Page 99 of Elysian

He slowed to face me. “Yes.”

“So it belongs to you. Why then did you give it to the Resistance?”

He smiled wryly. “When I arrived at Sycarious, those to help me were connected to the Resistance. After a short time here, I recognized the same sort of.” He paused and looked at Cassiel. “Leadership. So I decided to be of some use. After all, being an officer in Oro had gained me nothing.” He chuckled, eyeing my shock. Liadan turned, and we continued on our way. “Years of service had led to nothing but betrayal.”

The path led us around a circular walkway that opened into a chamber at the end. One of the men who had held a sword toward us upon our arrival leaned beside the door. Upon seeing Liadan, they clapped hands in a brisk clasp of greeting.

“Do not let anyone in.”

The man saluted him by touching his fingers to his temple and sweeping them outward. Liadan waited for us to go in. The man watched us enter, aggression in the line of his body. His nostrils flared, and he sniffed audibly.

Cassiel bared his teeth in a sneer.

“Back up, Jude,” Liadan snapped. Jude’s almost black eyes flicked up to Cassiel and his lips thinned. He shrugged and held up his hands, taking large steps back.

Cassiel’s front pressed against me as he crowded me inside. Liadan shut the door. I strode to stand across the desk Morak sat behind. Morak met my eyes. They softened a bit from the chips of ice they were when looking at Cassiel.

“And the Sanguine Stone?” I went directly to the point. I wanted to be done with my curiosity.

He continued studying me. “Liadan told me you found the information in the passage of the Lore of Old.” He laced his fingers on the desk. “This text is incredibly valuable if it is as you say, and as such, should be held somewhere safe. Just as the Stone has been safe.”

Was he attempting to bargain with me?

Cassiel scoffed. “You need us more than we need you, mortal.”

I tensed, my insides rebelling at hearing the insulting tone to the ‘mortal’. How he used to refer to me. I cleared my throat.

“I do not mind handing it over, but I must first finish the translation.” I paused. “And I want to see the Sanguine Stone.”

“Sanguine,” he mouthed, and nodded resolutely. “I will show it to you, but I cannot let you keep it.”

“I understand.”

Morak reached under his desk until he came out with a wooden box. He set it on the desk’s surface with a thump. With ease, he popped it open. Within the velvet casing was a stone. Small red flecks throughout the clear, crystallized insides.

I reached to grab it, and the warm weight settled on my hand. It was heavier than I had thought. I held the stone to the light; through its darkened surface, my hand showed faintly. Where the gas lamp caught the surface, the crimson specks within seemed to stand out. Vague as ever, the grimoire had told me too little of how this was meant to work. I turned toward Liadan.

If the eye rings scarlet, the old power dwells within.

It is clear that the stone would show if a blueblood has the potential to be a Warlord.

“May I press this to your skin?” I asked Liadan.

His eyebrows furrowed, and he stretched his arm out, tugging the sleeve to expose his wrist. Cassiel was almost on top of me with how close he leaned. I pressed the surface to Liadan’s wrist.

We all waited with bated breath.

Nothing.

I scowled and moved the rock about his wrist while peering into his irises. Still nothing.

“Maybe it must be awakened,” I muttered. I turned my head to meet Cassiel’s gaze. He hovered a pace away, watching closely.

“Do you recall seeing something like this from Lord Vaner? Your mother mentioned he checked you for Warlord potential.”

Cassiel continued staring at it. He shook his head as the corners of his lips tipped down.

Whom the stone does not crown was never meant to wake.