Crowned (Beholder #4)(53)

I simply had to trust in that. Plus, the Sword was so close now. All I needed to do was figure out some way to pry it out of that damned wall.

Turning about, I marched through the gateway that led back to the temple, determined to do exactly that.





Chapter Twenty-Five




With fast steps, I walked through the gateway and back into the temple. Glancing about, I noticed some things here have remained the same. Smaller arches still lined the walls. None of them were lit up, though. I cursed under my breath. Viktor promised to activate one of the gateways that would lead to Rowan. Not that seeing Rowan would help me right now, but the spell was supposed to be cast as a sign of good faith.

Viktor lied.

I scanned the chamber and gasped. There was no sign here of Nan, Mrefu, and Jicho. Viktor said that would be safe and protected. Rage tightened up my spine.

More lies.

Turning around, I inspected the large gateway behind me. This was the same archway I just passed through to meet Viktor. The light was gone and the gateway sealed shut.

If only that meant I had truly gotten rid of Viktor so easily.

No time to fret over my evil brother. I inspected the walls, searching for the Sword of Theodora. If I had enough hybrid magick to heal all the gateways, surely I could come up with some spell to pry one Sword off a wall.

But the Sword of Theodora was gone. An empty indentation sat in the wall now, the only sign that the blade had recently been there.

Damn.

Perhaps Nan, Jicho, and Mrefu had woken up and gotten the Sword free somehow. My Necromancer mind said that was the most logical explanation. I began the long trek back to the temple’s entrance.

“Stop. You are forbidden to leave this temple,” called a woman. I’d know that voice anywhere.

Amelia was here.

Spinning around, I saw dozens of figures step out from behind the many statues that lined the temple floor. More Caster warriors had arrived. Kade was here was well, and he carried a sleeping Jicho in his arms. Amelia now wore a long bronze cloak.

My breath caught. I’d seen that cloak before. All the statues in this room were a trio of figures. All of a sudden, I recognized them for what they were: a Not-Elea and Not-Viktor on their knees with a third figure standing behind them, holding the Sword of Theodora. It all added up to one horrible conclusion.

The descendant of Theodora was supposed to execute the Eleas and Viktors.

My dear friend Amelia was destined to kill me.

Even worse, my friend had a light blue glow under her skin. She was trapped in the power of a possession spell. I’d always felt some magick in the Sword hilt. It must be loaded with spells like any other totem. In my vision with Kila Kitu, the Sire and Lady has discussed loading some magick onto the blade. It seems they’d done just that.

And now, one of those spells was taking away Amelia’s mind.

And this place? It could be nothing other than the Temple of Theodora. I lifted my hands, palms forward. “Don’t do this, Amelia.”

“Do what?” Amelia raised her arms. The Sword of Theodora was gripped in her fists. The light of possession danced across her skin.

I rounded on Kade. “Don’t you see this? She’s possessed!”

Kade glared in my direction. “She seems in her right mind to me.” In other words, Kade wasn’t going to stop this.

The glow on Amelia’s skin was barely enough to register. If I hadn’t been a trained Necromancer, I might not even have seen it. That means the spell was weakened, possibly because the Sword had been broken in half when the totem was created. I needed to get Amelia talking. Sometimes that broke people out of their possession. I gestured to the Sword. “How did you get that free?”

“It fell to the ground at my feet, because I am the rightful heir, not a fiend who kidnaps children and casts sleeping spells on them.”

“They’re still asleep? Viktor said he’d keep them safe. How can they be safe when they aren’t even awake?”

“I knew it!” Kade roared. “What spell did you cast on Jicho and his friends? Take it away now.”

“I had nothing to do with casting that spell. Believe me.”

“Yet I don’t believe you,” said Amelia. “You’re a kidnapper and liar. You deserve to die. The Sword of Theodora feels as good a way to kill you as any.”

At those words, all the statues came to life again. The Eleas and Viktors raised her heads, opened their glassy eyes, and stared right at me. The executioners behind them lifted their arms. With a series of clicks, the metal hoods covering their faces fell away, revealing men and women who had a clear resemblance to Amelia. All were ready to wield their version of the Sword.

“Do you see this?” I pointed to the statues. “All these statues look like you. They were also placed under a spell by the magick of the sword. You’re being manipulated into killing me and you don’t even know why.”

Amelia eyed the temple. For a moment, her features crumpled with confusion before firming up into a look of stony resolve. “Grandfather told me the truth before he died. Justinian protected me from any knowledge of this temple for a reason. When the time comes, I would receive the Sword and know exactly how to use it. And that is precisely what is happening now. The Sword literally fell at my feet and here you are, casting evil spells on innocent children.”