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The whole room starts to shake. Lukas halts, only a stride from his emperor uncle.

The statues of Zai on the altar seem to be alight. Bright light pours from them. Lukas stares, standing in place, blade aloft. Between the statues a strange shimmering seems to be opening. It looks like a window. A glazed window and through it, Lukas can see. Some kind of hall. And a pair of statues that match the ones in the shrine. Is it a looking glass? Is he seeing a reflection?

No. Lukas blinks.

Apart from the statues, everything else through the shimmering window is different.

What is happening?

In the centre of the opening there is a figure, lit up by a light so powerful Lukas can barely stand to look upon it. But Lukas knows who he sees. Tobi. Tobi, a man grown.

Lukas feels Trysta’s hand on his shoulder. Her voice is urgent, laced with fear. “We need to go.”

Selim is kneeling at his feet, muttering prayers to his God. Face pale with fear.

He’s not going to fail again. Lukas cannot turn away now. No matter what is coming through that window. He lunges forward and thrusts his sword into Selim’s chest. The Blue Blade glows. With his hook, Lukas slices Selim’s throat.

The room is still shaking even more violently as Selim’s body falls to the floor. Dead. He’s finally dead.

“Now, Lukas Darekul,” Trysta says through her teeth. “We leave now.”

Lukas turns away. And as he does the door opens. Guards. Palace guards alerted by whatever is happening inside the shrine.

Flanked by the palace guards, is Atticul.

“What is happening here?” shouts Atticul in a voice that mixes fear and rage. When he sees the glowing window, then looks to Selim’s body, he says, voice more shaky, “What is... Uncle? Your Majesty?” And then his eyes find Lukas’s. His face twists with recognition. “Traitor, what have you done? What dark magic have you brought to this sacred place? You will die for this, bastard.”

But the room is still shaking. A chunk of ceiling falls, throwing up dust between Lukas and Atticul.

Trysta pulls at Lukas’s shoulder. But he does not move. He cannot.

Something rushes through the window. A cloud of purple smoke. The window closes behind it with a sound like the sucking of a hundred, hundred waves.

The rooms stops shaking. But the cloud whirls above them. It’s making a sound that is almost like laughter. Lukas screams out and lunges forward, trying to thrust his sword into it. But it’s smoke.

The cloud whirls and twists. It seems to form a shape. A great creature. A huge man.

It stands for a moment on the floor of the shrine. A man made of purple smoke. No, not a man. Far bigger than a man. A demon.

The smoke demon races across the room toward Atticul.

Atticul screams. The guards behind him draw their swords. There is a bright white flash and then, all is quiet. All is gone. Atticul stands there, looking at them.

The room is silent. Dust slowly settles to the floor. Lukas turns to Trysta. Her eyes are wide with fear.

They need to go. If they can get to the trap door.

But it is too late. There isn’t time. Lukas and Trysta are grabbed by the palace guards.

Lukas turns as his arms are dragged behind his back.

He looks at Atticul. Atticul’s eyes flash black.

37

ATTICUL

Emperor Atticul feels good. Strong and good. He has never felt better. He is sure of it.