Page 219 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

“Azerius, she’s not a threat,” Molokai intervenes, pushing me back and placing himself between me and Commander Azerius. “What she says is true. Our parents forbade her from testing further because they arranged a betrothal for her. She’s always been a good soldier.”

That… That is high praise coming from my stiff brother.

Commander Azerius doesn’t move, his eyes on me still. He barely registers my brother’s presence.

“Perhaps I should test it out myself,” he muses, purple energy swirling around his palm and up his arm.

Sweat beads on my forehead as I realize I’m staring death in the face.

His arm moves. I await the blow.

“Molokai is right,” Cerenios finally speaks, flashing himself next to Azerius and placing his hand on his upper arm, stopping him. “Lady Minerva is unlikely to have had anything to do with this.”

Azerius momentarily backs down, though why he would stop at Cerenios’ request, his subordinate, is a mystery. But the suspicion doesn’t leave his eyes.

“Why don’t you tell us how you managed to vanquish the greed demon, Minerva?” Cerenios turns his attention to me.

His amber, cat-like eyes slide over me with indifference. He is of similar height and build to Commander Azerius, but whereas half of Azerius’ face is covered in ancient runes, Cerenios’ face is devoid of any mark.

Although Commander Azerius is terrifying, Cerenios is not far behind. They could pass for twins, and not only in appearance but also demeanor. The only difference is that Cerenios has emotions, albeit muted by intention. He has a family I’ve heard he adores, so he has a soft spot within him that does not exist with Azerius, although the commander would call that a weakness instead.

Azerius is all alone. All powerful, but all alone.

“It was by chance actually,” I start, telling them how without my powers and my allowance I had to resort to becoming a nurse in the military. “The greed demon had attached himself to one of the soldiers and he’d started influencing everyone on the base. I realized that the more greed he consumed, the more powerful he became. But the reverse was also true. If someone was kind to the demon, his power decreased.”

“Interesting,” Cerenios mentions with a nod. “So you killed the demon by being kind to him?”

“Yes.”

“And without her powers, too,” he says, this time addressing Azerius. “I believe that deserves a reward.”

The commander doesn’t speak. Suspicion is written all over his face. Heknowssomething. He just doesn’t have the evidence to back it up. Otherwise, I would already be dead.

“Cerenios is right. Minerva should be rewarded for her achievement,” my brother agrees. With how curt and icy he’s been with me, it comes as a surprise that he would so readily take my side.

“I am nothing if not fair,” Azerius relents. “What do you wish for, Minerva?”

I blink. That was even more unexpected. My first thought is to ask for Mine, but that is impossible. So I ask for the only thing that can bring me closer to him.

“May I continue my work in Anthropa? I believe there is more to be done there. The war is escalating and with it the number of casualties.”

“That is all you desire?” He raises a brow.

I nod.

“Your parents reached out when you disappeared. They would like you back.”

My heart stops in my chest.

“I promised them I would return you, and I do not break my word. But I would also not disregard your wish.” He pauses.

A tremor goes down my back.

“You will go home to your family and you will grace them with your presence until the end of the Skya. After that, you may continue your duties in Anthropa should you wish to do so.”

“Until the end of Skya? But that is months if not years in Anthropa time,” I whisper. Skya is the eleventh month of the Aperite calendar. A tendril of telepathic energy slithers out and I find out today is the tenth day of the month of Ananke. That means I will be stuck here for almost three Aperite months. I’m not entirely sure what the conversion rate is to Anthropa time, but it should be close to a year if not more.

“Indeed. But according to my sources within the House of Moirai, the war in Anthropa will not end for at least another two years. In fact, the bloodiest of the battles are yet to come. You will not lack for work.” His commanding voice leaves no room for negotiation.

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