Page 195 of Blood Feast

Anger flared in his aura. “The Goddess’s laws and how imperfect Hesperines apply them are two different things. I no longer have qualms about breaking laws that make you ashamed of who you are.”

She felt as if she were teetering on the edge of a dangerous slope, and there was nothing to keep her from plummeting. Except her own Will. “No Hesperine has ever had power like mine. How do we know one of our own kind will not become a New Master in the next round of the game?”

He caressed her cheek, and she needed him too much to pull away. “Not you, Cassia. No matter how many times he has tried to corrupt you, you never break.”

She forced herself to step back. “Nothing in this world is unbreakable. Standing on the ashes of past epochs, we know that.”

“My faith in you in unbreakable.”

Tears burned her eyes. “You have always trusted me too much. No one should have that much magic, not even me. Especially not me.”

“You will. I made a promise.”

He looked down at her with a dark fire in his aura, his eyes hard with conviction. The two of them might break, but not before his love for her broke the world.

She knew her magic might be her downfall. But that was a small fear compared to the sense of foreboding that came over her. Her power would destroy her Grace, too.

A footstep in theshadows was all that kept Lio from fighting her—fighting for her—all night. Before he could say more, their Trial brothers approached.

He and Cassia stood there, gazes locked, anger and hurt and Craving throbbing between them. He fought his instinct as her Grace to say whatever he could to soothe this conflict in their bond. He would not give in. He would debate this with her for as many battles or as many centuries as it took for her to seek her magics, the missing parts of herself.

Mak stepped between the two of them. His quiet presence banked the tensions in the Blood Union, but nothing could calm the turmoil in Lio and Cassia’s Grace bond.

“How’s your familiar?” Mak asked.

“I’ve done all I can do for her,” Lio replied. “Either she’ll wake, or…”

Mak gave him a sympathetic look. “She’ll be safe here if you’re willing to leave her for a few hours.”

Lio rubbed his face. “How long has it been since the attack on Castra Augusta?”

“Three nights,” Lyros answered. “When you’re ready, it would be wise to pick up Miranda’s trail again before it goes cold.”

“Yes,” Lio agreed. “We should go.”

Cassia gave a nod. “I shall find her tonight. It’s time to finish this.”

A hint of necromancy brushed Lio’s senses. It came from Cassia’s fingers. She held up a crow’s feather.

Lio caught her hand. “What is this?”

“I think it’s from Miranda’s familiar.”

“Where did you get it?”

“From the children. Miranda gave it to them and promised it would help them find her in a time of need. I don’t know if that’s true or if she left it to lure us into a trap.” Cassia looked at each of them. “Are we willing to spring it?”

“If we’re all willing to follow a plan and not take any foolish risks.” Lyros’s gaze was on Lio.

Lio’s jaw tightened. “We’ve drilled for every possibility and plenty of impossibilities. No one is more prepared than we are, General Lyros.”

“You’ll thank me if we survive this.”

Mak hugged Lyros’s shoulders and shot Lio a look. “We’re all grateful we have each other’s backs. Go ahead, Cassia.”

Cassia drew her dagger.

Let me help you,Lio said.

---