your political ends tonight, which is precisely why I am glad you are in politics.”
“I was under the impression my foray into politics did not meet with your approval.”
“If you think I love you any less from the opposite side of a political debate, you need to live through a few more upheavals in Orthros’s history. I codified the laws that uphold Hesperines’ freedom to disagree. Do you think my Ritual mother and I love each other any less because she cast the deciding vote that turned your Summit idea into a reality?”
“Of course not, Aunt Kona. You and Kassandra both have my gratitude, many times over.”
“Now we have work to do. I will see you at the circle.”
