As quickly as they had spread across the square, the Forgotten Gods fled, like shadows shrinking from sunlight. Ezra dropped to his knees, cradling his hand to his chest as the spell settled, the ash along with it.
“Are they gone?” Aloisia asked. “Will they return?”
“Not for a while,” Ezra answered. “Hopefully.”
Inari jumped down from the platform to inspect Ezra’s wounds, but the scholar shrugged away from him.
Aloisia stared at the cage. The Forgotten God curled into one corner, making itself as small as possible. “We did it. We got one.”
“Does it matter anymore?” Ezra barked a laugh. “In the face of all this, does one trial still matter?”
“Of course it matters,” Aloisia snapped. “This way, we find out the truth. We find out, once and for all, who is behind this. And then, we can stop them.”
Ezra smirked. “Ever the optimist.”
Aloisia turned from him, unable to entertain his nonsense after what they had gone through. “The Temple. We need to go back to the Temple in case the Forgotten Gods have gone there.”
Dhara nodded. “Right you are.”
“And we will see who is left,” Mavka said.
“Morgan…” Kaja started, seemingly unable to find the words.
Mavka placed a hand on her shoulder. “I had feared as much when she was not with you all. What of Valda?”
“I sent her to the Temple,” Aloisia said. “With a child we found.”
“Then hopefully that is where we shall find her.”
“Neiris and I will remain with the cage,” Dhara said. “The rest of you head to the Temple.”
Mavka inclined her head. “As you say, sister.”
FORTY ONE
AloisiatraipsedalongtheemptystreetstowardstheTemple with their group. She looped an arm with Fynn’s, glancing at the guard, who didn’t seem to mind, and rather looked relieved to leave the square with his life.
Lusana cradled her hand to her chest, the arrow still protruding from her wrist. While the shaft was darkening, it was also stopping her from bleeding out. Inari had tried to examine it, had offered to heal it, yet she refused.
Guilt twinged in Aloisia, but she pushed it away as swiftly as it arose. If Lusana had not brought Fynn out to the square, if she had not been so deluded as to force him to command the Forgotten Gods, then she would not have been harmed.
Ezra swayed on his feet and Inari pulled his arm over his shoulders, supporting his weight.
“Does the Temple have any herbal supplies?” Inari asked.
Mavka inclined her head. “I believe so.”
“We’re almost there, Ezra,” he murmured.
Though Inari had bound the cut on the scholar’s palm, the cloth had soaked through already. Droplets of blood trickled down Ezra’s fingers, leaving a trail of red behind them. Aloisia kept a careful watch about them, peering around the shadowy corners, concerned that – as it had once before – his blood would lure the Forgotten Gods to them.
When they reached Temple Green, the doors of the Temple were shut and two guards stood watch outside. As if they could stop the Forgotten Gods should they decide to force their way in. As they drew closer, the guards knocked on the door and they opened from the inside.
Within the Temple, families huddled together beneath the arches, blankets thrown across their shoulders. Aloisia had never seen so many people in the building, even on the holidays, when many more than usual would attend. The pews were filled and, with no more space to sit, many sat on the stone floor. Some wandered the nave, searching the faces around them for family, friends, loved ones.
High Priest Silas made his way through the mass of people towards them. His eyes widened at the sight of Lusana’s injured wrist and the blood dripping from the scholar’s hand. “Are you all well?”
Lusana sneered. “As you can see, I am not. Is there a physician here?”
