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ROYO

THE TEMPLE OF KNOWLEDGE, GAYA

S o we came all this way and didn’t find shit. When they first gave us all these books and scrolls, I thought we’d get some real answers, but instead it’s all guesswork and myth. Nobody’s used more than one relic. At least not according to the priests. So, there are no answers.

But once the relics are assembled by one person, they think that guy will either become the Dragon Lord or the etherum will call the god down to them.

I don’t know what the difference is. Either way, the person would have unlimited powers for as long as their body could take being merged with a god. Which can’t be that long—minutes, tops.

We didn’t find out what is happening to Aeri. And now, I don’t know why we thought we would. The Sands of Time was lost until she found it—no one knows what goes on when someone uses it.

I grit my teeth, pushing a book aside. We spent days on this. Now, we have a four-million-gold-mun bounty on us. Or…they got a million on each of them. It’s kinda insulting to be left out, but whatever.

The rest of them finish reading and thank the priests, and then we arm ourselves by the doors. We have to go because the other priest is going to rat us out. I don’t know why we didn’t just kill him, but Mikail let him go.

The visit wasn’t a total waste, though. Not for me, anyhow.

I make my way toward Braya as I slide knives back into my vest. I’ve wanted to talk to her for a while, but I couldn’t because of her vow of silence inside the building.

“You really know my father?” I ask.

“I do. He has been the keeper of the temple in Yusan for twenty years now…stars, almost twenty-five. As younger priests, we make a pilgrimage to each temple before we become keepers. I studied at his temple for a year.”

Well, that explains the guy walking out. Or at least where he went.

Braya tilts her head while eyeing me. “You look troubled.”

“I guess it’s good that he’s alive. You know him better than I do, is all.” I tuck my nunchuka into my belt.

Her brown eyes turn sad as she stares at me.

“When the vow to a god comes into conflict with the vow to a family, there are no winners. Our elders instruct young priests not to fall in love, but love is the greatest of human emotions. Your father bled on the altar, and he was chosen by the God of Knowledge to be a keeper. If he didn’t honor his vow, his life would have been forfeit. ”

I raise my eyebrows. This is the first I’m hearing of this shit. It was leave us for the temple or be killed? What kind of fucking choice was that? Was this why my mother always hoped he’d come home? What god holds a guy hostage from his family?

“So all the gods are cruel?” I ask.

Braya shrugs. “They are gods. They reap a price from mortals. As does anything in life.”

“It isn’t fair,” I say.

“Who are we to question them? We are here to serve, not demand. I pray you find peace, Royo.”

Peace doesn’t seem real likely, but I put my hands to my forehead to salute her.

“If you take that tunnel, veering to the right where it diverges, you will come out at the edge of the northern woods. Only a day’s ride from Jeul.” Braya shoots Mikail a look.

“Thank you, Braya. But maybe we should stay, because if he revealed the location and the king’s guard comes…” Mikail says, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Should it come to that, I will tell them that you were here and that I don’t know where you are headed next, but you mentioned Tamneki.”

Mikail grins. He embraces her arms and then kisses her cheeks.

“Peace to you, Braya,” he says.

“Give the people something to believe in again, Adoros.”

With that, we get to walking. We lost all of our supplies when we fell down the tree hole, but we’ll move a lot faster down here. The tunnels have green grass and are bright as day. None of this is normal, but what’s been normal since I met Aeri?

We stay alert, but there’s nobody else down here. When the smooth stone forms arches giving us two paths, we stick to the right. The compass in my palm says we’re going every which way, but I don’t think it’s a trap. These are just winding tunnels.

I plod on, wishing I’d asked Braya a lot more questions.

Had my father ever mentioned me or my mother?

What was he like as a man? Was he funny or was he strict?

Did he like tuhko? Did he ever regret the choice he made?

But the moment’s already gone, and I’m on to the next thing.

That’s life—chances that pass you by create regret.

Apparently, we’re going to go capture a city—the old capital of Gaya. Did I even hear that right? We’re just four people, even if two of us have god magic.

“What’s the plan?” I ask. “We sacking cities now? The four of us?”

Mikail smiles. “No, we’re going to Jeul, and I’m going to give the people something to believe in.” He stares at his walking stick.

What the fuck does that mean?

I side-eye him, and there’s that look again. He’s coming up with something that will either work or get us all killed—maybe both. But I don’t got better ideas.

Aeri traipses alongside me, every now and then bending to touch the grass.

She puts her hand in mine. She smiles, and the little hairs on the back of my neck rise as I look at her.

While I’d die for Mikail’s schemes without much bellyaching, I won’t let him hurt Aeri.

Deep down, I know he would use her powers to win—even if it killed her. I can’t let that happen.

“You’re going to impress these people by yourself?” I ask.

Mikail lifts an eyebrow. “Unless someone else has royal Gayan blood they haven’t disclosed yet, yes.”

I think we’ve all had enough of hidden royalty.

“How are you gonna do that?” I ask.

“I’m going to use the Water Scepter to inspire the people, drown Governor Yong, and take back my house.” He says it the way someone says they’re going to have a picnic, a beer, and then a swim.

“What about the soldiers?” Sora asks. She also eyes Mikail like he’s lost his mind. The relic is taking a bigger toll on him than he’s admitting. Maybe he’s mad now.

Fuck. That would be the last thing we’d need.

Mikail grins. “Don’t you remember the note Quilimar read? Gayan troops were at her border in Khitan. They aren’t in Jeul.”