Page 197 of Children of Blood and Bone

With her words, something clicks—a sign of the greater hand. We’ve been led to this moment, pushed in the tiniest, most obscure ways. No matter how this day ends, we’re doing what the gods intend. But what could be their purpose when no magic flows from my veins?

I open my mouth to respond but stop when the spiritual energy thickens. It weighs us down like gravity, pushing against every step.

“Do you feel that?” Tzain whispers.

“It’s impossible not to.”

“What’s going on?” Roën calls back.

“It can only be—”

The temple…

No words can describe the sheer magnificence of the pyramid before us. It towers into the sky, each section carved from translucent gold. Like Chândomblé, intricate sênbaría decree the will of the gods. The symbols shine in the absence of light, but now that we’re here, the real battle begins.

“Rehema,” Roën orders. “Take your team to the edge of the southern shoreline. Raise hell on the beach and disappear into the fog. Follow Asha’s lead to get away.”

Rehema nods, pulling up her helmet until we can only see her light brown eyes. She bumps Roën’s fist before leading two men and two women into the fog.

“What do we do?” I ask.

“We wait,” Roën answers. “They should divert the army’s attention, freeing up the temple.”

Minutes stretch into hours, an eternity that drags like death. Each second that passes is another second my mind tumbles in guilt. What if they’re captured? What if they die? I can’t have any more people perish for this.

I can’t have more blood stain my hands.

A black plume rises in the distance. Rehema’s distraction. It pushes through the fog, reaching high into the sky. Within seconds, a sharp horn pierces through the air.

Guards stream out of the temple, taking off toward the southern shoreline. So many men race out that I quickly realize I can’t fathom the temple’s true size.

When the first flood of soldiers passes, Roën leads us in, pushing against the heavy air. We ascend the golden steps as fast as we can, not pausing until we reach the ground floor and enter the temple.

Vibrant jewels decorate every inch of the walls, exquisite in their design. Around us, Yem?ja’s breathtaking image dots the golden walls in topaz and blue sapphire; waves of shimmering diamonds flow from each fingertip in light. Above us, the bright emeralds ofÒgún glow, paying homage to his power over the earth. Through the crystal ceilings, I glimpse each plane—all ten floors dedicated to the gods.

“You guys…” Amari nears a stairwell in the center of the floor traveling underground, and the sunstone glows in her hand.

This is it.…I clench my clammy fists.

This is where we’re supposed to go.

“You ready?” Amari asks.

No.It’s written all over my face. But with her nudge, I take the first step, leading us down the cold stairwell.

Traveling through the narrow space, I’m pulled back to our time in Chândomblé. Like that temple, torchlight illuminates the tapered path,glowing against the stone walls. It brings me back to when we still had a chance.

Back to when I still had magic.

I touch my hand to the walls, sending a silent prayer to the gods.Please… if you can help me, I need it now.I bide my time as we descend farther and farther; sweat drips down my back though the air cools to a chill.Please, Sky Mother, I pray again.If you can fix this, fix it now.

I wait for a glimpse of her silver eyes, for her electric touch through my bones. But as I begin to pray again, the magnificence of the ritual ground silences all words.

Eleven golden statues line the hallowed dome, each towering into the sky. They rise above us with devastating height, looming like the mountains of the Olasimbo Range. In the precious metal, the gods and goddesses are carved with exquisite detail; from the wrinkles in Sky Mother’s skin to the individual coils of her hair, no line or curve is spared.

Each deity’s gaze focuses on the ten-pointed star of stone gleaming below. Every point is marked by a sharp stone pillar, sênbaría carvings etched into all four of its sides.

In the center, a single gold column is raised. Atop it, a circle is carved out. Round and smooth—the exact shape of the sunstone.

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