Page 82 of Summer of Sacrifice

Chresedia stopped, turning toward him, all show of her beautiful mask dissolved. The bruises beneath her eyes were so purple they were almost black. Her veins were dark rivers etched along her throat, her temples, her chest. Her tongue darted out too quickly, licking her cracked lips. “Is that why he locked me away in my cage?” she hissed. “Thinking I couldn’t get out? Thinking I wouldn’t know he’s gone traipsing around our home trying to remember what they did to me?”

Home. Laurent’s mind spun. Chresedia wanted to go home. On the eclipse, she would open a portal and leave their realm. They’d wanted to stop her so she didn’t go to another realm and hurt anyone else. But…

Home. Chresedia was Athania. It was Athania who wanted to go home. And home was The Void.

Fuck.

“Why won’t Lord Night let you be harmed?” he snarled.

A disturbing grin curled her lips. “Now you’re asking the right questions.” She spun in a circle like a little girl, her face tipped toward the sky, her dirty skirt and brittle hair splaying out around her. A giggle erupted from her before she stopped abruptly, facing him again. “And I’m bored. So I’ll indulge your curiosity. But you must give me the quill first.”

“I don’t have it,” Laurent gritted out.

She was upon him in a blink, her hand gripping his chin, sharp nails drawing blood from his cheeks. “Liar.”

Breathing rapidly through his nose to keep from killing her, he let her look into his eyes. Let her see the truth that the quill was gone. Winnie had taken it to Sorscha. At least he hoped to all the gods but the one standing before him that she’d been successful.

With an unhinged hiss, she pushed his chin back, stepping away from him. “Kiss me, then.”

Laurent barked a laugh. “You want me to fucking what?”

“Do it.” The voice came out of nowhere.

Laurent and Chresedia both whirled to where Winnie had materialised.

“Bábóg.” Laurent put his hands up. “No.”

Chresedia clapped, jumping up and down like a child and giggling. “This is fun,” she sang.

Laurent pleaded silently with Winnie. They needed the information but gods, at what cost?

Chresedia spun another circle, landing in front of Winnie. Laurent flinched toward her, but she held up a hand. “What would you ask of me, then?” Winnie bit out, her chin high. “To explain yourself.”

The vile, fallen goddess halted, suddenly quite sober. “I’d rather give you something.” The chilled tone of her voice sent unease dripping down Laurent’s spine, but Winnie was already nodding.

“Done.”

“What the fuck, Wendy!” Laurent stepped between them. “No!”

But a grey streak of magic flecked with bedimmed gold was already seeping from Chresedia’s temple, headed straight for Winnie’s.

“Stop!” Laurent shouted, his power shooting out to block her. But Winnie’s magic unfurled to fight his off.

The grey streak shot into her temple, and Winnie went limp, Laurent sliding to catch her.

WINNIE

When the scalding pain ceased, her eyes were not her own.

In front of her, shrouded in the fog of memory, was her mother, tears streaming down her face.

“They’re gone,” she spat through gritted teeth. “And there is no way you will find them again.”

Winnie’s hand that was not hers came up, slapping her mother across the face. “You cannot stop this,” she hissed.

Lorelai’s eyes were aflame, her hand cradling her cheek.

“You traipse around Midlerea, spreading heretical doctrine, thinking if you erase all signs of the Sisters Solstice, make people believe them a hearthtale, that it will keep me from getting what I want?”

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