Endure - Sara B. Larson Page 0,17

but they were no match for his unholy power and the fire he wielded. Many Blevonese died that day, including the elderly queen and one of King Mokaro’s grandsons. King Mokaro and his sons retreated to the mountain, hoping to draw Delun and his followers away from the castle and their people. When they reached the temple, they began praying to the Unseen Power for help. Delun and his men had nearly reached the temple in pursuit of King Mokaro and his sons, when the king and princes of Blevon were able to join their power together and cause a massive earthquake. The ground beneath Delun split open before he could summon his fire and kill them. The king watched as his brother and his men fell deep into the earth and were buried, leaving the king and the temple safe.

“The darkness was stopped, at least for a time. But Blevon paid a price for Delun’s abominations. My kingdom once had a very temperate climate; it was warm year-round, with no harsh weather. Our lands were verdant and lush — not quite like Antion, but close. However, the black sorcerer’s deeds on our soil cursed our kingdom, making the ground turn harder; the seasons grew harsher. It snowed for the first time in Blevon that year.”

“So the rumors about a curse on your kingdom are true,” I interrupted, my chest tight; I was enthralled and horrified by his story. It finally explained why the weather, vegetation, and land in Blevon were so different from Antion’s.

Eljin shook himself as if coming out of a trance and glanced at me sharply. Maybe he’d forgotten I was even there. Finally, he nodded. “Yes. They are true.”

After a brief pause, he continued. “Shortly after the battle in which he lost his wife and grandson and had to kill his own brother, King Mokaro had another vision. In this vision, he was warned that any sorcerer who delved into black sorcery forfeited their soul to Adhakka, the father of demons. Mokaro made a vow that he and his descendants would never dishonor the gift given to them by calling upon the power of the demons. A promise and a curse were placed upon him: If anyone of his lineage began to use black sorcery, they would lose their power — and their life — and they would become Dish.”

“What is Dish?” I interrupted again.

“It means ‘lost.’ ”

“Lost … as in you’d lose your power?” I imagined that would be an unwelcome result, but not enough to deter every person in Blevon from experimenting.

“Worse. It means to be cursed. To die, but not be dead. To wander aimlessly through the Jin — the Inbetween — forever. It means to lose your soul.”

“The Inbetween?” I was ashamed of how little I knew of Blevonese beliefs or history. Why hadn’t Papa told me any of this? There was no religion in Antion — at least not in my lifetime; King Hector had forbidden it along with sorcery. But I had always believed in my heart that there was a higher power, that Something was there, even if it didn’t seem like it. I’d heard Mama and Papa praying at night when they thought we were asleep, pleading with a force or power I’d never learned about, in the darkness.

But they’d never told us any of this, and I couldn’t help feeling as though they’d betrayed me somehow. Especially Papa.

“The Inbetween is a place of complete darkness, where those who commit the worst crimes known to this world are cursed to reside.”

“So all black sorcerers are condemned to this fate when they die?” I couldn’t help but think of Iker, and I hoped he was paying for the heinous crimes he’d perpetrated in Antion.

“I can’t say for certain what happens to those from Dansii. But any sorcerer from Blevon who delves into such practices will endure that fate, yes. And not just when he or she dies. Because of the curse, if any Blevonese sorcerer even attempts black sorcery, he immediately dies, and his soul is banished to spend eternity in the Inbetween.”

I took a deep breath, understanding finally falling into place. “Which is why you promised Damian there was no way the black sorcerers could be from Blevon.”

“Yes.”

“But why not just tell him this? Why not tell everyone? Then the accusations against your kingdom would end.”

Eljin looked at me hard and long. “Because when Blevonese sorcerers are given all this information, we are sworn to protect it with