Page 76 of Kiss of Embers

“The Elixir of Vozgadach is yours.” Inessa glowed more brightly. In the space of a heartbeat, her beauty became something both compelling and terrible, her eyes like fire and her features almost too pure to look at. Her voice rose, rippling around the clearing like thunder. “Look into the water and take what’s yours.”

The fountain’s glow increased, turning night into day. Around the clearing, people shielded their eyes with their forearms. Bolveg removed his spectacles and replaced them with a pair of sunglasses. Zara’s gargoyle advisor stood just behind her, his expression tense as he looked from Zara to the fountain. I inched forward, squinting against the light so I could see the water. Beside me, Finn did the same.

Zara stopped at the fountain’s edge and leaned over, peering at the surface. The water swirled, a kaleidoscope of otherworldly light dancing among the currents. The lights coalesced to a rich, bright gold.

Zara’s reflection appeared in the water, her face clean of soot and her wheat-colored hair falling softly around her shoulders.

At the fountain’s edge, the real Zara smiled. She reached toward the surface, her fingers trembling.

Without warning, the water swirled again, obliterating Zara’s reflection. A shockwave rippled across the clearing, and screams went up as several competitors fell to the ground. I flung a hand out, steadying Finn as I managed to keep my feet.

Zara stumbled back from the fountain with a gasp. Inessa frowned, worry on her face as she stared into the water.

“This isn’t—” The goddess shot Bolveg an anxious look. “I’m not sure what’s going on.”

The water in the fountain swirled faster, ribbons of light arcing from the surface like solar flares. Power hummed in the air.

The water spun. Colors appeared—and then formed something like a scene from a movie. My breath caught as Finn appeared in the water with a wounded Zara in his arms. I knelt before them, my hand on Finn’s shoulder as a tear ran down his cheek and formed into a diamond.

In the water, I smiled as I caught it on my finger.“There,”I said, my voice distorted. I carried it to Zara’s lips and placed it on her tongue. She swallowed, and the bleeding wound on her head disappeared.

Around me, competitors gasped. Finn and I looked at each other. His gray eyes reflected my worry. Before I could say anything, the fountain glowed more brightly.

The water spun again, washing away the scene from the jungle.

“There’s another reflection!” someone shouted.

Everyone leaned forward.

The water slowed, glowing bright and golden once more. Sure enough, another face appeared on the surface.

Now,myreflection stared from the water.

Shock rooted me to the ground. I looked at Zara, who’d gone pale. She gazed at the fountain like she was going to be sick.

More gasps echoed around the clearing as something else appeared in the water. I held my breath as a figure formed under the surface. This time, it wasn’t a reflection. It was a whole damn person.

No, a demon, I realized as his head broke the surface. Gray horns curled close to his head. A long, gray beard descended to the middle of a rotund stomach. Dark blue robes fell to his toes. He hovered above the water, his robes fluttering in an invisible breeze and his body limned in golden light.

In his hand, he held a small glass vial. Golden liquid shimmered within.

“It’s the Elixir of Vozgadach,” a vampire next to me breathed.

Bolveg and the other demons fell to their knees and bowed their heads.

The demon in the fountain stared straight ahead, his face expressionless and his eyes vacant. His lips didn’t move as a low voice echoed from the fountain.

“Zara Rockford broke her vow when she used magic she did not already possess. She is disqualified. Struan MacLure has won the Elixir of Vozgadach.”

Inessa stepped toward me, her body bathed in the fountain’s golden light. “Congratulations, Struan. You’ve won the Firstborn Games. You may now claim your prize.”

My throat tightened as I looked at Zara. Her face was stunned as she continued to stare at the fountain. Gods, I was going to be sick. I’d won, but at what cost?

“Struan,” Inessa prompted, drawing my gaze. “Could you grab the elixir?” The goddess tipped her head toward Vozgadach and spoke out of the corner of her mouth. “I don’t know how long he’s gonna stick around.”

Right. Swallowing hard, I walked to the fountain. Vozgadach’s robes fluttered at my eye level. The elixir shimmered in his hand. Did I just…reach up there and grab it, or what?

“Get on with it!” someone yelled.