Page 19 of Blood Feast

Mak saluted Aunt Lyta. “Requesting permission to return to our duties as protection for the Ambassadors for Tenebran Affairs.”

She gripped his and Lyros’s shoulders. “Yes. Both of you go with Lio for the time being. Cassia will be safe here with us.”

“Don’t worry, Cassia.” Mak slung an arm around Lio’s shoulder. “Lyros and I will keep these two out of trouble.”

“And that’s saying something.” Lyros narrowed his eyes at Solia. “No familial magefire duels on our watch this time, all right?”

Solia held up her hands. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“No promises,” Lio said.

Cassia smiled, but her deeper fears were almost enough to make Lio change his mind and stay.

He felt the letting site’s magic running under Orthros and remembered the sight of that door in Miranda’s mind. He recalled the Collector speaking through her to deliver a warning:If you want that secret, you will have to duel me for it.

Lio stepped away with the warriors to face the next duel.

A MOST PERSONAL ENEMY

Lio had never feltso vulnerable when stepping out of Orthros before. As the smells and emotions of mortals washed over him, he was not afraid for himself. He feared never making it home to Cassia. One magefire arrow could sentence her to death by Craving.

“I know.” Lyros must have sensed Lio’s emotions and guessed what he was thinking. “Going into battle is entirely different when someone else’s life depends on yours.”

Lio gave a tight nod. “You two understand.”

“And we’ll make sure you get home in one piece,” Mak replied, “even if you are a squishy scrollworm.”

“See here,” Lio said, “I held my own against an army of Gift Collectors last time we were here.”

“I seem to recall you had some help from us.” Heedless of her fine dress, Solia crouched to peer out of their hiding place. They had arrived in one of the shallow gullies sheltered by brush that dotted the hilly landscape.

Rudhira appeared beside them an instant later. He must have made an extra stop at Hesperine speed, for his famous two-hander, Thorn, was now in a scabbard on his back. He tossed Solia her golden gladius and a cloak. She caught the sword and wrapped the cloak around herself to hide her Imperial finery.

“Have you used your blade before your people yet?” Lio asked.

“No,” she grumbled. “Merely wearing it as a symbol. They still don’t know I’m a warrior and a mage—or that I was ditching my duties in Orthros tonight, by the way.”

“Your secrets are safe with the heretics,” he assured her.

“Keep your veils tight,” Rudhira ordered, “but use your magic with caution. The war mages are on constant alert, ready to catch Hesperines. Don’t disregard the benefits of mundane stealth. If a war mage hits you with a revelatory spell and strips your veils, your chances of evading his fireball will be higher if you already have cover.”

“Understood,” Lio said.

Rudhira led them over the rim of the gully. Keeping low, they raced for the stone wall that surrounded the village.

Lio?came Cassia’s voice, as clear as if she stood next to him.Can you hear me?

Mages with fire arrows might attack at any moment, but still he smiled.Of course, my rose.

What precisely is the range of Grace Union?she asked.

Hesperines have yet to find it. You could stand in the Empire and I here in Tenebra, and you wouldn’t know we were on separate continents.

That’s very reassuring.

But she did not feel reassured, judging by how his heart was pounding.Feel how our hearts are still beating in time, even at this distance? That’s how close I am to you right now.

I’m sorry to inflict my racing pulse on you, but that makes me feel better.

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