Page 43 of Blood Feast

“That makes seven,” Lio said, tense with hope.

“Eight,” Kassandra interjected. “I trust the magistrates will take my word as the Oracle?”

The whole room seemed to hold their breaths, immortal and mortal alike, while Konstantina considered.

“As the Royal Master Magistrate,” she said at last, “I say the separations Lio and Cassia endured are more than Orthros can ask of any pair of Hesperines, and their companions on their adventures are worthy witnesses to their Craving. As a friend of Blood Komnena, I say I am glad I can spare these two any further suffering.”

Everyone let out exclamations of relief, then broke into applause. Cassia’s hand slowly relaxed in Knight’s ruff, the only outward sign that she had dreaded their separation more than she would ever admit. At that small, powerful betrayal of her relief, Lio felt an immense weight life off of him.

After this party,she swore,I’m going to drag you into the nearest dark corner and devour every inch of you with the knowledge that I don’t ever have to abstain from you again.

Lio swallowed hard and tried not to show his fangs to everyone. “You have our gratitude, Aunt Kona.”

The princess smiled. “I look forward to the ceremony. I expect a seat next to my mothers while they officiate.”

Cassia’s eyes widened. “The Queens are planning to officiate for us?”

“Of course,” Konstantina replied. “They are the first Graces and seldom miss an opportunity to hear a couple’s vows, especially a rare joining in Anastasios’s bloodline. And as for your cupbearer, who will carry your avowal cup during the ceremony? That role is an honor even greater than witnessing.”

Lio made an effort to shove his worries about the cup behind his veils. Through their Grace Union, he showed Cassia who he had in mind, and she sent him her emphatic agreement.

Lio turned to their mentor. “Uncle, I still regret how you found out about Cassia and me. I should have confided in you instead of letting you find out with the entire Firstblood Circle. Let me make amends now. Would you do us the honor of being our cupbearer?”

His uncle clasped his wrist and pulled him close. The full depth of Silvertongue’s emotions escaped his veil spells and reminded Lio just how deeply his stoic uncle felt everything. “It would be my honor.”

Now if only Lio could craft a suitable artifact in time. He must find a way to catch these memories in a cup before time ran on and they must face the inevitable course of the war.

10

Nights Until

WINTER SOLSTICE

IMPERFECT BUT UNBROKEN

Cassia was out oftime for magic lessons. But she would tame her infernal roses to clear the way for the avowal ceremony if it was the last thing she did.

As if she could cow them with a gaze, she glared at the wild things still growing out of the broken floor. If she had learned anything from Kalos so far, though, it was that controlling her magic was more complicated than merely Willing the Lustra to obey her.

Tightening her grip on the sheaf of herbs she held, she swept her hand downward toward the ground in a forceful gesture. Magic puffed through the leaves. Promising. She felt an answering stir in the black roses.

One thorny vine, heavy with dark blooms, gave a creak. Ever so slowly, the rose branch slithered off a chunk of marble, receding back into the hole.

Then it stopped.

Cassia threw the herbs on the ground. “This isn’t working!”

“It is.” Kalos was out of his bandages but still moved carefully as he gestured around her. “Look how much progress you’ve made.”

She surveyed the results of their painstaking magic lessons, which had demanded even more effort than avowal planning and rehearsals. She had managed to tame most of the roses and twine them artfully around the pillars. But the vines growing up from the heart of her spell still resisted her. Where the lettingsite had exploded through the floor, a riot of the flowers still spread every which way, holding the rubble in their clutches.

“You can’t repair the floor like this, Papa,” Cassia said in despair.

Apollon made a coaxing gesture at the one block of marble she had freed. The stone levitated out of the roses’ reach. “Our guests can stand somewhere else.”

“There won’t be room for everyone.” Cassia rubbed her temples.

“Then they can levitate,” he said.

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