Page 229 of Blood Feast

“Do we have any idea what part of the temple this was?” Lyros asked.

Lio knelt and ran the dust of the ages through his fingers, and the power that stirred brought to mind a familiar hand. “My father’s magic lingers in this stone.”

“Do you think…” Cassia hesitated. “Could this have been the Healing Sanctuary?”

“Yes.” Lio’s throat was tight. “Where they brought him when he was dying.”

She rested her hand on his shoulder. “Where Anastasios Gifted him.”

Lio ran a hand down his face. This was the place where his father had become the first Hesperine to receive the Gift. Where their bloodline had begun. The reason he and Cassia stood here tonight, immortal.

“Goddess bless,” Lyros said.

Mak let out a low whistle. “I see what Uncle Apollon meant when he said his magic was destructive during his Gifting. Do you think all this stone magic is from when he demolished the room, or when he rebuilt it afterward?”

Cassia laughed, wiping her eyes. “I don’t know. But perhaps I should cast my own destructive spells here.”

Lio stood and pulled her to him for a moment. “Not yet. There’s one more place we should try to find.”

They wandered past rows of pillars that still stood, broken but defiant, and under pale archways blackened by fire. Their persecutors had not been able to erase this monument of Sanctuary magic from the face of the earth.

Walking among the ghosts of emotion that still soaked this ground, Lio had expected to feel horror. But this place was haunted by a more powerful spirit.

“I feel hope here,” Cassia said.

Deep in the cup between the two mountains, they found what Lio had sought. The temple dome lay where it had collapsed, a wide ring of black rubble. They levitated to the rim and looked down through what had been a round opening at the top of the dome.

For thousands of years, the moons had shone through this skylight into the Ritual Sanctuary. For generations, the temple leaders had led blood rites here, ending with Anastasios and Alea. The great statue of Hespera that had looked on was longgone. All that remained of the most sacred place in the temple was this crater.

Aithouros had burned a glyph of Anthros on the floor in the statue’s place. But Hesperines had survived, and his violation had not. A Rose of Hespera was now etched deep in the floor, glimmering with light magic and stained with royal blood. A ward lay over it like a seal.

Mak let out a breath. “It’s just like the Blood Errant said. They came here and made a Ritual circle.”

“Here,” Lio said. “This is the most powerful place for your spell, my Grace.”

She leapt down and landed in the center of the Goddess’s petals and thorns. “I will make roses grow here again.”

Cassia held their avowalcup tightly to still her trembling hands. The countless libations made here resonated in her blood, and beneath Hespera’s sacred ground, the Lustra endured. All the magic in this place felt poised in the chalice, ready to overflow when Cassia chose. She could only hope what she unleashed would not destroy what was left of Hagia Boreia.

Lyros appeared above her on the rim of the skylight and gave her an encouraging smile. “My wards are fortified for any and all chaos.”

Mak took his position across the dome from his Grace, composed in a warrior’s stance, but his aura jittered with nerves. “My spell is as ready as it will ever be. All it should take is getting Rosethorn back from Miranda. If it works.”

“It will work.” Lio gave Mak and encouraging clap on the shoulder before levitating down to join Cassia inside the Ritual circle. Dame peered uncertainly over the edge.

“Het,” Lio called up to her. “You don’t want to be in here when the magic starts. Stay up there and fight with Lyros and Mak. Ah,barda acklii?”

With obvious reluctance, Dame stayed by Lyros. He gave her a rueful look, then reached out gingerly to stroke her fur. She wagged her tail.

“See there?” Lio said. “You’re friend, not food.”

“Fine, as long as she doesn’t lick me with dead rabbit slobber.”

A smile tugging at her mouth, Cassia snapped her fingers and motioned her hound over to Mak. “Knight,barda!”

As he took up his guard stance, Mak scratched under his chin. “Hullo, Knight. Let’s make some teeth marks on the Gift Collector, shall we?”

Lio rested his hands on Cassia’s shoulders.What do you need me to do for you, my Grace?

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