Page 100 of Of Blood & Stone

“How did you do that, back at the grove? Using your power?” Elnok asked.

She furrowed her brow, the compass in Elnok’s hand pulsing with golden light. She pressed her palm to the ground

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The compass and her goddess’ heartbeat pulsed as one.

“It seems that whenever I’m near something filled with Aretta’s power, I’m able to connect to it. My willow seemed to have more of her power stored within than I’d thought.”

Elnok looked to the compass, then to her. “Let’s see if your theory is right.”

Breathing in deep, she closed her eyes, letting her goddess’ heartbeat thrum through her, the song of the soil running through her veins again.

Dried plains, fire-charred sunlight, Elnok’s dying body.

She yanked her hand back.

“I can’t,” Sylzenya stated, sweat sliding down her temple.

“What?” Elnok questioned, leaning forward, “It doesn’t work?”

Sylzenya gritted her teeth. “No, it does, but… you heard the High On—” She paused. “You heard Distrathrus. When I use my power, it depletes Druenia—takes away your crops, rivers, even invokes sickness on your side of the continent.”

“Withorodyte,” Elnok argued, “You steal life from the continent and put into those stones. He never said using it without the orodyte did that.”

“Orodyte or not, it’spower, and italwayscomes with a price.” She stared at her hands. “I won’t let any more death be met by my hands.”

Elnok ran his hand through his hair, exasperated. “It isn’t just your life that’s on the line right now, Sylzenya.”

She grimaced. “You’d tell me to use my power, knowing I might be killing people in your land, just soyoucan live?”

“And Orym. And my crew.”

She scoffed, digging her fingers into her robe. “Didn’t know how little you cared about people’s lives.”

“What can I say?” He grinned as he spread his arms wide. “I excel in disappointing others.”

“You know what?” She stood up, grabbing the compass. “Just because you bear some scars on your back doesn’t mean you get some kind of free pass to disvalue the lives of others.”

“Look who’s talking.” He replied, standing with her. “You have no idea what it’s like to kill to survive: seeing them face-to-face, forced to watch the light leave their eyes, to know you probably just stole a parent from their child, a lover from their spouse, a man from his father. But you? You’ve killed without even knowing it, taking entire villages in one sweeping measure according to Distrathrus’ little confession.” He sneered. “Sobefore you go questioningmychoices,mylife, I’d spend some time doing some self-reflection.”

A bright wave of anger flooded her veins. “Fuck you, Elnok.”

He raised his brows. “Careful, Your Holiness, you’re losing that piety pretty quick.”

“Last night was a mistake.”

The words left her mouth before she could stop herself, but she meant it. She’d been unknowingly causing suffering for an entire decade, and now that she knew it and could stop, he was asking her to intentionally put the lives of others at risk so they might survive. She should never have trusted him with her body, no matter how badly she’d wanted him.

“Well then,” his smile faltered, eyes mirthless. “Glad we can finally agree on something.”

He walked past her, swiping the compass from her hand and unsheathing the glowing sword he’d stolen from Kharis as he left the cave.

“Elnok.” She rushed after him, grabbing his shoulder. “What’re you doing?”

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