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They returned to the hillside, which was now darker with the moons sinking against the twilight sky. Complex spells thickened the air. At their center, Rudhira knelt beside Tuura, his hands on her temples.
Eudias wore a fierce frown. “If Master Gorgos senses anything, we’ll come up with some explanation.”
“Once again, we’re grateful to you,” Lyros said. “Lio, I don’t want you trying to cast thelemantic veils. Stay focused on the perimeter.”
“I will. But I think the Collector’s work here is done.”
Cassia put her arm around Lio again, looking from the bag to his face. “Are you all right? Did you find something dangerous?”
“Just another taunt,” he tried to reassure her.
Mak held up the bag. “He left us a poisoned apple this time.”
“An apple?” Cassia frowned. “Curious. I wish I knew what message he’s trying to send with that. It’s even stranger than the kitchen knife.”
None of them made any more attempts to interpret it. They stood in silence, waiting for Rudhira’s verdict, while Solia’s aura heated the air.
“I’ve got her stable now,” Rudhira announced at last. “But the only way to heal her is to take her back to the Empire. She needs to reopen her senses to the spirit phase so her ancestors can restore her power. Now that I’ve healed her, it should be safe to step her to the Summit Sanctuary, then to Orthros Notou. We’ll take her through the spirit gates from there.”
“How long will she need to stay in the Empire?” Solia asked.
“It’s difficult to say,” Rudhira replied. “I’m so sorry. We have no precedent for this. I’ve never seen anything like this damage to her spirit. I have no doubt she will make a full recovery with the ancestors’ help, but it will be slow.”
Karege lifted his gaze to Kella. “First Blade, I ask that you relieve me of duty so I can stay with Tuura.”
Kella gave him a sad smile. “You offering saves me from having to order you. Escort our fallen comrade home, and send word through the Hesperines as often as you can.”
“Three Ashes are still equal to a force of three hundred,” Hoyefe said. “We’ll fight on in Tuura’s name.”
Solia squeezed Tuura’s hand once, fire dancing up her forearm. “This is my fault. I never should have asked this of her.”
Kella touched Solia’s arm. “You couldn’t have kept her from coming if you had tried.”
“She is the best of us,” Solia said.
With her scarf on, none of her grief showed in her aura, but Lio wondered if she felt as she had five years ago, when she’d had to tell the Ashes goodbye to join the Golden Shield.
Karege stood, lifting Tuura in his arms. “You’ll see us both again, Sunburn. You’re not getting rid of us that easily again.”
Solia nodded, blinking hard, as Karege and Rudhira disappeared.
“We finish the wards,” Lio said. “Tonight. We’ll simply have to cast them without our theramancer—and hope they’re strong enough.”
2
Days Until
AUTUMN EQUINOX
32 Anthros’s Sickle, 1597 OT
THE APOSTATE
Cassia leaned forward in her saddle and urged Freckles over the next rise at a canter, Knight bounding beside them. The fleet little mare kept pace with the larger Warmbloods ahead of them. Cassia was proud that after a season of riding the hills of Patria, she could keep her seat at this speed.
The chill in the air reminded her summer was almost over. The cold seemed to sink into her bones. When they reached the top of the hill and Lyros called a halt, Knight pressed close to her, his fur warming her foot. Cassia rearranged her cloak, trying to be surreptitious. But of course, Lio and Solia both noticed and were upon her like hawks.
“I’m perfectly fine,” Cassia said.
