Page 131 of An Archer's Redemption

“It’s just . . . the Priest. I know we’re already wary of them, and I don’t want to jump to conclusions because of that, but he showed up, what, five or six months ago?” Declan asked.

“Right, but you heard Liam. He’s basically the town saint,” I said.

“If they can shift into murderous animals, they can fool us into thinking they’re good people.”

“What about preaching against the Crown? Did you hear any more about that?” Marks asked.

I shook my head. “Not really. A few of the people we interviewed said they’d heard the Priest talk about unifyingunder the One, but they thought he meant as an addition or support to the Crown, nothing like rebellion.”

Silence lingered a moment as our report sank in, then Jess spoke. “Thank you both for going down there so quickly. Atikus, would you tell us what you and the Mages found?”

The old Mage leaned forward. “Mage Ernest suggested we scry for Irina using the crumpled flyer she was holding before she vanished. It had only been a couple of hours since she possessed it, so he hoped we might get a reading. If we had waited another few hours, it would not have worked at all.” He paused and took a sip of water. “We are now certain she Traveled to Irina’s Seat. The image in the scrying bowl was the Children’s stone Temple in that village.”

I sat back and scratched at my scalp. “Irina’s Seat? I hoped to never see that place again.”

Jess muttered. “That makes two of us.”

Declan cocked his head. “Atikus, what aren’t you telling us? I can sense you’re holding something back.”

“Bees get ya?” I asked with a smirk.

“Shut it,” Declan said with a grin of his own.

Atikus looked between us and shook his head. “I thought of something while you were talking about your trip to Oliver, but it may be too crazy, even for this situation.”

“I doubt this could get any stranger. Let’s hear it,” Declan prodded.

“Well, the flyer referenced an upcoming meeting the local Priest was holding.”

“Right,” Declan said.

“It highlighted a message about the Return of the One. We always assumed that ancient prophecy referred toIrina’sreturn. What if this One is using her prophecy for their own gain? How do you think she would react when she learned that her legacy was stolen?”

“She would want to rip their eyes out,” Jess spat.

Atikus nodded. “She just Traveled to Irina’s Seat, and Declan, the last person to see her before she went there, said she looked angry as she read the flyer.”

“Holy Spirits. That makes sense,” I exclaimed. “Dec, Atikus, we need to go there right now. We may not get a better shot at her.”

“Woah. Hold on, big brother. Remind me what magic you have to fight an all-powerful, wildly angry sorceress.”

I glared a moment, then deflated. “Fair point, I guess.”

“Atikus and I are the only ones who stand any chance of banishing her once and for all. I hope she really is the only other person with magic. If she were to team up with this One and they both had power, it might be more than we could handle.”

Atikus grunted. “That is true, but we have to try. Keelan might not be able to join us, but he was right about not missing this chance. We need to go quickly.”

No one objected as all eyes shifted toward Jess.

She stared into table for a long moment, then nodded.

Everyone wished Declan and Atikus well, and the pair vanished.

The Councilors retired for the evening, offering bows to Jess and polite nods to me.

“I hope we did the right thing sending them,” Jess said as she and I stood alone—save for her guards—in the Throne Room.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.

---