Page 203 of A Tribute of Fire

“What is going on?” Antiope demanded. She had obviously been pulled from her bed and didn’t look pleased.

“They attacked Lia while she was doing her chores,” Io said. “I saw the whole thing when we arrived a few minutes ago.”

“She’s lying,” Artemisia said.

“I’m the only one who has a reason to be out here,” I said, reaching up to touch the blood trickling out of my nose. “You ambushed me.”

“You told me to meet you out here and then you tried to attack me,” she countered. I couldn’t tell if Antiope believed her.

“We are sisters,” Antiope fumed. “And it is against the rules of the temple to attack one another.”

“She is no sister of mine,” Artemisia said and then spat on me.

“That isn’t your choice!” Antiope roared. “Return to your rooms immediately. I will consult with Nysa as to what your punishment will be. Pray that it isn’t banishment.”

The rest of Artemisia’s adelphia picked up their staves and headed for their dormitory. When she got close to me, Artemisia leaned in and said, “This isn’t over.”

“Anywhere, anytime,” I told her. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“Then you’re an even greater fool than I thought.”

She left and my sisters came over to help me stand. I was so tired of being beaten up. They took me to the infirmary.

“How did you get inside the temple?” I asked Io.

“I don’t know. They just let us pass. A soldier told me that they won’t let anyone here leave and that they won’t allow any supplies to come in, but that it was fine to let priestesses return,” she said.

I wondered if there was more to her story that she wasn’t sharing. Had it been her royal blood that had made it possible for them to get through?

Regardless, I was glad she was back. We had all worried about her. Ahyana convinced Io to go back to the dormitory and get cleaned up. Zalira stayed with me while Tryphosa looked me over and declared me fine. “It looks like you have a bruise here.”

My tunic had slipped slightly and the spot she was pointing at was where Jason had sucked my skin into his mouth. I felt my cheeks turning pink. “I’ve had that for a few days.”

She nodded. “Drink water, get rest. I find that tends to heal most things over time.”

As I walked with Zalira to the dining hall, she said, “What were you thinking? Didn’t I tell you not to go anywhere alone?”

“I know. I’m sorry. It honestly didn’t occur to me that Artemisia might take this as her golden opportunity to kill me.”

“It did to me,” she said. “Not everyone here honors their vows the way that they should.”

Including me.

I swallowed down my guilt.

“Promise me that you’ll always have someone with you,” she said.

“I promise.”

“Good. Now that Io’s back, maybe she can help us come up with a means of sneaking you out. She might have a potion that makes you appear dead and we can get you out that way.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to risk my life on a potion that would make me seem dead. Knowing Io, it might work a little too well.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue today,” I said.

“That’s what we’re here for. You can always count on us. We can get through anything together. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t.”

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