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He lifted her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, we must do it together.”
She slid close to him, and he enfolded her in his arms. It reminded him of the first time he’d ever held her, when she had been taut with uncertainty and soft with new trust.
“Of all that we might lose while we’re here in Tenebra,” she said, “this might be what I fear the most. Losing myself. I must never go back to who I was. I must keep myself ready for my Gifting.”
“Even Hesperines make mistakes and quarrel, Cassia. Remember what you so often tell me about not trying to be perfect? Hespera doesn’t expect perfection of us.” He lifted Cassia’s face from his chest to look at her. “Our Goddess does not require virtuous Kyrian virgins. She accepts wanton heretics who strive to be kind.”
Cassia’s laughter bubbled out of her, echoing brightly in the ancient halls. “Feast often. Do no harm. I think I can manage that.”
He pulled her against the nearest wall and kissed her until he tasted no more traces of worry and hurt. She had his collar half undone when he reluctantly pulled back.
“Mmm.” He licked his lips. “Later. While we’re casting the wards, I want you to catch up on sleep.”
She sighed. “I suppose I must.”
“Yes, you must. I’ll need your blood after the spells. You’ll need your strength.” He let his gaze drift down her.
That promise seemed to satisfy her, for she released him and stepped back. “They’re waiting for us in the weaving room.”
“Your sister tells me I should stand up for myself with Nivalis. Therefore I shall deign to keep her waiting for a few more minutes. Despite all our uncertainties, you’re undoubtedly right about one thing. We must focus on getting you ready for your Gifting. Let’s continue searching the tunnels, shall we?”
“Good. I’d rather not wait to show you what I found during the day.” She took his hand again. “Dockk, Knight.”
She guided them swiftly through the corridors and across the room full of moonflowers, halting in front of one of several doorways that led out of the chamber.
“This seems to be a hub,” she said, “and all the passages that lead off of it are full of magic for a certain distance. But the magic fades the farther you get from this room—except in one passage, the eastern one.”
“How can you tell which way is east?” he asked.
“I’m not sure how, but I’m certain it is. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t Lustra magic be stronger in the east, where all of Tenebra’s wildest lands are?”
“That’s a logical theory.”
Lio ducked to follow her down the narrow passageway, which had clearly been designed with mortal height in mind. Knight squeezed ahead of her, while Lio dropped behind. Although the moonflowers only extended a few paces into the corridor, the green ivy grew further, entangled with vines of iridescent red ivy.
“The Lustra magic definitely appears stronger here,” he agreed. “How far does this ivy continue?”
“I haven’t found the end of it yet.” She led him onward for a few minutes, then stopped him in a small chamber where the ivy obscured the walls, floor, and ceiling. “This appears to be a dead end, and I have yet to find a portal. But I’m sure there must be one. We should come back later and find it.”
“Yes, and we can tell Lyros to focus our search patterns on the eastern areas of Patria. Perhaps we could find whatever the ivy is leading us to from aboveground.”
“We’ll work from both sides.”
He squeezed her hand. “We are finally making real progress.”
After she escorted him back out of the tunnels, they parted. He gave her a few minutes to return to the ladies’ chamber, then stepped there on his own. He found Cassia, Solia, and Kella seated around the fire with Sabina and Nivalis. Miranda had a chair behind Sabina’s shoulder, and Lio was glad to think that Callen and Perita had some time to themselves with their child in Sabina’s neighboring rooms.
A little start went through Nivalis when she saw him. Although she rose smoothly to her feet, her aura was anything but composed.
Before she could speak, however, the door opened to reveal Lady Valentia and another young woman. Lady Valentia urged the girl in ahead of her, casting glances over her shoulder, then shut the door hastily behind them.
“Genie!” Cassia leapt up to pull her further inside.
So this was Eugenia of Segetia. She was just as Cassia had described her, with long, bouncing curls of Segetian chestnut and an aura brimming with boundless enthusiasm for everything. “Oh, Cassia, it’s so good to see you, even if you aren’t destined to marry into my family.”
Cassia, and by extension, Lio were among the few people who knew the secret of Genie’s parentage. She was Flavian’s half-sister, a child born out of love, but also out of wedlock, to Lord Titus and his cherished concubine Risara. They allowed the world to believe Genie was Flavian’s legitimate cousin, the only surviving heir of Lord Titus’ late brother, so she could live with privilege instead of the stain of bastardry.
This was the little sister Flavian adored. This was his Zoe. For her sake, Lio supposed he ought to find some sympathy for the man. But all he could think was that he wished Genie had been given a better brother.
