Gaineth watched as Jack and Kleo helped themselves to the lavish spread. Jack gravitated toward bread and honey, while Kleo chose desert fruits and steaming tea.

  “Jack,” Gaineth said, guiding them to Lilith, “I see wonder in your eyes. Even after three hundred years, I’m still astonished by this place.”

  Kleo chuckled. “That’s probably the food.”

  Gaineth laughed. “Perhaps. But the sanctuary is a marvel—Demana will and persistence made manifest.”

  They greeted Lilith, though Margo’s lingering slumber cast a shadow over their cheerful demeanor.

  Jack, mouth full, said, “It’s an honor to be the first human here.”

  “Second,” Lilith corrected, glancing at Gaineth.

  “Yes,” Gaineth said. “An emissary and her disciple arrived two days ago. Auspicious timing.” His gaze lingered on Kleo.

  “An emissary?” Kleo asked. “From where?”

  “The Herald of the Arcane Fire,” Gaineth said. “Joined by a priestess from the Temple of the Arcane Fire, on the Mountain of Fates.”

  “The Arcane Fire,” Kleo mused. “They must be important.”

  “If she’s truly the Herald,” Gaineth said, “she’s ‘blessed’—favored by gods, fates, demons. They shape the course of worlds.”

  Lilith added, “On Demana, you’d be blessed. As Arch Demana, you mirror that role. Address her as ‘Blessed.’”

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  “And Kleo?” Jack asked.

  Lilith smirked. “Those close may use her name. Others, ‘Archiness.’”

  “More tea, Archiness?” Jack grinned.

  Kleo rolled her eyes. “Yes, dutiful servant, hot and with honey.”

  As Jack fetched tea, Gaineth whispered to Kleo, “Her purpose is unclear, but I suspect it’s you. Caution.”

  Kleo nodded, her mind racing.

  The door opened, and two striking women entered, escorted by Demana security. The shorter woman, with sharp, commanding eyes, led. Her companion, tall and radiant, moved with warrior grace. Her golden hair and green eyes shimmered with otherworldly fire.

  Gaineth, Lilith, and Kleo stood. Jack, oblivious, piled food on his plate.

  The shorter woman’s gaze locked on Kleo. They bowed.

  “Blessed,” the leader said.

  Kleo returned the bow.

  “This is Dreya,” the woman said, gesturing to her companion. “A sister of the Order of the Arcane Fire.”

  Dreya inclined her head. “Blessed.”

  Jack returned, freezing. “I forgot something…”

  “Tea,” Kleo and Lilith said.

  “Oh gods, your tea.” He noticed the women. “Alise?”

  The shorter woman laughed. “Didn’t think you’d recognize me. I have boobs now.”

  “It was the eyes,” Jack muttered.

  Kleo and Dreya stiffened.

  “Jack?” Kleo demanded.

  Jack scratched his head. “Remember the merchant’s daughter?”

  “The hideous one?” Kleo asked.

  “Hideous?” Alise feigned hurt. “I thought you adored me.”

  “I did,” Jack said. “But we were kids.”

  “Too young for most things,” Alise smirked. “But not everything. Remember the orchard—”

  “We don’t need to go into that,” Jack interrupted.

  “We’re talking about the ‘orchard’ later,” Kleo said.

  Gaineth cleared his throat. “Blessed Alise, your purpose?”

  “The gathering of the blessed,” Alise said. “Details are private.”

  “Two blessed here,” Lilith said. “Significant.”

  “Four,” Alise corrected.

  Silence fell.

  “Four?” Kleo asked.

  Alise studied her. “You, blessed of love. Myself, blessed of faith.” She turned to Jack. “You, blessed of luck and fortune.”

  “What?” Jack blinked.

  “And the fourth?” Lilith asked.

  “A blessed of suffering,” Alise said. “I felt the presence two days past. Close. Powerful.”

  Kleo’s mind raced. “My mother?”

  Jack’s voice was grim. “No.” He looked at Kleo, his eyes dark with certainty. There was only one possibility: someone who had endured truly horrific suffering. Suffering so deep that she had emerged from it a different person, transformed.

  “Sela.”