Scanning the hillside, she counted three bodies. One was the youth, killed by Zedo. Another was the gray-haired warrior, just a dozen paces away, his eyes gazing sightlessly and blood streaming from his ears. The third was farther away: the bearded warrior Chloe had killed.

For the first time, she had killed a man with magic.

She looked up at Zedo’s brother. ‘Thank you. You saved my life.’ She had a sudden thought. ‘The Oracle?’

‘She is safe. Zeda and Zedi took care of the other three,’ said Zedo. ‘Are you sure you aren’t hurt?’

Chloe swallowed and then climbed to her feet. She weaved for a moment, putting a hand to her temple.

‘Here,’ Zedo said, handing her the wind staff she’d used to kill the raider. ‘Take this.’

Chloe nodded her thanks and steadied herself with the staff. ‘Who were they?’

‘Raiders,’ her teacher’s brother, who had to be Zedu, said with a shrug. ‘It is not the first time.’

‘Why didn’t the Oracle see them?’

The two brothers exchanged glances, neither replying. Chloe began to get angry. ‘Do you even know? Or do you just accept everything she chooses to tell you?’

In all her time on Athos, Chloe hadn’t seen the Oracle once. She had been told to stay away from the cave and only received whatever information the brothers chose to share with her. Her close call with danger had made her starkly aware of how far away she was from the people she cared about.

Chloe made a decision. ‘I want to see her,’ she said.

Zedo hesitated and glanced at his brother. There was silence for a time as the two men communicated something without speaking. Zedo finally nodded. ‘You have earned the right.’

Chloe’s mouth tightened; she was suddenly fearful. But she lifted her chin. Zedo had only given her vague hints and premonitions. She wanted answers.

Leaving the two brothers behind, she felt the eyes of her teacher on her as she climbed the hill, passing the raiders killed by the wind. When she reached the crest and descended the other side, the terrain ahead changed and was now devoid of trees, instead dotted by the colorful fires burning without tinder on the rocky slopes. Weaving around the fires, she stepped onto the path paved with blue stone. Grateful for the support of the staff, she drew in a slow breath of fresh, salty air.

Approaching the Oracle’s cave, Chloe saw the second pair of brothers. One held a sun staff – a tall wooden pole crowned with a circle of gold – the other a fire staff with an iron claw. The two men, identical aside from their chosen weapons, were standing on the path, conferring in low tones. Chloe looked for the raiders’ bodies, but couldn’t see them.