Page 47 of Daughter of the Drowned Empire

Arkmage Kolaya nodded, stepping forward. She guided me to the center of the Chamber beneath the eternal flame. The Red Watcher of the light joined us, holding the golden ceremonial soturion bowl, now burning with fire. I held out my left hand, my palm up. The arkmage held her dagger and slashed.

My blood dripped Batavia red into the fiery flames of my fate—the flames of the soturion, the warrior. A ceremonial dagger was produced, smoking with black lettering. Lyriana Batavia blazed across the steel in black ash. I’d been broken inside, just like my stave, but this dagger made me new. I wouldn’t let them destroy this one. I would not let them take it from me. I was going to fight and stake my claim—my destiny—or die trying.

“My oath begins here.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

IRACEDTOCresthavenand immediately called for Meera and Morgana. They were already running to greet me when I entered the fortress walls. Morgana hadheardme coming home.

“Lyr!” Morgana threw her arms tightly around me. “Oh, Gods, Lyr! We were so worried. What happened to you?”

I burst into tears and stumbled from Morgana’s arms. Like a snake striking its victim, her arm whipped forward, turning my left wrist to expose the cut, bright red above my tattoo. Then she retrieved the dagger from my belt, her eyes widening as she read my name.

“Soturion Lyriana? How in Lumeria did this happen?”

I shook my head, exhausted and too aware of Euston and Rhodes eyeing me with curiosity from their posts.

I edged my sisters inside the Great Hall for some privacy. The double doors closed behind us. “How are you both? I was worried all week.”

“Lyr, you’re the one we’re worried about.”

“I know, but—”

“First, you need to tell us what happened,” Morgana said.

“Out loud, please,” Meera said.

Morgana nodded, her arm around me. “Upstairs.”

Meera was still shaking her head after I’d explained everything about the examiner from Ka Maras, the nahashim, my examination, and finally my deal with the Imperator.

“But how can you not have magic?” Meera asked.

I rolled my neck, my scalp tingling as Morgana took out the last of Brenna’s braids. I ran my fingers through my hair, now loose and wild around me.

It was the one question I most wanted answered and the one no one seemed to be acknowledging. The Imperator had called it an anomaly. A rare occurrence. After Jules and Meera, I’d tried to search our family history. Was there any pattern of vorakh, of unusual power? I’d asked Aunt Arianna, and I’d buried myself in the scrolls underground. There was nothing. Only mentions of my lineage having an exceptionally strong bloodline. Every mage was powerful, every arkasva, and until my mother and Aunt Gianna, the women of Ka Batavia all lived to old age—well over a hundred.

“Lyr, don’t give up hope,” Morgana said. “There may be an explanation—something no one has considered.”

“Like what? What hasn’t been considered?”

Morgana shook her head. “I don’t know, you’re the one always looking for possibilities. Go to the library. Maybe there’s a scroll that will help. You figured out how to soften my pain. You learned how to shorten Meera’s visions. You may find answers that no one was looking for because no one else ever needed to look for them. Answers don’t appear until the question is asked. You have time—research.”

I shook my head. “That was my first thought. But I’m not going to be just lounging around Cresthaven. I have soturion training, and you know what that means. I won’t have time for both. And all of this is dependent on if I even survive these seven months.”

“You’ll survive,” Meera said firmly. But her eyes were distant.

“There may be another option.” Morgana winced, rubbing her temples.

Are you all right?

She lifted her head, grimacing as she pushed back her black hair. “I was out more than I should have been this week, hoping to find answers for you.” She leaned against Meera, who resumed rubbing her temples for her. Her expression relaxed.

“Morgs.” I was touched by her efforts, but I hated to see her suffering.

She rolled her eyes, reading my thoughts, and winced. “I just need a smoke, and I’ll be fine. I may have found some useful information.”

I sat forward.