Chapter 48
METILAI
Rydon ran through the corridor outside of the ballroom, the masses racing around him in every direction.
He shouted, calling out Cassandra’s name as his head swiveled around, his eyes wild, searching for the seer.
His pulse roared in his ears, mixing with the shouts of frightened royals, nobles and servants, everyone unfortunate enough to be trapped inside while Hermes’s men raced toward them.
“Rydon!”
He whipped around and his eyes widened, his heart squeezing as Cassandra screamed his name. At last, the bodies parted and he saw Migela shoving her way toward him with Cassandra clutching the assassin’s waist.
Rydon’s relief was immediate, and he became lightheaded. Stumbling forward, he threw his arms around both women, dropping a kiss on Cassandra’s blonde head.
He growled and roared at people to move as he shouldered his way back toward the ballroom with Cassandra sheltered close to his body.
When they were safely away from the press of those trying to escape, Rydon turned to address Migela, but the little seer grabbed hold of his tunic, her grip surprisingly strong.
“It’s not Sonah! I mean, it is Sonah but not your Sonah!”
Rydon could not make sense of what she was saying and when he glanced at Migela, the assassin’s hands flew in the language of the mute. He lifted his hands in surrender, his mouth dropping open. Migela huffed in frustration.
Cassandra whirled him back to face her and he blinked down into her slate eyes.
“I think Vassori betrayed us! I saw her! I saw her speaking to that woman and she called her Sonah! She said, this way, Lady Sonah. And then the woman turned, and it was not our Sonah! It was a different woman but she had the amulet, Rydon! The Amulet of Ka?ra! She was wearing it, and they called her ‘Lady Sonah’!”
Rydon did not know what to make of her rantings but he grabbed hold of Cassandra’s arms and shook her gently.
“Listen, listen! Right now, I need you and Migela to follow me out of here. Terena and Gabriol are waiting in the dungeons for you and I—”
Migela snapped her fingers at him and then started doing her hand language.
He shook his head in frustration. “I don’t know—”
“She says she knows where the dungeons are and she can take us there herself,” Cassandra snapped, her eyes flashing up at Rydon.
He nodded. “Good. All right, go now. I have to get to Hermes before he finds Ren. Go!”
The women took off and he watched them run to the far side of the ballroom. Before he turned away, Cassandra looked over her shoulder. Their eyes caught and held until Migela grabbed her and shoved her through a door and out of sight.
Terena shook Gabriol by the shoulders, her eyes wild as she pleaded with him. “I don’t have anyone else I can trust with this! It has to be you, Gabriol, please!”
Lerek hung back near the archway in the very back part of the dungeons, his vacant gaze on the ground. Cassandra and Migela held each other as Terena gazed up at Gabriol.
They had arrived a few minutes ago as Gabriol was about to go back up to search for them. After exchanging brief hugs, they had made their way toward the exit when Terena grabbed Gabe, stopping him.
Gabriol shook his head, his eyes falling away from her. Terena choked back a sob. She thrust her hand beneath her leather armor and pulled out the oilcloth-wrapped shroud, shoving it against Gabriol’s chest.
He balked and shoved it back at her. “I am not the heir! I’m not even a god! How can I possibly open the portal and—”
“Please,” she moaned. “The prophecy only spoke of the heir bringing the gods back to glory. Nothing about how they actually come back to Elysium. Go to Hekate’s temple and open the portal.
Here,” Terena held the shroud against Gabriol’s chest while she fished inside her cloak.
From the inside pocket, she pulled out a gold armband and held it in front of her.
Gabriol held onto the shroud as he scowled down at her.
“Take this with you,” she said, her voice breaking as she shook the adornment at him.
“When you find my mother, she’ll know you speak true if you show her this.
It belonged to her brother, my uncle. Please Gabriol.
You must warn her. Tell her about Hermes.
Tell her everything I told you about the previous circles.
Someone has sabotaged us from the beginning and you’re my only hope to find out who. ”
“How can I go back?” Gabriol asked, huffing in frustration. “I can’t use this to open the portal! I won’t even know what to do—”
“You will,” Terena said emphatically, nodding her head as she narrowed her eyes.
“Remember what Orry said? Hold up the shroud and speak the words. I have to believe there was a reason you were with him when he read of it in the priestess’s journal.
I’d hoped it would be Orry going back, but he’s gone and I need you, Gabe. Please, help me.”
Gabriol looked around as if lost, shaking his head. Terena wanted to scream. They had no time for this, but if Gabriol didn’t leave now, she had a horrible feeling all would be lost.
