Maryn’s speech dragged on while Cyrene’s family was ushered into the pool. My eyes snagged on the middle of the pews to a standing woman. Her peers remained seated.
Impending danger prickled my senses.
“Felaf,” I warned under my breath.
“I see her. Helene Condor,” Felaf identified quietly. “Baron Ionis Condor’s wife.”
Why is a noble standing during the queen regent’s speech?
“Darling,” the baron beseeched Helene through gritted teeth. “Sitdown.”
She didn’t listen, instead opening her mouth to shout, “Death to the Zodiac! Death to the Astrals!”
The entire room froze as the blasphemous words rang through the sullen temple.
My limbs carried me with preternatural swiftness across the temple. The raving woman extended her arm as if aiming at something. Someone. A quick glance showed me she had her sights set on Cyrene’s family. A square object released from her outstretched hand as I latched on to her.
Time stood still as it arced into the air. Felaf leapt to catch the box, her strength lifting her higher than any human could jump.
My relief dwindled at Helene’s blossoming giggle. I secured her arms behind her back as Alekko, Vesperah, and a herd of guards approached us.
“Helene?” Baron Ionis hissed, his dark brows furrowed. “What is thematterwith you?”
Helene’s giggle turned into a cackle. She tossed her golden head back, letting her sounds echo before I clamped my gloved hand over her mouth. Despite securing the threat, I knew danger still loomed. I glanced around, ignoring the stunned and fearfulfaces of the room. Cyrene’s family huddled together, waiting. Felaf stood where she’d landed, inspecting the device.
“Did Scorpio not warn you something like this would happen today?” Maryn hissed into Gregorios’s ear. “This is anembarrassment. You should have seen such a scandalous event coming.”
A guard shackled Helene to his side and dragged her away. Vesperah followed with the baron. “Apologies, Baron Ionis, but we must take precautions.”
“This is absurd. I have no idea what has gotten into my wife!” he protested. “We are devout Scorpions, loyal to our queendom and our Astral!”
Vesperah dragged him away, his shouts fading as my unease grew stronger.
Alekko stared at me as the silence in the room dissipated, replaced by fearful chatter. “Rarely does your face give away what you’re thinking. But when it does, it’s never good. What is it?”
“Something is still amiss,” I said, scanning the temple. “Or someone.”
I didn’t have time to process what happened next.
One moment I had eyes on Felaf. She turned the object peculiarly in her hands, trying to figure out what exactly the mechanism was. Next, the object somehowliftedfrom her grip. Felaf whirled, following the box before it vanished into thin air.
Completely gone, as if it had never been there in the first place.
The sound of a match struck my ears. I couldn’t place who or where it originated from. Frustration ignited in my chest.
Felaf and I met eyes only for a moment before a thunderous boom rattled the walls. I bolted for Gregorios, reaching him as an explosion erupted. I threw my arms around the seer to shield him from the mountain of green flames that blastedwhere Cyrene’s family had been standing. A force of hot wind at our backs knocked us to the ground. Smoke and sulfur and something unidentifiable engulfed the air.
Rocks tumbled from the ceiling onto my back. Beneath me, Gregorios groaned from my weight. A quick sensory scan of his vitals told me he was alive and not gravely injured. I’d gotten to him just in time.
“Can you move?” I asked above the screams filling the temple.
“Barely,” the seer wheezed. The pillow was gone but the royal talisman remained safe in his clutches. “Stars above, I’m getting too old for this.”
I lifted him in my arms, listening amidst the calamity that surrounded us. The wall of green held me captive in place. It was a massive beast, its flames soaring from the basin where Cyrene had drowned only moments ago. Green fire burned atop the ancient water. As if the water had no effect on it, which shouldn’t have been possible.
Wateralwaysdoused fire.
I stared at the flames several beats longer than I should have, even as the heat tinged my skin through my uniform. I needed to get Gregorios and the talisman to safety, but my body didn’t—couldn’t—move. A forgotten memory crept its way into my mind. The image of my childhood home burned in place of the temple, and I was too stupefied to do a damned thing.
