She flips the dagger and offers it to me by the handle. I give the rune a good look before pressing the tip into her palm and cutting two straight lines downward and a single curve between them. Her nostrils flare, but she pushes through, keeping her other hand pressed to her chest.
When I’m done with hers, I turn to Algar, who slaps a hand over his eyes while holding out a palm.
“Just get it over with,” he groans.
I fight a smile as I start on his hand, too. “We’re so close,” I remind him. “It’s almost over.”
“Yeah.” He winces as I dig the blade a little deeper to pierce through the skin. He hisses at the sting. “Wait until people hear the stories. They’ll never believe any of this.”
Despite the howls growing louder, I crack a grin and finish up his hand.
“Okay, you two go on in. See if you can find any treasure,” Thane instructs.
“Be careful,” I call after them as they press their bloodied hands to the outer wall of the temple. When they’re inside, darkness cocooning them, I face Thane and offer him my hand.
“You won’t feel a thing,” he assures me, wrapping his long fingers around my wrist. The warmth of his hand intensifies and sparks gold beneath mine. Then he sticks the dagger into my palm to begin the symbol. He’s right. I can’t feel him cutting me.
“You know a lot of sorcery.” I watch as he works on the first line.
“I wouldn’t have been able to save your precious mortal life so many times if I hadn’t gotten the hang of it.”
I laugh. “I guess that’s true.”
Sighing, I peer up at the temple. Milky light shines from a gap in the treetops and bathes half of my face. I take a moment to soak it in. For all I know, this could be the last time I see any kind of natural light.
“Ready?” I ask, leveling gazes with Thane.
He nods, but there’s a slight reluctance. Maybe, secretly, like me, he doesn’t want our time together to end. Maybe he knows that once I have one of the prosperity stones and we’re back in Gadonia, we’ll drift apart.
Forever.
I reel him in for a tight hug. He freezes for a split second before wrapping me in his arms. “What’s this for?” he asks over my shoulder.
“For staying true to your word.” I lean back and hold his waist with my good hand. “You protected me. I wasn’t so sure in the beginning, but…it was worth it.”
His eyes fall as he lowers his head. “I told you I don’t like to fail.”
“You did.” I place a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you again—not just for this, but for helping me save my sister’s life.”
He doesn’t smile behind his mask. If anything, his eyes seem to sadden. “Zaira, I need to tell you something. I tried to tell you before, but—”
He’s cut off by a howl close by…too close.
“Whatever you want to say might have to wait. We need to get inside.” I press my hand to the temple like the others did.
Thane trails behind me as I stumble through the dark tunnel. I don’t stop until I make it to an expansive room where streaks of light from the broken roof shine down on the ruins and rubble below.
Tunnels run in all directions like wheels on a spoke. Some have been blocked by collapsed stone, but the other passages lead to tunnels leaking with thin strips of light. A statue of Orvena is in the center of the temple, along with towering, jagged crystal pillars. Vines wrap around Orvena, starting at her feet and climbing to her head. One of the statue’s arms is broken, but in her still-intact hand is a sword. She’s been sculpted to wear robes and strappy sandals, and on her back is a pair of large wings.
I’ve never seen a statue of our goddess with wings. Is this her true form?
Water leaks from the gaps in the ceiling, splashing on fractured marble floors and accumulating into various puddles. It smells stale. More vines crawl up the walls, while some hang from the roof. There’s an altar in the room with a throne made of marble that’s crumbled to ruins. The steep steps leading to the throne are probably the only thing in this temple that aren’t damaged.
Regardless, something about this temple carries a majestic grace. It seems to be filled with life and energy, despite how badly damaged it is. It feels like a beacon of hope in the midst of chaos—a feeling only Orvena could create. Xaimur tried to tear her creations down, and he failed.
I notice Rynthea and Algar standing near an old fountain.
“I’m not seeing any treasure.” Rynthea frowns as her eyes swivel to Thane.
