Less impressed was River, who looked like he wanted to strangle something.
Saros sighed.“Son,” he said wearily, “I am well aware of the… dynamics between our Ione and yourself – ”
“Teething issues.”Kai waved a dismissive hand.“We’ve come to an understanding now.And Swords here loves me.”
“Kai.”Mikau laid a steady hand on Kai’s shoulder and turned him to face them.They held up three fingers.“How many – ”
“I’m not concussed, Mikau, g’way.”
Their assistant, notebook in hand, scribbled something.“Name and date of birth?Can you spellworldbackwards for me?”
“Arright, Red.S-u-c-k, space, m-y – ”
Mikau shut him up with a look.“It’s fine, Ami,” they whispered to their assistant, all protective.And to Kai, “You’re sleeping better, I gather?”
“Sure, loads better.”Kai summoned the smile he reserved for Saros, self-assured and bright, if tinged with blood.“Passionflower tea, remember?Knocks me right out, almost as well as Swords just did.”Never mind that it tasted like pennies and dusty flowers and did nothing for the nightmares.Kai only drank it when he was desperate.
“I appreciate your… fervour,” Saros said gradually.“But I won’t tolerate any more senseless brawling.It’s uncouth and unbecoming of the warden I hired you to be.”
Message received.Kai saluted him, not missing River’s indignant little glare.“Not to worry, Your Beatitude.”He widened his smile, although he felt somewhat chilled.Disoriented.Maybe he was concussed; maybe he would drink Saros’s tea later.He’d need the sleep after today.
“Now that I know what makes Ione tick,” he finished grandly, “I’ll have her flooding cities by the end of summer.”
Chapter Seven
Ione
“Oseidos has hundreds of little altars,” Ione said as Lina gazed, awed, into the mouth of the cavern.“But this is the oldest.And the most sacred, now that Llyr’s left his mark on it.”
Seagulls cried high above them, their clamour obscured by the surf rushing up the beach behind them – and by River’s and Kai’s muted chatter down where the sand met water, River having agreed to babysit the warden for the day.The cavern ahead was a black hole to Ione’s eyes, darker still in the shadow cast by the altarhouse up on the cliffs overhead; inside floated enough moonglows to illuminate the path, but Ione could pick her way through to the half-drowned altar at its end with her eyes closed.
That being said, it was always better to be safe than sorry, so Ione held out an arm and beamed when Lina took it.“You’ll have to guide me through, of course.”A breeze passed, carrying with it a hint of the cavern’s innermost room, sweet sea brine and bitter decay.Ione ground her teeth, resisting the urge to shudder.“This is, after all, your idea.”
Lina craned her neck as she led Ione up the worn stone steps, taking in the decorations hung up around the mouth of the cave: tinkling silver wind chimes, old garlands strung with mirrors cut like moon phases, woven cords dripping with moonstone pendants and coins.And bits of seaweed, which went without saying: the entrance was under water whenever the tide was in.
The blackness swallowed them, and despite herself, Ione released a contented breath to be out of the sun.It was high summer and hot as Sowelan’s pyres outside, and although Ione was relatively certain this was a waste of time, the cave was cool, which alone made it a nice break from enduring the warden’s godsawful excuse for training.
“It’s very pretty in here,” Lina said, taking both of Ione’s hands in hers as she helped her over a slippery bridge crossing a stream, the water glimmering with faint blue moonglows hovering overhead.She laughed when Ione made a noncommittal noise.“Oh, give it a chance.”
“I’vedonethe ‘meditate in a sacred place’ thing,” Ione griped, although the sound of Lina’s laugh still sent a sweet chill across her skin.“As have I done the ‘bathe in holy water’ thing.Much as I loathe to admit it, trying to spill the warden’s blood over the flagstones has been the most powerful I’ve ever felt.”
“No!Bad Ione.”Lina mimed swatting at her.“Here, d’you want to turn out like him?”She pointed behind them at the smudge of light leading outside, where River had challenged Kai to something or other.Ione heard a faintBullshit, that’s impossible; sensed an icy swathe of magic followed by an incredulous laugh from River.The warden laughed back, wild, a cackle.
So different from that first explosive day.Ione pivoted, queasy; even now ice crept up her spine at the memory of his scornful eyes.At how badly she had wanted to hurt him.
Enjoying your free day, Goddess Apparent?,she imagined him saying, derisive.Did you bring a picnic basket?
The path grew narrower, ancient steps coated in sea-moss leading them up a dim shaft.Lina’s hand was hot in hers, clasped tight and sure.Menon had gone quieter these past few weeks: although Her power remained, the initial white-hot adrenaline had tempered to a steady, contented heartbeat that ached and ached whenever Ione went too long without seeing her attendant.
Her friend.
Were they friends?The word sent an odd pang through her, a feeling between delirious joy and the sensation that it was not enough.The way Lina smiled at her made Ione feel sick, made her want more.The smile of someone who did not yet know her and her failures, who she might yet trick into liking her.
Her mother calling it a distraction insulted it; River calling it a crush minimised it.None of them understood.
“The altar is just ahead,” Ione said, pointing.She wrinkled her nose at a whiff of earth and rot.“Gods, he’s little more than bones now, but it always smells a bit corpsey in here.”
Lina snorted.“Wasn’t he your great-grandfather?”
