Page 90 of Blood Feast

He said nothing more, but she sensed that this discussion was not over, like the one her appetite had interrupted last night.

She took a cautious step toward the vine. It slithered aside, and the stone shuddered, once again opening a broad portal. She breathed a sigh of relief.

They led their horses out into the night. Dark clouds obscured the stars, but the landscape looked bright in the eerie orange glow of the lighthouse.

Fear jolted Cassia’s chest, but this time it wasn’t her own. She caught the scent of blood amid the rain and salt on the wind. Human fear. Human bloodshed.

They all whipped around to look up at the lighthouse. No sound came from within the monument, only suffering.

“What’s happening in there?” she breathed.

“I don’t know,” Lio said, “but there are no other Hesperines to intervene but us.”

“This could be a conflict between mortals that’s outside our purview,” Lyros cautioned.

“It probably is,” Mak said, “but are any of us really prepared to turn our backs on these people?”

Cassia dug her hand into her breastbone, but nothing could ease the human pain pouring into her chest. “We have to help them.”

“We’re Hesperines errant now,” said Lio. “Is there any fight in this kingdom that isn’t our fight?”

Lyros, despite his cautionary words, had already drawn Night’s Aim. “We’ll leave the horses here and go in under veils to assess the situation. Everyone in favor of this plan?”

They all nodded in agreement. Cassia’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. In the moments they took to decide this, someone might die. But if they went in without a plan, would it cost even more lives?

Lyros pricked his thumb and smeared blood on the Union Stone below his spearhead. All four of their stones flared bright, urgent red. “If I give this signal, let’s attack together. Mak and I will levitate and surprise any enemies from above. Cassia, Lio, you two take the stairs with Knight and ambush them from below. We should keep our weapons hidden until the last possible moment. No one will expect Hesperines to be armed. It’s a powerful advantage of surprise.”

Mak and Lyros lifted off the ground while Lio and Cassia raced up the bluff. Knight followed in three liegehound leaps up the ledges.

The door of the lighthouse hung open on broken hinges. They plunged inside and took the spiral stairs at Hesperine speed. Knight bounded ahead of her, and Lio guarded her back. Eachtime a doorway spun past them, she expected an enemy to spring out.

“Hama,” Cassia murmured as they neared the open hatch at the top of the steps. Knight drew back, and she flattened herself against the wall to keep herself in shadow. The Mage King’s fire cast harsh light down into the stairwell.

Good idea, Lio approved.No telling how this specimen of our opposing element might affect our magic.

Even if he was my ancestor, Cassia agreed.

They crept toward the opening. When she saw what awaited them above, she froze.

There was no battle. It looked like the lighthouse guards hadn’t had a chance to fight. The pride of Hadria’s warriors were bound and gagged on the deck surrounding the massive bronze brazier.

Four figures stood over them, armed with tools perverted into weapons. She knew those dark robes and that leather armor. For the first time, she could smell the blood that painted their breastplates with the Eye of Hypnos. Each one of those glyphs had cost a human sacrifice. She put a hand over her mouth, gagging.

Gift Collectors.

Lio put an arm out to support her. His pressed his cool hand to her forehead, his magic sinking into her thoughts. She welcomed the spell that subdued the parts of her mind sending sickening signals to her stomach. She couldn’t afford to retch in battle.

They’re using Lord Hadrian’s men as bait!she cried.They know we’ll feel compelled to save them.

And that’s exactly what we’ll do. I’ll keep you veiled. Use your dagger on the guards’ bonds while Mak and Lyros fight. I’ll work on the Gift Collectors’ dream wards.

All right.

Surprise flashed through Lio, as if he had expected her to protest. Usually, she would have. But tonight, she accepted the safest role in silence. She didn’t trust her magic in this fight.

Crimson light spilled from Lio’s staff and the scabbard at her belt. Their Union Stones glowed with Lyros’s signal to attack.

“Ckabaar!” she cried to Knight.

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