Page 318 of Heat of the Everflame

“There’s no time,” I yelled back.

I got to the corridor that marked the entrance, the door having dissolved back into a solid slab. I called on my magic to force it open, but my drained godhood managed only a few tiny cracks.

“Wherever you’re going, at least take some guards with you.”

I slammed my palm against the stone in frustration. “I don’t need your guards, Hepta, I need yourmagic.”

She reached for the wall. “Of course. I’ll open it for you.”

“You don’t understand.” I willed myself to calm, despite the fiery adrenaline pumping through my blood. “I need to take magic from as many of you as I can. Then I need to find this man and kill him before he hurts anyone else.”

Chapter

Sixty-One

To my heir,

If you are reading this, you now bear my Crown. Blessed Mother Montios has spoken to me of our fates, and I am at peace with the sacrifice I must make. I pray you find the same peace with yours.

I leave you this note for two reasons. First, a plea: guard our people well—for they are now yours as surely as they have been mine. Teach them as much as you learn from them. What you give, they will return in kind.

Second, a message from the Blessed Mother. I know not what it means, only that it is essential you heed these lines:

Eleven must fall for one to rise.

Share the gift to pay the cost.

A dying star will rekindle the spark.

What is forgotten is not lost.

Remember my sister’s words.

Beware my brother’s wrath.

Good luck, Daughter of the Forgotten. May you strive to seek virtue in all things.

My jaw clenched as the words tumbled over in my mind. I crumpled the letter and handed it to Luther.

“What does it say?” my mother asked.

“More riddles I don’t understand,” I muttered. “Why can’t anyone ever speak plainly?”

Luther’s eyes narrowed as they roamed the page. “These last two lines... ‘Remember my sister’s words. Beware my brother’s wrath.’Fortos said the same thing. If this is from Montios, that must refer to the other Kindred.”

“Just what I need—the wrath of a Kindred on my head.”

“The sister must be Blessed Mother Lumnos. She’s the only other Kindred who has spoken to you, isn’t she?”

“As far as I know. I suppose Umbros must be the brother. He and his Queen have plenty of reason to be angry with me now.”

Luther’s eyes turned stormy. Ever since I’d told him about the Umbros attack, his mood had soured. I wished I could ease the blame I knew he placed on his shoulders, but how could I, when I carried it, too?

“I still don’t like this plan,” he said. “We should have sent to Lumnos for reinforcements before we left Montios City for the Forgotten Lands. It’s not too late. Sorae can bring Taran and Alixe.”

I groaned. “We went over this all day yesterday. Alixe is where she needs to be, keeping an eye on your father, and she’llneed Taran’s help. And I tried calling Sorae here already. Remis chained her up the second she got back to Lumnos. I had to call off my command before she choked herself half to death trying to get free.”

His hands clenched angrily around his horse’s reins. “We should at least wait until our magic is restored.”

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