She blushed as she turned to face him. With his flaxen hair, square jaw, and lightly stubbled chin, he was undeniably handsome. But it was his eyes that made her melt whenever he looked at her, particularly the way he was looking at her now. Her gaze drifted down his body. The ridges of his abdomen were clearly visible. He wasn’t tall, but he was several inches taller than her, and his shoulders were broad, his arms strong.

‘Can’t sleep either?’ he asked. He gave her a tender smile. ‘Come, join me out here.’

She crossed the room, and soon they were standing together on the balcony as they looked out at the distant storm on the horizon.

‘I am happy for you,’ Chloe said. ‘It just came as a shock . . . Will you . . . ?’ She swallowed. ‘I want you to tell me about her. How did you meet? How long have you known each other?’

‘We met just over a month ago,’ he said. ‘My uncle introduced us, and we spent a few days together. The next time I saw her, we agreed to be married.’

Chloe’s eyes narrowed. ‘And you love her?’

‘There’s something you need to know.’ He hesitated, turning to meet her eyes. ‘Isobel is with child.’

Realization dawned.

‘It’s a secret of course,’ he said. ‘And it will remain one. We were . . . together just once.’

‘You’re . . . ? Oh, Dion.’ She embraced him, but when she pulled away she knew that her eyes were glistening. ‘You’re going to be married, and a father. I can’t tell you how happy I am for you.’

He reached out to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. ‘Now, tell me your story. You’ve changed. There’s something different about you.’

The wind was cool, and Chloe shivered.

‘You’re cold,’ he said. Without another word, he came closer and put an arm around her, standing so that half his bare chest was pressed to her back, with their heads close together.

As the clouds parted and revealed a crescent moon, Chloe told Dion everything – about Vikram and her awakening, about the rebirth of Sindara and her trials at Athos.

‘The Oracle said I would have a chance to end a grave threat. But’—she turned her head so she could look at his face—‘I didn’t learn everything the magi had to teach. For now, I just want to see my sister. I had a terrible vision when I was at Athos.’

His gentle brown eyes were concerned. ‘What vision?’

‘A scene of blood and death . . . In the temple . . .’ She took a deep breath, shaking her head. ‘It could be nothing.’

‘That’s why you’re so anxious to get to Phalesia,’ he said softly.

She nodded.