Page 164 of Blood Feast

Mak and Lyros spread out to Lio’s left and right. Knight had Cassia’s back, whining in confusion but standing firm by his lady.

Cassia’s power rushed through Lio’s senses. He wished it would drown out the disappointment in Rudhira’s words.

“Let me take you home,” their Ritual father said.

“Home?” Lio didn’t think before he spoke. His anger pushed the words out of him. “What home do we have anymore?”

“We want you safe. That’s what matters now.” There was so much grief in Rudhira’s voice.

Lio didn’t want that grief. That love. Anger would have been easier to fight.

“My Grace isn’t safe in a prison cell!” he shouted.

“Think of Zoe and your parents. I don’t need to tell you how afraid they are for you.”

How could Rudhira twist the knife like this? Of course Lio knew what this was doing to their family. “What do you expect Zoe to do if we return? Come to play with Cassia—where? Under house arrest? In exile?”

“Is abandoning her to go errant any better? If you come back with me, at least she’ll get to see you again.”

“We didn’t abandon her!”

The Lustra magic pounded in Lio’s ears, and Rudhira’s condemnation hammered on. “Running is always easier. Do the brave thing and face the consequences of your actions.”

“None of us are cowards!” Mak shot back. “I don’t see anyone else facing off with the Collector to save us all from whatever is behind the doors. Don’t you understand that’s more important right now?”

“More important than the law you swore to uphold?” Rudhira asked. “More important than your mother’s honor? It was so hard for her to explain your actions to the Queens. And think of the example you’re setting for Bosko. Is this the kind of warrior you want him to grow up to be?”

Mak faltered.

“I spoke to your father,” Rudhira went on.

“I’m not interested in his opinion right now,” Mak snarled.

“Argyros misses you. He just got Nike back. He can’t bear to lose you.”

“I said I don’t want to hear it!”

“He believed in the person you could become. Don’t prove him wrong.”

“That’s enough,” Lyros cut in.

Rudhira turned to him. “You should know that your parents have intervened on your behalf. They understand you were drawn into this out of love for Mak. It would mean a dishonorable discharge from the Stand, but you could avoid arrest. They’ll help you move forward in a different service.”

Mak looked at his Grace. “There’s still a way out for you. You know all that matters to me is what’s best for you.”

Lyros let out a bitter laugh. “Lose my speires and spend eternity accepting pity commissions from my firstblood parents’ patrons? Not on your life or mine.”

Lio took a step forward, Final Word in his hands, an ocean of magic at his fingertips.

There was so much pain in Rudhira’s eyes. “Lio, please don’t make this harder for me.”

“I won’t let you arrest a single one of us,” Lio said.

Cassia's magic had betrayedthem again. But she would not let anyone, Hesperine, mortal, or undead stop her from healing the wound Kallikrates had dealt her and the Lustra here.

She reached deeper into the letting site. And found herself. Her dual power was filling the emptiness the Collector had left behind. The Lustra was drinking down her plant magic as her blood magic washed over its wounds.

With a thought, she raised a barrier of black roses between her and Rudhira, closing Mak and Lyros, Lio and Knight in her protection. Magic coursed from her immortal veins down into the land where her power had been born.

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