“Just my luck you were proven right so quickly.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “As I said, tread carefully. Powerful people should not be crossed.”
“Noted.” Aloisia sighed, tugging at the bandage around her palm.
“Might I see it?” He reached for her, stopping short to glance at her as if for permission. “I am a shaman. I could help.”
She tightened her fist around the marking. Would it be so bad to show him? He knew magic, knew runes and symbology. Maybe he could help, would know what it meant. Perhaps it would show whether he could interpret the markings Brighde’s body bore.
Aloisia unfurled her fingers and held her hand out to Inari. He unwound the bandage, his touch gentle. She bit her lip, holding her breath as he unveiled the marking.
Inari’s brows rose as he looked up to her, a question in his eyes. “How did you get this?”
SIXTEEN
Perchingonthetable,AloisiaexplainedallthathappenedthenightBrighdehaddied.Thewisps,theForgottenGods,thewayBrighde’sbodyhadlitwithamoltenglowandtheinkymarkingswhichsurfacedthereafter.Andshetoldhimhow,whenshehadtouchedBrighde’shand,therehadbeenasearingpainandamarkinghadappearedonherpalm.
Inari listened wordlessly with her hand cradled in his own. His expression still gave nothing away and fear wound around her throat like a vice. When her words ended, a ringing silence stretched between them.
“What does it mean?” she asked, afraid of his answer. Afraid he wouldn’t have one.
“I’m not exactly sure.”
Aloisia sucked in a sharp breath. She hadn’t realised how much she had hoped he would know, would settle her fears.
“Of course, like most things, there is symbology attached to it,” he continued. “One thing I can say is, if you wanted any marking to appear ominously on your skin, you would want it to be a star.”
“Why?”
“Generally, it has positive associations. It is a sign of guidance, of finding the correct course. Stars are used for navigation, to lead the lost home. What it means in the context of how it appeared, I’m uncertain.”
“If it is a symbol of navigation, can it lead the Forgotten Gods to me? Has it marked me as the next one?”
Inari’s expression softened. “I think you would know by now if it had. You have been close enough to them. If it were a marker for them, they’d have found you.”
She puffed out a breath. “Would you be able to read markings like these? If I were to bring you copies of the markings on Brighde’s body, would you be willing to see if you could?”
A frown furrowed his brow. “Copying them may not be the best course of action. Depending on what they are, copying them will only give it more power, reinforce whatever spell is etched into her skin.”
“What?” Aloisia paled.
“Like I said, runes have magical qualities. There are many forms of runes, in different languages. Just the same, there are markings like this, which are more open to interpretation. I cannot guarantee I’d be able to read them. By copying them, they risk heightening or even transferring the magic upon her body, in these markings.”
“By the Divines…” She snatched her hand back from his, her fingers tightening into a fist.
“Have they been copying them?”
“I’m not sure. But Tristan was going to copy them to bring them here.”
“Then stop him, before he does. Magic is not to be trifled with. Whatever spell is on her, if there is one, must have something to do with her death. It is not worth the risk.”
Aloisia began pacing, her fist clutched to her chest. “What if they have already been copying the markings?” Their research had begun the day before. It stood to reason that they would have copies in order to search their archives for a matching language.
“They will need to be destroyed.”
“Right.”
“And not just by throwing the parchment into flames. The magic needs to be dispelled.”
