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Back Copper Chain Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. MAP
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

They were both silent for a time, bodies close together, taking warmth from each other. She remembered the time they’d kissed, swimming in the pool, out in the Wilds. As her pulse began to race, she realized her chest was heaving. She knew that if he tried to kiss her she would have to turn him away, but she didn’t know if she would have the strength.

‘Chloe . . . I know we said that we can be friends.’ He sighed. ‘But when I’m married, everything is going to change. We will never be able to share a moment like this again.’

She turned in his arms, reaching up to stroke his cheek. He was too honor-bound to do more than hold her, she knew then.

‘The Oracle . . . You said she helped Marrix destroy Aleuthea because of an artifact?’ he asked.

She nodded.

‘There’s something I have to show you.’

He led Chloe by the hand, taking her to the banqueting hall and showing her the painting.

‘It’s Aleuthean. Do you know what it means?’

Chloe sat on the floor in front of it and Dion sat beside her. She furrowed her brow as she examined the painting.

‘Do you see the magus on the hill, standing near the glowing arch? He’s holding a wind staff, like mine—’

‘Yours?’ Dion interrupted.

She nodded absently. ‘There are four powers, linked to the four metals. Some magi are better at controlling particular materia than others.’

‘What about the dragons?’

She shook her head, perplexed. ‘I don’t know what the red color means. But the artifact . . .’ She pointed to the glowing arch. ‘Perhaps this is it.’

24

24

Sophia lifted the ewer when the high priestess nodded to her.

Deep in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Aeris, Isobel was on her knees, hunched over a basin. The future queen of Xanthos was wearing a crimson chiton and her gold necklace glowed in the candlelight. It was deepest night and the temple was deserted, for these rituals were sacred, and with just five days until the wedding, the blessings of all the gods and goddesses must be asked for and obtained.

A circle of six young acolytes, girls new to the temple, stood facing Isobel, all holding candles. Lord Philippos, clad in a white tunic, hovered near his daughter with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the high priestess, ready to be called upon. The scent of sandalwood and lavender oil dominated the area, which was sectioned off from the main temple by a framework of latticed screens.

Taking the ewer from Sophia, the high priestess lifted it above the basin and poured the holy water over Isobel’s head.

‘We pray for Aeris to bless your body, mind, and soul.’

‘The goddess hears our prayers,’ the acolytes said in unison.