Chapter Twenty-Six
Amalthea
Damerel, the castle within a mountain, was a marvel.
But Ioni, the seat of northern power, was the most magical castle Amalthea had ever beheld.
“It’s lovely,” Dyna rasped. Her guard was exhausted from the brutal pace of travel.
“Indeed.” Through tricky lighting and precise planning, the capital was situated between two snow-capped cliffs in the north, almost hidden in the valley.
It seemed like an odd spot for a castle, unassuming even, unless you knew of the thermal wells that heated the ground beneath.
Even now, with snow falling all around, wisps of steam stretched in the distance over the white spires.
Once the eye adjusted to the view, the castle was a sight without parallel. Entirely white, it was composed of elegant spires, limestone gleaming in the sunset.
The answers Thea needed were hopefully buried inside, as intangible as the wisps of steam that billowed out. Ferreting them out would take precision and luck. But Eka was the oracle’s goddess, not Lixa. And Anagenni seldom rewarded interlopers.
If Thea had energy for guilt, she might have spared it by not forcing Dyna to walk through the day. The sunlight, even fading as it was, bounced off every inch of snow. Unpleasant for a vampire.
But every hour she delayed, the future grew darker and darker. So she paused only for a moment before the two began their descent to the castle.