So I closed my eyes and pictured the vineyards, and Aurelia standing in them, and then prayed I would not have the bad luck to reappear in front of her just as she was firing an arrow.
I actually entered the vineyards far behind her. She was on a rock that gave her a better view into the field, and was taking advantage of that position with every arrow she released. I started forward, then Crispus ran up beside her with a handful of arrows. Neither of them knew I was here.
He leapt onto the rock beside her and stuffed the arrows inside the quiver on her back. I noticed his hand lingered on her shoulder when he had finished, longer than was necessary. And when she looked over at him, I had hoped she would smack him with the wooden edge of her bow, but she didn't. She just smiled and thanked him for the arrows.
"Nic isn't there anymore," Aurelia said when she looked back into the field. "He was just there a moment ago."
As if they sensed the answer to their confusion, both Aurelia and Crispus turned back in unison to see me behind them.
"Nic!" Aurelia jumped off the rock and caught me in an embrace. "You terrified us, going inside that temple! We thought you would never come out!"
I grimaced as my wrist bent between us, but let her hold me anyway.
"Are you all right?" Crispus asked.
"Is my sister all right?" I countered, pressing back from Aurelia. "Where is she?"
Crispus looked from Aurelia over to me. "I don't know. We can't find her, not without the Praetors seeing us search for her. Maybe Radulf found her."
"Where is he now?"
Crispus and Aurelia shared a look, and then Aurelia said, "When the temple collapsed, he vanished. He muttered that he needed something from home, but he hasn't come back."
"He probably won't come back because Radulf's afraid of the Mistress." I didn't blame him for that. I understood his fears now in a way I hadn't before -- her magic had overwhelmed anything I could do. Fortunately, she was trapped inside the temple.
"So she's awake?" Aurelia asked.
"She was." I nodded to the temple ruins. "But it's all destroyed. Even if she survived the collapse, I doubt she can get out from beneath so much rubble."
"The Praetors won't continue to fight. Why would they?" Crispus smiled broadly. "You did it!"
He clapped me on the back and Aurelia gave my arm a squeeze, but I couldn't feel the same relief. Despite what I had just said, Atroxia's magic was much stronger than mine. I had not been able to use the full strength of my magic within the temple walls -- what if hers was the same way? What if her punishment wasn't being buried alive? What if it was burial without the full use of her magic?
Radulf's voice returned to my head again, icy cold but not from anger. He was still afraid, but this time, it was for my life. "Nic, this is not over. Leave right now, please."
"Where's Livia?"
There was silence, and I felt his fears intensify. He was her grandfather too. "I can't pull her away from there," he said. "I know she has the Malice. It's stronger than my magic, and it wants to stay with the Mistress."
"I won't leave without her," I said. "It's my fault she's here at all."
"What are you talking about?" Crispus asked, then Aurelia shot him a knowing look.
"Get out of there." Radulf was pleading with me now. "I will come find Livia."
That wasn't good enough, and he knew it.
Aurelia put her hand on my shoulder. "What is R
adulf saying?" she asked.
I shook my head at her and tried to keep my thoughts straight. Since destroying the temple, I was stronger. If she survived, then maybe the Mistress had grown in strength too.
I stood and started walking back to the field, calling to Crispus and Aurelia, "You both need to leave right now."
To my dismay, they followed. "Why?" Aurelia called. "Just tell us why!"
I used magic to raise another shield, only this one prevented both Crispus and Aurelia from crossing into the field.