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“The Master bred Thalia and Lucis to produce Cassia,” Miranda said, “a Silvicultrix of the reigning line.”
The third requirement flashed before Lio. Cassia strapped to the table, with the Gift Collector dragging her three magics out of her. Cassia’s screams echoed in Lio’s head.
“Why?” Lio demanded. “What will he gain from toying with all our lives?”
“Oh, that’s the important secret. I can’t tell you that. No—no please, the Master will never forgive me if you find out—please, Lio…”
Lio drove deeper into Miranda’s mind, knowing her begging would haunt him.
Her thoughts took him through the Lustra passages inside Solorum Palace. A great stone door waited there, sealed tight. He aimed a blast of thelemancy at the final defenses in Miranda’s mind.
The pleading faded from her gaze. Her begging ceased. From her lips emerged the deep, masculine voice of the Collector. “If you want that secret, you will have to duel me for it.”
Lio heard a snap behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see that Cassia was free. But the moment her feet touched the floor, she crumpled. Her spade slipped from her hand and hit the stone floor of her sickroom, and her precious artifact shattered into pieces.
The Lustra keened, and Lio knew its Will.
It couldn’t save Cassia. He didn’t understand why, but he understood what he must do.
Lio looked into the Collector’s eyes. “Keep your secrets. I’m taking your queen.”
He struck Miranda’s mind once more, sending her deep into unconsciousness. As he turned away from her, her crow flew over to perch on her shoulder again, nibbling fretfully at her hair.
Lio lifted Cassia in his arms. The channeling realigned, and he swayed on his feet as the Lustra gave them back his magic, pouring all of it into his fading Grace.
He tried to step. But the letting site held him as surely as the passageways did. He had to get out of Paradum to step her to safety.
He levitated through the broken wall and over the thorns. Seeing who awaited him above the garden, he froze midair.
Skleros stood atop a crumbling wall, a crossbow resting in the crook of his arm. His scarred face pulled into a smile. “Did you think the Master would let you escape with his queen so easily?”
At the edges of Lio’s vision, a swish of a cloak and a gleam of moonlight on a spur told him other Gift Collectors were traversing in.
Lio reached for the Lustra’s power, but the connection was gone. It had fastened all his magic onto Cassia again to keep her alive.
By the time his power broke the dream wards of this many Gift Collectors, Cassia would be out of time.
Skleros was still smiling when a blade swept through the air and sent his severed head tumbling into the courtyard below. His crossbow and his body fell after him into the thorns.
Rudhira stood on the wall with Thorn in hand, his adamas sword gleaming red with the Gift Collector’s blood. The sounds of battle erupted all around Lio as more Chargers appeared, descending on the Gift Collectors.
Lio stared at his Ritual father. “I thought you were at the Firstblood Circle.”
“I was. Orthros voted against the Departure. Our people have not abandoned Tenebra—or my Charge.” Rudhira levitated down to hover before Lio, and the prince’s healing magic surged into Cassia.
“It can’t be too late,” Lio said. “Tell me I can save her.”
“Yes.” Rudhira tucked Cassia’s limp hand closer against Lio’s chest. “The Gift can still save her, if you hurry. She is beyond my power, but not Hespera’s.”
Another necromancer’s body crashed through the garden gate, and Mak and Lyros levitated over him to Lio’s side.
“Thank the Goddess,” Lio said. “How did you all get here?”
Kalos appeared out of the shadows with blood on his knuckles. “I told you no one could hide a castle from me.”
“The rest of the Charge is at Patria,” Lyros said quickly. “With their wards, the fortress is holding out against Lucis.”
“Get Lio and Cassia out of here,” Rudhira ordered. “Leave this nest of death to me.”
