| |
Arielle’s heart raced. “What have you done with Dirk?”
“What do you know about the festival of the twins?” Nochil Rassa asked.
“What’s that got to do with Dirk?”
“It marks the summer solstice—”
“I know what it means,” she snapped.
Nochil Rassa held up a finger. “Yes, but did you know there’s another ritual to K’inn held from the time his sun sets until it rises the next morning?” He waited for a response. She had no intention of indulging him, so he continued, “After millennia carrying his sun across the sky in his race with T’amm, K’inn had grown old and tired.”
Nochil Rassa spoke like an orator who had delivered this story countless times before. No. Not Nochil. Just Rassa. He’d lost his title after what he’d done to her and Dirk last summer.
“During one festival of the twins long ago, K’inn visited Akanna Caarus’s court.”
Her tradutor translated “Akanna” as “King.”
“K’inn appeared old and wrinkled, but revealed himself by holding his sun in one hand. K’inn told the akanna and his court that he could no longer race T’amm. He required a younger body with greater strength. K’inn gave Akanna Caarus until one hour before the dawning of his sun to choose a sacrifice from his court as K’inn’s new body. He warned Caarus against choosing any male who was weak, sickly, or near death. To race T’amm, he required a powerful body. Without it, his sun would never rise again.”
Sweat broke out across Arielle’s body, the room hot from the steam rising off the giant bubbling vats over the fires.
“That night the king and his court deliberated for hours. The wealthy among them blocked their sons, not wanting to lose their heirs. They argued that those carrying bricks for the temples or working the fields were the strongest, making them most suitable.
“The King refused to ask the least among them to make the greatest sacrifice. With the dawn drawing nigh, the king’s eldest son rose. ‘I will do it. I will be the sacrifice.’
“The king protested, not wanting to lose his heir either, but his son insisted. ‘As you yourself said, you’ve no right to ask others to make the sacrifice. I volunteer. And my brother can succeed you in my stead.’ The King grieved, but agreed to his son’s decision.
“Before dawn they sacrificed the prince. K’inn’s sun rose again to race T’amm once more. For the entire year K’inn raced daily across the sky, first pursuing, then leading T’amm. Then the following year during the summer solstice K’inn returned, and every year thereafter.”
Despite the heat, chills rippled along Arielle’s arms like icy rain on a pond. Was this why Rassa had captured Dirk? She activated her wrist-comp and prepared to send a warning to Tiru.
“Stop.” Rassa took a couple of steps toward her. His eyes flashed anger. “If you call for help, I’ll be gone before they arrive. You’ll ensure Dirk’s death.”
She swallowed a scream, struggling to control the dread flooding through her at his confirmation of her suspicions.
He turned and gestured behind him, deeper into the temple. “If you come with me, you’ll have a chance to save him.”
“You’re lying.” She backed away. “You’re trying to capture me, too, so you can finish what you failed last year.”
He laughed. “I don’t need you.” He shrugged as though she didn’t matter at all. “I’ve got Dirk. He’s the only one that matters. But in honor of custom, I’m giving you a chance to save him.”
“Doing what?” she asked.
He pointed at her wrist. “First, hand over the armband; then come with me. I’ll tell you on the way.”
“What?” She took a step back, covering her wrist-comp with her free hand. She’d heard him, but she asked anyway to stall.
He pointed at her wrist-comp again. “Give it to me. I won’t have you alerting anyone to where we’re going.”
This was a trap. She knew it. But she was also sure he wasn’t lying to her. If she left now, she’d never see Dirk again. She couldn’t let him die like that, a sacrifice to a mythical god.
“Okay, I’ll go with you.” She did her best to look defiant. “But if you’ve hurt Dirk and lied to me—”
“Save the empty threat,” Rassa said. “Hand it over.”
As she removed the wrist-comp, she activated it before holding it out. He crossed the room, snatched the device away, and threw it into a boiling vat.