Page 8 of Blood Feast

Cassia tried flexing her new senses, probing Zoe’s emotions in the Blood Union, but the child’s aura gave her no hints.

Zoe giggled. “That tickles.”

Cassia reached over and tickled Zoe’s ribs as well, eliciting another peal of laughter. Zoe escaped with the speed of a Hesperine. Cassia looked forward to games of chase. They could play veil and step, too, if Cassia ever managed to learn essential Hesperine abilities.

She and Lio followed the suckling toward the house. Lio cast a quick cleaning spell over Cassia, only for Knight to start shedding and drooling on her anew. Her dog circled her everystep, rubbing against her with his tail still wagging, nosing her for more reassuring pets.

House Komnena loomed before them, but it was not the magnificent white marble archways and buttresses or the brilliant stained glass windows that took Cassia’s breath away.

It was the magic. The house of their bloodline was so bright to her arcane senses, filled to the brim and overflowing with warm, welcoming spells.

Lio and his family had always made sure she knew she belonged here. But she had never felt it as she did now. The magic in the stone foundations was the same magic in her blood. She was built into the house, and it into her.

“Welcome home, Cassia Komnena,” Lio said with a smile of understanding.

They entered through the stained glass door of Komnena’s study. But it was not Lio’s mother who awaited them there. Cassia halted in her tracks, frozen by too many emotions.

“Surprise!” Zoe said.

Solia blazed before Cassia, the space around her crackling with the unseen force of her fire magic. Her face was hard, a warrior’s mask of discipline, but her soul was bare in the Blood Union. Cassia was dizzied by the burning roil of Solia’s anger and joy and grief and hope.

Immortality was not the future Solia had wanted for Cassia. Lio had reassured her that her sister had given them her blessing, but that had been when Cassia lay dying, the Gift all that could save her. Now, confronted with her new reality, what if Solia couldn’t accept it?

Cassia would never regret her choices. But she could not deny that a piece of her childhood heart would break, as surely as her immortal one.

“You’re alive,” Solia said.

Cassia’s throat ached. “So are you.”

Her sister strode across the distance between them and pulled her into a fierce embrace. Solia hugged her as she had years ago, when she had been the only mother Cassia had ever known. As she had when they’d found each other again after half a lifetime apart. As if nothing had changed.

“Pup,” Solia rasped.

“Soli.” Cassia wrapped her arms around her sister. Her mortal sister. And yet somehow, even as a Hesperine, she still felt safe in Solia’s arms.

“I thought I was going to lose you,” Solia said. “After everything I did for you—I failed you, Cassia. You and your mother. I’m so sorry.”

“How can you say that?” Cassia cried. “You sacrificed everything for me. None of it was your fault. Not my magical illness. Not Miranda capturing us. And not…” Cassia took a breath to steady her voice. “My Gifting was always inevitable, no matter what you did or didn’t do to protect me.”

“I know.” Solia pulled back and looked into Cassia’s eyes. “Did Lio tell you I gave you my blessing?”

“Yes.” But Cassia wanted the reassurance of hearing it from Solia herself.

“I want you to be safe and happy.” Solia took in the sight of her, rubbing Cassia’s arms as if to test her new shape. “Are you? Happy?”

“I am whole. But I’ll be even happier if you don’t have regrets.”

“None. This is who you are meant to be. I understand that now. I want to be here with you for your first Ritual…if that’s all right.”

Cassia could scarcely believe the powerful gesture of acceptance. Solia wanted to be part of this tradition with their Hesperine family. Cassia threw herself into Solia’s arms again. “Of course I want you here for this. How did you manage it?”

“As soon as we got word you were ready to see everyone, Mak and Lyros stepped me here.”

“What happened at the siege?”

“I am still the Queen of Tenebra,” Solia said. “I’ll tell you everything else later.”

“Lio and I need to tell you something.” Conscious of Zoe within earshot, Cassia didn’t elaborate. “As soon as possible.”

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