Endure - Sara B. Larson Page 0,96

craggy mountain walls, almost as if it were made of the mountain itself — had it not been for the stunning glass windows — was a majestic building that could only be one place.

“I give you Sì Miào Chán Wù,” King Osgand said, turning to face us and lifting his arms.

The temple where it had all begun — where the first sorcerers were created. The original source of power in our world, and Armando’s obsession.

Damian reached back to take my hand in his, and together we stared up at the temple in awe. I could sense Rylan behind me, but I didn’t turn and look at him. He’d been quiet the whole day, and I got the feeling he was battling with himself. When Damian had asked him to come with us, he’d actually refused, taking the king of Antion by surprise. But I’d seen the panic cross Rylan’s face, and I knew the reason for his fear — Rafe could control him with any direct command. If it came down to Rylan protecting the king or the temple, and Rafe made it to where we were, he would become a tool for the enemy.

But he didn’t speak up, and when Damian repeated his command that Rylan come, he agreed.

I didn’t share his secret. It wasn’t mine to divulge.

As I stood there, staring up at the beautiful temple, my fingers intertwined with Damian’s, I realized I still hadn’t told him my secret, either. He didn’t know that I couldn’t fight Rafe. And according to Akio, since I was no sorcerer, there was no way I would be able to break through his command as Damian had done. My only hope was that since my father had been a sorcerer, perhaps a hint of his power ran in my veins. But I knew it was an improbable wish.

“Damian,” I said quietly, and he immediately turned toward me. “There’s something I have to tell you.” I swallowed hard, forcing my humiliation and shame down.

He waited expectantly, his eyebrows lifted in concern, when suddenly there was a strange sound from behind us — almost like a birdcall, but not quite.

King Osgand stiffened beside Damian, his head cocking with alarm. “That’s the signal,” he murmured.

“What signal?” Mateo asked from behind us.

King Osgand looked right at Damian when he answered.

“That sound means the Dansiian army has been spotted. They’re almost here.”

When we were in his castle, King Osgand convinced Damian to agree that the two monarchs would go to the temple, along with their most trusted guards. It was the safest place for them to be and also the most crucial place to defend, if the Dansiians made it that far. We were to be the last line of defense if necessary.

I didn’t like being so far away from the front line of the battle — and so far out of sight as well. We would have no idea what was happening in the city or lower parts of the mountain up here, except what was relayed through messengers. All we would know was that if the fighting reached us, things were dire indeed. I did find out that all of King Osgand’s top guards were, unsurprisingly, some of the best sorcerers in Blevon.

“King Damian, if you’ll come with me, I will take you in to meet the Rén Zhsas, as you should have done many years ago.” King Osgand indicated for Damian to follow him, but the King of Antion didn’t let go of my hand, turning to look down at me, alarm in his eyes.

“Go on,” I urged, squeezing his hand, then letting go. “I’ll be waiting out here for you.”

He glanced past me, toward the valley we couldn’t see, where Armando’s army might have been swarming already, and then he took a deep breath. “All right. But I won’t be gone long.”

I nodded and watched him walk away as he followed King Osgand up the final incline of the trail and onto the ledge where the temple was built.

“Excuse me, Alexa, right?” An unfamiliar voice from behind took me by surprise, and I turned to see a Blevonese guard standing there. I hadn’t looked at him closely until then, but when I did, my jaw fell open, and I couldn’t keep from staring.

He looked so much like my father, it was almost as if I’d seen a ghost, though his black hair was streaked with white, he was even taller than my father had been, and his eyes were a dark brown,