“It’s hard to explain to an outsider but the selection is sacred to us. We promise to never reveal the identities of the tributes. I don’t think a Locrian would have told her. But the only Ilionian who knew who I was ...” My mind started racing as I began to put things together.
“Who?”
“The witness.” The man sent by the Ilionians to make certain that the Locrian maidens who boarded their ship were the same ones whose names had been drawn. A man who was mute and uneducated so that he couldn’t reveal those identities to anyone in Ilion.
“I saw him on the ship and can verify that his tongue is gone,” Xander said. “He couldn’t have told anyone.”
That made me think of Suri. “What if the witness has another way to communicate? That night when we went to the Golden Lamb, I thought I saw the witness there. What if he was following me?”
“Why didn’t you say something then?”
“Because I thought I had imagined it and I thought you were just a sailor.”
He started drumming his fingers against the table. “So if he’s working for Erisa, then somehow he told her that you were my betrothed and she decided to get rid of you before we could be married to stop me from becoming king.”
“This might be what you’ve been looking for. If you can find the witness and prove that he can communicate, you can expose Erisa.” I felt genuine hope. This could help him become king.
My excitement was echoed in his expression. “He shouldn’t be hard to find. Not with that public of a job.”
Xander and I both stood up at the same time and I wanted to celebrate. To hug him, kiss him, do something because we were in this together. And we were finally making some headway.
“I have been looking everywhere for you!” Rokh said as he approached from my left. “You were supposed to wait for me at the safe house. Ahyana wants you to come to the temple to practice your ... particular skill set.”
“Go,” Xander said. “Take her to the temple and then come back. I have an assignment for you.”
I spoke up. “But I was hoping that we could ... talk more.” I wished Rokh weren’t here to witness me being pathetic.
“Practice and we can talk later tonight.” He rushed off to start whatever plans he had come up with.
While it wasn’t what I had hoped for, I was happy that he hadn’t shut me out again.
As I walked off with Rokh, I wondered how my husband would react if I did as Quynh suggested tonight and told him how I felt about him.
I suspected I wouldn’t be brave enough to do it.
Chapter Twelve
My sisters were all gathered in the temple gymnasium, and I saw Zalira drink something tinted green.
“What is that?” I asked.
“My fortification potion,” Io said. “We’re testing it out today. I want to see if we can do magic for longer if we use it.” She handed me a full vial, which I put into my pocket. “I’ve also been thinking about trying to create a potion that might boost our power.”
“Something happened today that makes me think there might be a way for us to do that naturally. I saw Quynh and she’s pregnant. When I touched her stomach, I could feel that bright white light inside her and I felt power flowing into my hands.”
“Were you doing magic?” Ahyana asked.
“No.”
“Then how did you feel it?”
“I don’t know.” Always more questions with very few answers.
“I’m ready,” Zalira said. “Dea Maimaktes.”
The rain outside was gentle this time. Constant. There weren’t any lightning bolts or thunderclaps.
“Her eyesaregreen,” Io breathed out. Like she hadn’t quite believed that it had happened, even though we’d told her it did. “Like the eye of the goddess is inside us.”
