Page 198 of A Tribute of Fire

“The farm is not far from the city walls. There will be a few of us and I think we’ll be all right. I might mention it to Tryphosa to see if she wants to ask Antiope for an additional guard or two.”

I didn’t like the idea of her leaving the temple grounds after all the recent attacks and losses we’d suffered, but it wasn’t my choice to make. “Good luck and safe travels. We’ll miss you.”

“I’ll be back before you know it,” she promised.

She was gone when I came back from using the toilet, and I hurried over to complete my chores. The courtyard was in complete shambles and there was no way for me to finish everything up before my morning class. I focused on the temple itself and then did my best in the courtyard. I was going to need help.

During my tutorial Maia was telling me about the goddess’s siblings and how they ruled over different parts of the world, far from here.

“Is the goddess’s name Damara?” I asked, interrupting her while she was speaking about the sister of the goddess who presided over the seas.

She sucked in a sharp breath. “Where did you hear that word?”

“At the festival. I overheard some women speaking.” Another lie, but I wasn’t going to tell her anything about Jason.

“That is not the goddess’s name. Damara is a title that means ‘mother of life’ that is sometimes used for her. We do not speak her true name. It is too sacred.”

Or, as Jason had suggested, it would give me some kind of power if I knew it. Hadn’t the goddess essentially told me the same thing in my dream?

No wonder they kept it hidden.

Another thing I would have to learn in order for my quest to be successful.

I was grateful that throughout the rest of the day none of my sisters brought up the festival. Not even Zalira, and I had fully expected her to tease me further about Jason. Last night she’d obviously intuited that he and I had been together but she said nothing about it.

It made me a little suspicious because it seemed out of character for all of them to not ask questions.

They were all helpful, though, when I begged them to assist me with mapping out potential points of interest, places I might want toinvestigate in my search for the eye. Some private residences with substantial libraries, booksellers near the docks who might have religious texts, the palace.

I wondered if Io knew of a secret way into her old home. I would have to ask her when she returned.

We were at dinner when there was some kind of commotion outside. I heard women calling to one another, saw Antiope get up and run out with her weapon in hand.

Were we under attack again?

Everyone in the dining hall emptied outside into the courtyard. There were soldiers lining the street for several blocks. Armed and armored.

All facing the temple.

As if they were about to lay siege.

Antiope had her sword out, facing the army gathered in front of her. The soldiers parted then, creating a pathway down the middle of the street.

Black stallions pulled a chariot as it slowly made its way toward us. I couldn’t see who was coming and it suddenly seemed vitally urgent that I do so. I climbed up the steps to the temple patio to get a better view.

My sisters followed me.

“What’s going on?” Ahyana asked. “Are we going to have to fight?”

They easily outnumbered us. If this was to be a battle, we would eventually lose.

The chariot moved agonizingly slowly, making certain to create a spectacle of itself before it reached the archway. It was meant to intimidate, to show the wealth and strength of the person driving it.

When it finally arrived I realized that I recognized the man holding the reins. He was tall, muscled, built like a warrior. Blue tattoos covered nearly every patch of his pale, exposed skin. He had a dark gray tunic and light eyes.

And bright red hair.

I knew him. Fury tinged my vision, while adrenaline spiked in my gut.

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