“I have no one else, Gabe. If you don’t do this, we’re going to lose. I trust you. Please go. For me. Please.”
Gabriol reached out hesitantly and took the armband from her, slipping it over the sleeve of his tunic. Terena watched his movements, a strange calm settling over her as she saw the band fit snuggly against his bicep.
Like it was made for him.
She exhaled and gave him a watery smile. Tears slid down her cheeks and she wiped at them angrily as she stepped away from Gabriol.
“I promised Rydon I’d get you out of here! I can’t—”
Terena snorted, wiping her nose on her bracer. “You can. And you will. I’ll be fine. I’m a god, remember? Your only concern now is getting north as fast as possible. Get to Hekate’s temple and do not hesitate. Open the portal.”
She turned away, bringing her hands up to rub at her eyes. Her breath fogged out in front of her and she quickened her steps.
Gabriol was about to disappear through the door leading to the secret corridor Rydon had used earlier to get inside, when Lerek called out.
“I’m going with him.”
Terena arched a brow and shared a look with Gabriol when he turned back. “What? Why?”
“I can do more than just sit in a palace all day, Ren,” Lerek said. He looked away, lips pressed tightly together, before turning back to her. “A lot of what’s happened started because of me. I know it won’t make up for it, but I’d like to at least help in any way I can.”
Lerek turned to Gabriol. “You’ll be going through Thalos?”
“Aye,” Gabriol said, his eyes shifting between Lerek and Terena.
“Heylisia controls the port, and the bridge is guarded by Rivermen. The only way they’ll let you cross is with me.
Peleon isn’t letting anyone cross. Now that Ravos is back with the empire, he’s not taking any chances with soldiers defecting to join Hermes.
They’ll kill you if you try to cross the bridge. ”
“There is no more empire,” Terena said bitterly. “Hermes has sacked the city and I’m sure is sitting on the throne right above our heads at this very moment. It won’t be long before word gets out across the continent.”
“You’re wrong,” Lerek bit out, his eyes intense as he stared back at Terena. “I am the emperor now, and I will take this city back. But for now, I’ll go north with Gabriol and do this. For you. For my city and my empire.”
Terena sighed and waved a hand. “I—Gabe? It’s up to you.”
Gabriol was silent for a minute, eyeing Lerek as if he was something nasty he’d stepped in.
“Please,” Lerek muttered. “Please let me help. I can do this.”
After a very tense and awkward silence, Gabriol gave Lerek a curt nod. “Fine. But I’m not going slow because I have the crown prince with me. We’ll ride hard and sleep outdoors.”
“You’ll have the emperor with you,” Lerek corrected Gabriol and shrugged. “And, aye, I understand.”
When Gabriol went through the doorway, Lerek made to follow. Terena rushed forward, grabbing hold of his arm.
Turning, Lerek looked at her, then smiled sadly.
“Don’t get yourself killed,” she said as heat rose in her cheeks.
Something passed over Lerek’s eyes and made her step back. Before she could, Lerek bent his head and kissed her roughly. He pressed his forehead to hers, the heat from his words fanning her cheeks. “I love you.”
The ache those words spiked in her heart made her pull away. Tears stung her eyes, and she averted her gaze.
She did not say the words back to him.
Lerek stood there a moment more before striding off with brisk steps until Terena knew they were both gone.
Pressing her hand to her chest, she sighed and closed her eyes.
“Terena.”
Opening her eyes, Terena turned to Cassandra. The seer’s eyes were red-rimmed. “Ren, I think… I think Vassori betrayed us.”
Terena’s hand froze in front of her face as she stared at Cassandra. The moment Vassori had spoken to her in the ballroom flashed in her mind and she recalled what the tracker had said.
“What did you see?” Terena’s voice was quiet as she stared at the blonde.
Cassandra glanced at Migela, who nodded grimly.
“Do you remember my vision? Of Sonah wearing the amulet? The Amulet of Ka?ra?”
“Aye. I saw it.”
“You did?”
Terena nodded once. “On a blonde girl. High Cleric Christos found it somehow. And I think the girl wearing it is the real Sonah Yahn.”
“What do we do?” Cassandra wailed, clutching the necklaces at her chest. “We have to get it back somehow! Why was Vassori with her? How—”
Migela signed with her hands and Terena opened her eyes to watch her.
She shook her head in response. “No. I am not going anywhere. I am going to find Vassori and make her talk. And then I’m getting that fucking necklace.”
“No!” Cassandra’s eyes widened in horror as she shook head. “No, no, Hermes will be up there by now. We have to leave. You cannot go up there!”