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.”
“I didn’t do this. I can’t cast any spells right now.”
“That gateway wall is smashed,” said Kade. “How did it get that way?”
“Yes, I can pull power into my body, but I can’t recall how any incantations.” I shook my head. “What I’m about to say may sound insane, but if you’ll just let me hold the Sword for a moment, I swear, you’ll remember exactly who I am and why we’re really here. It’s this spell from Mlinzi and Walinzi. It affects not only Rowan, but all the Casters except Jicho.”
“You’re right,” said Amelia. “I don’t believe you.”
Amelia had been my friend through many adventures. Her mind was analytical and sharp. I needed to keep appealing to her logic.
“Will you answer me one question, Amelia?” She didn’t reply, so I took that for agreement. “How did you know where to find me?”
Kade stepped forward. “That doesn’t matter.”
“No, I think it matters quite a lot. If I’m right, some Necromancer spell led you here. Perhaps you even knew it was cast by Viktor himself.”
Amelia tilted her head. “What difference does that make?”
“Don’t listen to her,” warned Kade.
“Think, Amelia. You’ve the greatest mind I’ve ever known. If Viktor wants me dead or captured, doesn’t that make me your ally? Isn’t it worth a test just to let me hold the Sword for a moment?”
“And again, it all comes down to getting the damned Sword,” said Kade. “Release my brother from your magick!”
“I told you. It’s not my casting. It’s Viktor’s. You must recognize the spell signature, especially if you saw it in whatever casting led you to me.”
Amelia eyed me up and down. I knew that look; she was considering my every word carefully. “You’re a kidnapper and a thief. You deserve to die.” Her words lacked the bite of just a few moments ago, however. The light barely shone on her skin. I took that as progress.
“Shouldn’t Rowan decide my fate?” I asked. “He is your king, after all. Only he can decide executions.”
“Rowan isn’t here,” stated Kade. Even so, his words lacked the bite they had a moment ago. Kade could lose his temper when he felt his loved ones were threatened, but his anger was quick to cool. Hopefully, that was taking place right now.
“But one of these gateways could very well lead to Rowan. We can all approach him together.”
Amelia smiled, but it was a look laced with despair. “I don’t know…”
Kade moved to stand beside Amelia. “Maybe we should wait. She isn’t attacking and it’s against our code to kill in code blood. Let’s find Rowan. My brother will know how to help Jicho and his friends.” Kade nodded to the warriors in the back of the chamber. They had strapped Nan and Mrefu onto stretchers.
“Yes, we should wait.” Amelia tried to drop the Sword, but the item flashed with blue brightness, just like nay other totem enacting a spell. Blue mist poured off the Sword, encasing Amelia in a sheen of azure brightness. Instead of dropping the weapon, Amelia raised the Sword high. Blue light poured from the blade. The weight of magick filled the air, enveloping me in its power.
I tried to move. I couldn’t. Back in the Cloister, I’d read about layered magic totems like this one. If the right person touched the correct item, a spell became cast on both themselves and whoever they targeted. In this case, that would be Amelia and me. The only consolation in this spell was that although I couldn’t move, I could still speak.
“This isn’t right, Amelia. Don’t you see that magick? It’s making your decisions for you.”
A magickal blue light now gleamed in Amelia’s eyes. “I detect no spells.”