Page 148 of A Tribute of Fire

“What?” Zalira demanded, looking away from Ahyana, who accidentally punched her hard in the jaw since Zalira had dropped her defense.

Ahyana apologized to her sister as she helped Zalira get back to her feet and then turned to face me. “Say that again,” she said.

“I have to break into the treasury.” I glanced around to make certain that no one could overhear us.

“Why?” Io asked.

“There’s something specific that I’m looking for that is in the vault.”

“Tell us what it is,” Zalira said.

I shook my head. “I don’t want you to have to lie for me. If I’m caught, I don’t want any of you to be in trouble. You can honestly tell them that you didn’t know what I was searching for.”

Ahyana and Zalira exchanged a look communicating their displeasure, Suri angrily crossed her arms over her chest, and Io looked like she was about to faint.

I tried to reassure them. “It will be fine. I went out last night and nobody noticed. I can do this without getting caught. I just wanted to be honest with you about what I’m planning.”

Io pushed away from the wall. “Well, obviously we’re going to help you.”

That was the last thing I had expected any of them to say. “What?”

“We are bound to you,” Ahyana said. “Where you go, we go. If you’re going to break into the vault, we’re breaking in with you.”

“You’re our sister,” Io added.

My breath caught and I felt tears burning my eyes. If they got caught, they would be thrown out of the temple, too. Where would they all go if their home was taken from them?

It was one thing for them to help me sneak out for a reason they understood—to send a message to my parents. This was an entirely different situation and yet they were still willing to be there for me. “No. I can’t ask that of you.”

“You didn’t ask,” Zalira said. “We’re offering.”

Suri nodded her agreement.

If they were willing to take this risk, maybe they should have all of the information. “You should at least know why—”

But Zalira interrupted me. “We don’t need to know why. The only thing that matters is that you need help.”

“When?” Io asked.

“As soon as possible,” I said, stunned and touched that they wanted to help me. The Jason distraction aside, I was still on a deadline. I only had so much time before the Ilionian prince sent for me in Locris. I had to find the eye first.

Ahyana nodded. “What’s the first step?”

“I think that it might be easier to break into Theano’s office. I’m theorizing that she may keep a spare key in there.”

“That sounds logical,” Zalira said. “Can anyone pick a lock?”

My hopes lifted momentarily but were immediately dashed when nobody responded.

“We’ll figure it out when we get there,” I said.

“Do you ever have an actual plan?” Ahyana teased, and I smiled back at her.

“Were you going to try tonight?” Io asked.

“Not tonight.” The exhaustion hadn’t caught up with me, but I knew that it would eventually. At the very least I wanted a good night’srest before I attempted something as dangerous and foolish as breaking into the high priestess’s personal office.

“Tomorrow night, then,” Zalira said with Suri nodding.

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