CHAPTER 40

The sun was setting around the side of Mount Damien, but instead of the colors Tovi would have seen in Adia, there was only a brief, red semicircle in the sky before everything turned to gray. Still, Tovi stared at the place on the cloudy horizon where the sun had just vanished, wishing she was home.

She was seated on Rhaxma’s balcony. A golden candelabra with at least fifty candles spanned the entire length of a long table. A single diamond floated in each candle’s melted wax, casting glittering reflections around the terrace. Strands of pearls were looped in asymmetric heaps around the entire tabletop with its golden plates and sparkling crystal.

She noticed how Rhaxma glared in her direction with fury in her eyes, which darted from Calix’s face to his hand that rested possessively on Tovi’s waist.

It was a small group. Leeto had been gone for several days now. Xanthe had been arrested, and Jairus was absent. The group consisted of hostess Rhaxma, Tovi, Calix, BiBi, Eryx, and Megara.

As everyone settled into the meal, the patio doors opened unexpectedly. Rhaxma stood and squealed, throwing herself into the arms of her brother. “Leeto! Where have you been!” she cried with unashamed joy.

Calix had just been lifting his cup to his lips, but on sight of Leeto, the crystal shattered and sent the deep red wine spraying onto the white tablecloth. Shaking the wetness from his hand, Calix stood, staring formidably at the man with orange hair and burning yellow eyes. His neck veins looked ready to burst.

“Calix,” Leeto greeted smoothly. “How are you, old friend?”

Calix reached across the table, grabbed Leeto’s shirt in his fists, and dragged him to the other side, knocking over the candelabra and engulfing the entire table in flames. Everyone jumped from their seats to avoid the spreading fire, watching the two who were eye-to-eye.

Calix’s snarling face was illuminated by the inferno. “Let me be the first to congratulate you on your pointless victory.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Calix. It must be an honest mistake,” Leeto said a little too coolly, darkness creeping into his eyes.

“You know exactly what you’ve done,” Calix roared, still holding onto Leeto’s shirt and tugging him toward the balcony railing. “Don’t lie to me, Leeto. I know you! You’ve been gone for days, hoping that my anger would subside.”

Losing the innocent pretense, Leeto hissed back, “I’ve been gone for many more reasons than that. It won’t be long now before I rule Adia and this mountain, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

A growl escaped from the back of Calix’s throat. He lifted Leeto off the ground, bending him over the railing and looking him full in the face before heaving him off the terrace. There was a brief, horrifying moment when Leeto’s hands clawed at the air, as if trying to catch a lifesaving hold. One awful thud later, Leeto’s body lay on the cobblestone below, his limbs splayed at unnatural angles.

Rhaxma nearly threw herself over the railing as she screamed and reached for her brother. It was Eryx who grabbed her around the waist just in time. There was another shriek as their mother ran into the street, falling on her son and crying for help.

Calix, taking one last look at the crumpled body below, spit once on the ground and sauntered through the door, leaving Tovi behind. She stood in shock, her eyes darting between the dead body and the table that was in flames. She had never seen death and destruction like this before.

As the others helped Rhaxma inside, Eryx took hold of Tovi and whispered urgently in her ear, “You have to get out of here. It’s not safe. Silas can protect you. You must leave. Don’t wait until you are stronger. Get out now.”

As he let go, she saw the look of panic in his eyes. She stumbled backward and made her way through the doors, down the stairs, and out into the warm night. Teresia Pyralis still clutched at her son, blood from his cracked head making black rivers between the cobblestones.

Not bothering to stay hidden, Tovi ran straight through the middle of the courtyard in plain sight of all the Masters and the palace itself. All she knew was that she wanted to get as far away as possible—off the vile mountain and back to the safety of Adia and Silas. She headed in the direction of the mines, but she had no idea if she would be able to operate the baskets without help. If that failed, she supposed she could descend the outside of the mountain on foot. It would be extremely difficult, and she had no food or shelter or even decent clothes for climbing. How could she make this journey in just a silk dress? She shook her head to clear it. She couldn’t worry about that now. She needed to focus on getting as far away as possible. She hadn’t run this fast since her morning sprints to the ridge. Her lungs burned worse than her throbbing back.

She was still within the confines of the square when an angry hand grabbed her and swung her around. Calix looked as if he was willing to murder again. “Where do you think you are going?”

His fingers digging into her arm, he dragged her to the palace, up the stairs, and in through the front doors. Her fighting and clawing didn’t seem to faze him. He didn’t stop as he took long strides through the hallways, finally reaching the throne room.