Page 91 of Daughter of the Darkened City

The soldier shook his head. “I can’t. Your sacrifice will save so many. It’s…” He swallowed, eyes blinking away tears. “It’s for the best in the end.”

There was no reasoning with him. She didn’t know how her life sacrifice could help others, but she wasn’t certain she cared. People willing to do this to others couldn’t truly have the greater good in mind.

They came to the temple, the tall dark doors looming over her. They creaked opened, and Onora and Enid were shoved inside. Candles lined the walkway up to the center, an oval atrium filled with moonlight. It slanted from the opening above, leaving one third of it still in darkness.

It was set up like the moon caves of The Darkened City. Did the witches perform moon magic? She supposed it was possible. In the very center was a smooth stone, carved like flames swirling up. And inthe middle was a demon forged sword, the crossguard shaped like wings, the pommel like the moon.

A few witches moved about the room, setting up small altars at various locations. Dark cloaks fell around them, the hoods up to obscure their faces. In the middle was Hevena. She wore the same cloak, but her hood fell off her back as she knelt to write on the stone floor with a large brush and ink. The words and symbols were ones Enid didn’t recognize but would bet were a spell. Hevena looked up, eyes scanning them in chains.

She sighed. “Who found out?”

The soldier who had helped Enid shrugged. “I think the scholar or acolyte. The priestesses told Edond, and he headed it off before they could escape.”

Hevena shook her head. “That will make this more difficult, but it can’t be helped.”

She gestured for the soldiers to guide Enid and Onora to the center. Hevena stood and examined their eyes. “You’ve drugged Enid well. Maybe too well.”

“She was fighting when we took her.”

“She’s strong, which is a good sign.” Hevena reached into the pouch around her waist and pulled out a small vial, then held it toEnid’s mouth. Enid pursed her lips, refusing to drink. She’d be damned if she let them put more concoctions in her body. “Drink it. It will help you regain some power. If you stay like this, you’ll be passed out on the floor in thirty minutes.”

Enid scrutinized her slowly. Maybe it was a good idea. She opened her mouth, and the witch poured the liquid in. It hit the back of her throat, bitter as bile, cold all the way to her stomach. She grimaced, but in a few moments, the pain left her joints and some of her energy returned. She wasn’t strong enough yet, but it was a start.

“Good,” Hevena said, pleased, then turned to the other acolytes and gathered them to her. Turning to the guards, she said, “We need to return to the temple and pray so we can open a connection to the Holy Mother. Lock these two in here and stand guard outside.”

The soldiers nodded and followed the priestesses out. The doors shut with a heavy thud behind them that reverberated through the chamber, and then the sound of the drawbar sliding into place followed.

There was no time to waste, this was their best chance.

Enid looked at Onora. “I need you to figure out your magic and get these shackles off of us. I’m still too weak to use my own.”

Onora frowned. “How?”

Enid bit her lip. She wasn’t a conduit; anything she knew was sparse and only a theory. “Can you create a spark and blast it off?” Enid grabbed her hands and Onora cringed, her body tilting away. “Okay, can you try to use shadows? Use them to pick the lock? Do you know how to pick a lock?”

Onora yanked her hands away, huffing angry air out of her nose. Then, in a swift movement, her shackles were off.

Enid gaped.

Onora smirked. “They’ve been off since halfway up the forest trail.”

Enid gave her a dull look. “And why didn’t you try to escape?”

“Because I’m not an idiot? We were outnumbered and you’re drugged. I waited for the right time, which is now.”

Enid held her wrists up. Onora produced a small pick and had Enid’s shackles off in a moment.

She went to the door, trying the handle, but to no avail. The ceremony was to take place at midnight, and judging by the position of the moon, they had maybe an hour at best. She needed to think fast. She was too big to go through the skylight, but…

“Onora, let me fly you to the skylight and get you out.”

She held out her arms and Onora gave her a horrified look, then crossed her arms. “I know I’m smaller than you, but I’m not that tiny. I can’t fit through there.”

“We could try.”

“No. It won’t work. Let’s not waste time.”

Walking around, she took in the altars, looking for any clues. They had crystals and words written in that same language as the center, but nothing of value stood out. She walked to the center. The words made lines to the flame stone, reaching out like rays of the sun. She looked up. The sword was in the center, supposedly locking all the power in. What would happen if it were unleashed? Would it be like a dam breaking loose, flooding the entire area?

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