“Heed our sacrifice and see our piety. Have mercy on our weakest, bolster our strongest, and protect all who live here. For our power will always belong to the gods from whom it came.”
We all began to speak the words we’d memorized when we were children. “Faric, see our sacrifice. Tronin, see our sacrifice. Bretis, see our sacrifice,” I chanted along, hearing Galon’s and Lorian’s low rumbles next to me as they spoke the same words. Faric was the god of knowledge, Tronin, the god of strength, and Bretis, the god of protection.
If those gods had any mercy, this would finish soon, and we could flee.
The priestess spoke a few more sentences in the old language. A language never to be spoken by those who hadn’t taken the holy vows.
I tensed. I hated this part.
The baby began to scream. Her parents kept their expressions blank, but any who cared to look could see the pain in her mother’s eyes. Could see the way her father’s hands fisted as the priestess took his daughter’s magic, sucking it into the oceartus stone, which glowed so brightly, it hurt to look at it.
I shifted my attention to the guards. They were watching too, their gazes intent as they witnessed the Taking. Occasionally, parents would attempt to protect their babies. It wasn’t common, but it happened.
My heart began to thunder in my chest.
The Taking was over. The baby continued to scream as if she were being tortured, and her mother lifted her, pressing her to her chest.
The priestesses insisted that the Taking was painless. But no one who had ever seen a newborn lose their magic could ever believe that lie.
Everyone climbed off the platform. They would have a quiet service at their home and announce their baby’s name. My legs had gone weak again—this time with relief. We’d survived this long. Now we just had to find our horses.
The crowd began to disperse. We slowly began to move toward the road leading out of the town. I wanted to shove my way through these people. To beg them to move. But that would only draw attention.
Lorian’s grip changed on my arm, and I looked up. Marth was standing in front of us, his face pale.
“We have a problem.”
He handed us a piece of parchment. Someone had drawn my likeness and described my features. It wasn’t exact, but it was close enough that I was sure to be questioned if we attempted to leave. Everything receded until all I could see was my own face. My lungs seized, and a line of cold sweat slid down my spine.
Beneath the picture were the names of the corrupt who had been taken to the city. This wasn’t uncommon. I’d seen this list before, hung in our village square.
My gaze got stuck on a name halfway down the list.
“No. No, no, no.”
Asinia. My best friend Asinia.
Asinia had been in hiding too. And I’d never known. Just as she’d never known about my own magic. When the corrupt were found, all their friends and family members were assessed. Asinia likely wouldn’t have been caught if not for me. She wouldn’t be in some dank dungeon awaiting her death while I laughed and ate and learned how to fight.
“We need to go,” Marth murmured.
I stared at the parchment.
I couldn’t cry. I was too numb. My whole body shook, my teeth chattering as I pictured Asinia alone on a stone floor, with nothing to eat, counting down the moments until she—
I leaned over and vomited. Lorian sighed, pulled my hair away from my face, and shifted us both a few foot-spans to the side.
Strangely, it was his nonchalance that blew the worst of the fog from my mind.
He handed me water, and I rinsed my mouth.
Then we were moving. Lorian tucked me beneath his shoulder, steering me toward the outskirts of the city. Dimly, I was aware of the mercenaries discussing our situation. Their voices sounded like they were standing at the other end of a tunnel.
“The innkeeper paid attention to her face. So did the barmaid. It’s possible they’ve already spoken to the guards.” Rythos reached out and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back.
“There’s only one road out of the city, unless we cut through the forest. But that will seem suspicious,” Cavis said.
My heart was frozen. It was stuck to the walls of my chest, to my lungs, all of it just a big clump of ice.
There was no question I was still going to the city. But I wouldn’t be finding a ship.
I was never meant to live a full life. The gods had determined that when they’d rejected my power when I was just days old.
But if I could save Asinia’s life, it would all be worth it. And I would. Somehow, I would.
“Prisca.”