Page 207 of Blood Feast

With her protective instincts still in command of her every thought, she wrapped her arms around her Grace. As she stepped Lio to safety, the last thing she saw was the Mage King’s own fire engulf his statue.

Cassia’s blood brought Lioout of oblivion. He came to with his head on her shoulder and her wrist against his mouth. Mak and Lyros stood over them in the copse of cypresses. Beyond the trees, the temple was a burning ruin in the twilight.

Lio raised his pounding head. “You stepped to me.”

The fires of the temple glowed in her green-gold eyes. “No one can keep me from your side.”

He rested his face against her and shut his eyes. He was alive, his Will intact. He had never been so grateful to feel his Grace in his thoughts. Cassia was a balm everywhere Miranda had unleashed her fire in his mind.

Mak pulled his hands down his ashen face. “If she hadn’t learned to step just now… Oh my Goddess. Miranda almost killed you with a weapon I made.”

“I’m all right, Mak.” Lio tried to stand. It would take more than one drink to heal the beating he’d just taken. The pain in his head and knees made his stomach churn, but with help from Cassia’s levitation, he made it to his feet.

She supported him with his arm around her shoulders. “Are you well enough to step again?”

Mak didn’t seem to hear them. “Miranda will make people suffer with that dagger. With my creation.”

“We can’t go after her now,” Cassia said. “We have to get back to the tower.”

Mak looked at Lyros, stricken. “I never meant for this to happen. I’m so sorry.”

Lyros tugged Mak into his arms and held on, fisting his hand in the back of Mak’s battle robe. “We can’t do this any longer.”

“I know,” Cassia began. “We—I—can’t afford any more mistakes, but if we don’t make it back to the tower in time—”

Lyros let Mak go and threw down his spear. “We weren’t ready. We still aren’t. We never should have tried this as fugitives without the Charge’s support. This is suicide.”

Mak tried to pull his Grace close again, but Lyros backed away. Suddenly Mak’s face went even paler.

Lio said in a warning tone, “What in Hespera’s name has Mak seen in your thoughts that could put that look on his face?”

“I’m going to Rudhira,” Lyros announced.

Cassia’s eyes widened in horror. “You can’t—”

He cut her off. “I’m turning us in. I’ll submit us to the Queens’ justice before I watch you all die around me.”

“Lyros, no,” Mak pleaded.

“You can come with me now, and we can face arrest together. Or you can all stay out here and run until I show the Charge how to find you. But we’re going home.”

Lio held up his hands. “Let’s not make any rash decisions. None of us are thinking clearly, not after we just survived our worst battle—”

“By the skin of our teeth,” Lyros retorted. “Now is exactly the time to make decisions. My thoughts are crystal clear. I only wish I’d stopped us before things were so far gone.”

Surely Lio could reason with him. “Surrendering now won’t make anyone safer. Think about this from a strategic perspective—”

“Now you try to be the diplomat?” Lyros scoffed. “I don’t want to hear it, ‘Glasstongue.’ If you want to stop me, you’ll have to do it with your fists.”

“Mak,” Lio said in desperation, “can’t you cast the Blood Shackles on him?”

Mak hesitated, staring at his Grace, his aura bereft.

Even as Lio picked up his staff, he felt helpless. What could he do? Lyros would best him in any fight. If he used his mind magic to stop his Trial brother, his two best friends would never forgive him. And he would never forgive himself.

Cassia’s gaze flicked between each of them, her thoughts racing in a calculation too fast for Lio to follow.Listen to me, ifyou don’t want the last door to fall. Try to stop them. Then meet me at the tower with whoever is left.

Before Lio’s eyes, she disappeared.

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