“When I recovered my wits, my companions were gone. Where they once stood, the First Harvest remained—small and unimposing, deceiver, murderer. The best men and women I knew, who with me had survived countless wars and hardships, were felled by an incongruous sapling. May the light save their souls, and may the light save me.”

Khalad leaned forward. “That was Rashnu’s account of the death of his fellow Great Heroes, is it not? At the Ring of Worship in Drycht? But what’s a Sacred Tree?”

“Yes, Rashnu was never the same after that. They say the Ring of Worship is where the Great Creator first breathed life into the world, and that his sons’ sins corrupted the area. None has ever returned from it, aside from Rashnu. Even Vernasha made her final journey there, then passed from men’s sight forever. Others have made the expedition never to be heard from again. If the dry, desert heat didn’t wring those poor adventurers dry, perhaps they too were victims of this strange Sacred Tree. Daeva refuse to enter the area, it is said. If the First Harvest is within, then there is something that not only prevents its fruit from being plucked, but also kills anyone who—”

A scream rang through the air. It came from the other room. Kalen was quick on his feet, and we all hurried behind.

Althy was sprawled on the floor. Garindor’s young assistant hunched over his bed, horrible noises emanating from his throat. His eyes were wide and bloodshot.

As we looked on, horrified, his face twisted. Clumps of hair dropped from his head as his skull flattened and shrank, but his scarlet gaze grew as his eyelids and brows disappeared and a snout sprouted from the remains of his nose. His fingers fused together, the tips turning razor-sharp, until he was no longer recognizable as human. Instead, what stood before us was a grayish-green creature that resembled a praying mantis, taller than Rahim, with several rows of teeth along its mandible. It screeched, a horrible, air-ripping sound, and reached for Althy.

My fingers flew, the Compulsion rune flaring bright before me. “Stop!” I commanded, but the magic ricocheted off the creature’s scales. Stunned by my failure, I attempted the Resurrecting rune, which I used to control daeva. It had the same effect.

Kalen’s sword barred the creature from striking Althy. He made a quick movement with his other hand, and his blade burst into flame. Hissing, the creature stepped back. Likh was quick to braid a series of Wind around it, pinning it in place.

Garindor gasped. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know,” Althy said. It was rare to see her so frightened. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Kalen added his strength to Likh’s, reinforcing their grip on the monster. Still, Kalen held his burning sword aloft should the monster shake itself free. “What do we do?” Kalen asked me.