Page 30 of A Tribute of Fire

“If something happens to me,” she said, “and I am caught, you need to continue on without me.”

That wasn’t even a possibility. “If you are caught, I will stay and help you. I will protect you.”

“Lia, not even you can fight an entire army by yourself.”

Maybe not, but I was going to try.

It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, her breathing evening out. I envied her the chance to escape for a few hours.

I would have to strategize alone. But no matter how much I tried to figure out a way for us to live, I kept going back to Demaratus’s words from a year ago.

That I wouldn’t be able to save us both.

A few hours later our older sister sneaked into my room. “Lia?”

“I’m awake,” I said. She made her way over to my bed while I sat up. She hugged me fiercely, burying her face in my neck.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said.

“Neither can I.”

She released me, leaning back to peer into my face. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” And it was partially true. Because it was imperative that I regain control of myself and my emotions.

Quynh’s life depended on my ability to do so. To plan, to find a way out of this situation.

“You’re doing better than our parents,” she said. “I’ve been sitting with Mother, who can’t stop crying. Every time she gets up to come see you, she collapses again. The physician just arrived to tend to her. Father has shut himself up in his library with his advisers and lawyers so they can find some way out of this.”

“They won’t. If the tribute could be circumvented, someone would have figured it out in the last thousand years.”

“Well, I’m not going to give up hope. We still have until morning.”

I hadn’t given up hope. I was being realistic. “I need to ask you for two favors.”

She squeezed my hands. “Anything.”

“The first is that Grandmother left me a book about worshipping the goddess and other banned religious stories from our history. It isin the bottom step of the temple. The stair is fake and there is a box inside of it. Grandmother wanted me to pass the book along to the next generation, to learn the stories for myself, and if the worst does happen, I have to give that legacy to you.”

“You won’t—”

“The second thing,” I said, interrupting her, “is about your betrothed. Lykaon. He is a dangerous man.” I told her what he had done to me and Hippolyta.

Her mouth hung open. It was a testament to our closeness that she immediately believed me.

“You must never be alone with him,” I said. “Ever. For any reason. I don’t care what he says or promises or threatens. Always have Father or one of the guards with you. Someone who can physically stop him if necessary.”

“You’re scaring me,” she said, and her trembling voice proved her words.

But it was a good thing for her to be scared. She was too naive, too trusting. “Maybe he won’t hit you. I’m not willing to take that chance, though.” I wasn’t going to tell her about Jason’s prediction that Lykaon would kill her after she gave him an heir. There was only so much Kallisto would be able to handle and I was already pushing up against that line.

Her hands had gone clammy in mine, affirming that I was right to keep the worst part to myself.

“Kalli,” I said.

She glanced up at me in surprise. I hadn’t used her nickname since we were small. But I needed her to know how important this next part was.

“You have to delay the wedding. Give me six months. I will come back with the eye of the goddess and restore Locris.”

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