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But Lio’s good humor faded. He gazed down at her ankle again. “If not for you, I couldn’t face this night.”
“You did everything you could for our Hesperines errant. Offering the Dexion the Torch was a brilliant idea.”
“I wish I had foreseen how it could make matters worse.”
“We are not in any worse a position than we were before. The envoys will find our Hesperines errant.”
“But now the Order of Anthros knows we have the Akron’s Torch. We have not heard the last of this.”
“The Dexion has not heard the last of this, either. He threatened you. I will never forget what he said. I will not let him forget.”
At last a smile relieved Lio’s grim countenance once more. “You will make a fierce Hesperine.”
“Of course I will. Just wait until I have fangs of my own.”
“You can bring down kings with just a spade. I can’t wait to see what you do with fangs.”
“The Dexion will get a little preview as he watches the Summit turn against him.”
“So he shall.Yourplan has not failed.”
“Our plan. Don’t tell me you’ve given up on your Summit, not after giving so much of your heart to it.”
“Given up on the Summit? No. But I have not given it my heart. That is my gift to you.”
She put her hand over his heart. “And the Summit is your gift to Orthros and Tenebra. It lies with the embassy not to squander it.”
He lifted his eyes to hers again. “You aren’t part of the embassy anymore.”
“No. I can’t achieve my plan without Flavian—but I can do it without me.”
“You found a way. For us.”
“I started laying the foundations as soon as I received your invitation to Orthros. I told myself I must have preparations in place so my work would not die with me, should Lucis see fit to do away with me between Solorum and Selas.”
He opened his mouth, his brows descending.
She preempted him with a kiss. “In truth, my heart was already finding me a way out. I will leave Tenebra’s fate in the hands of the Tenebrans. Beyond that, we can only hope they are wise enough to know what to do with it.”
“If they are not, they have learned nothing from you.”
“We will put my escape plan into action—tomorrow. Tonight is Hespera’s sacred festival and my Grace’s Gift Night. The world will have to forgive me if I make politics wait for once.”
Lio kissed her again, a most expressive thanks. “I wish you could attend your first Solstice Ritual with me tonight.”
“That commemoratestheRitual, doesn’t it?” she asked.
“Yes, when the leaders of Hespera’s Great Temples became the first Hesperines. We…reenact our beginning, Cassia, at the sacred hour of midnight. The Queens give of their blood to the elder firstbloods, who give it to their children and tributaries, who give it to their families. I’m afraid no mortal can be present. The flow of magic is too great for anyone who is not a Hesperine to endure.”
“You mean it would actually be harmful to me?”
“It would induce the first stage of your transformation, and I would spend this night feeding you my blood to bring you through the rest. Carrying you out of Solstice Ritual for an emergency Gifting isn’t really the experience I had in mind for you.”
Silence fell between them, and they gazed at each other.
“I wish we could do it tonight, though,” she said.
“Goddess knows, so do I.”
