Page 78 of A Tribute of Fire

“This is Lia,” Io said.

“Lia. I’m glad to meet you.”

It seemed inappropriate to acknowledge, as I had with Daphne, that we had already met.

Then she said, “I’m Maia. Would you all follow me?”

She took us to a spot that faced the goddess but was still a good distance from her. I wondered what the goddess might do if I got closer to her statue.

Because that was going to happen. I just had to hope she wouldn’t call a lightning bolt down on me or something equally terrible.

Maia gave everyone instructions on where to sit. The other four girls formed a square, each sitting at a corner, and Maia told me to sit in the middle.

“As it is the fifth day since Lia’s arrival, this is the time when you will take your vows. Your sisters are going to bear witness, to be able to testify that you have become a true part of those who serve the goddess.”

Four witnesses seemed unnecessary, but I held my tongue.

There was a small wooden table in the corner and Maia retrieved it, putting her bag on top of it. She undid the knot and opened the bag, taking out items and placing them on the table. She pulled out some logs of wood and I noticed for the first time that there was a firepit in the floor next to where she stood. She stacked the logs and then covered them in some kind of liquid so that when she took a stone and flint to them, a fire immediately roared to life, lighting up every dark corner.

There was also a small brazier on the table that she lit with a stick she took from the fire, and the room filled with the scent of irises.

Once that was finished, she faced me.

“Lia, here in the presence of the goddess, you must take vows. Vows that you will always keep or face her divine wrath and punishment.”

My country was already suffering from her last divine wrath and punishment, and I had no desire to risk further destruction.

I was concerned, though, about taking vows. They were very serious things, and one did not enter into them lightly. Perhaps if I hadn’t lost those five days, I could have spent them searching for the eye, maybe even found it and been on my way back home before reaching this point.

Where I would take vows and make promises.

I let out a deep breath, knowing there was no choice. I would have to agree to whatever they asked of me so that I could stay. I’d given up so much to be here and I had no intention of returning home empty-handed.

Maia continued, “The first vow that you must take is a promise to serve the goddess all of your days, to do her bidding and obey her laws and commandments. Do you swear to do this?”

Everyone was looking at me and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to respond. Io leaned forward and whispered, “Say, ‘Yes, I swear it.’”

“Yes, I swear it,” I repeated, and Maia looked satisfied.

“You must also vow to protect this temple and all of your sisters. Do you swear to do this?”

That seemed simple enough. “Yes, I swear it.”

I wondered if Artemisia had taken the same vows as me, but then remembered that I hadn’t yet been an acolyte when she’d attacked me, so she was probably technically clear from breaking that oath.

“And the last vow is a vow of celibacy. You must swear to never have sexual intercourse. You will never give your devotion to another—not a spouse, nor a child. You must devote your entire heart and body to the goddess. Do you swear to do this?”

This was the one that made me falter and my heart drop down to my toes, to reconsider what I was doing. If I promised this, it meant I would never be a mother. Would never marry, never have a love of my own or a companion by my side.

I would always be alone.

Which was not the future I had pictured for myself. I had always imagined that I would get married and have children. I didn’t realize how much I’d hoped for that until someone said I wasn’t allowed to have it.

But if it meant that I would save all of Locris ... it was an acceptable sacrifice.

One for many.

“Yes, I swear it,” I said, but the words felt difficult to get out.

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