Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) by Jonathan Michael (ereader that reads to you txt) 📗

colors ranging from the browns of dead leaves to the greens of a summer grass. It emulates a real, living forest floor. The floor in the center of the room is primarily tinted with browns. Flakes of oranges and yellows fade into the coves closest to me on my right. A touch of frosty blues and whites fade into the cove ahead of me on my right, and a hint of various shades of green fade into both the coves on my left.

“Please, feel free to worship.” The Advocate waves toward the summer cove. “I’ll return shortly.” He disappears down a stairwell I failed to recognize when we first entered. Not knowing how to worship, I soak in the wonder instead.

My father kept religion out of my life, so I’m unsure if this beauty is typical or if this House is full of fanatics. The chamber of autumn has two vibrantly colored giant-leaf maple trees rooted on each end, branching out above the opening to create an archway of reds, oranges, and yellows. There is an amber glow coming from somewhere above in the hollow tower. It’s romantic.

He was a man of the Crimson Guard, a general, and was driven by power and strength, not compassion and theory. I stroll to the winter chamber. It’s bordered with two barren trees covered in a thick layer of frost along with several icicles reaching for the floor. It has a beautiful wintry appeal with a bright white glow emanating from its dark, hollow tower.

My father, wherever he is now, did not feel it necessary for me to learn the good moral values that come from Susy. The spring cove is framed with two medium-sized sakura trees with fully bloomed cherry blossoms, some of which are showering the floor below. In addition to the contrasting and seductive pale-blue glow emitting from this cove, there’s a constant trickle of water. I breathe in the fresh scent. It differs from the mustiness circulating the central chamber.

He insisted religion would only make me weak, so he enrolled me into the Academy early on, where Susy was merely tolerated and set aside as a lesser priority. I wander to the fourth cove, summer, the season that is the pillar of my race, wondering if I am to pray here because it’s summer. Or if it’s because I’m a Sprhowt. I don’t know. It’s outlined with fig trees. Each with a plethora of ripe figs sprouting from the branches. Thick ivy grows up the trunks, and also invades the floor within. The tower radiates a warm indigo color. It’s a place of warmth and comfort. I sit on the pew and embrace the serenity of it, unsure what praying is supposed to look like.

The Advocate is quick to return as I trusted.

“Just a few more moments,” he declares as I arch my neck to see him. “I’ll have some disciples tend to Jay, and we’ll be on our way.”

“On our way?”

“Yes. To the healer, of course.”

“I thought—”

“The disciples are understudies of hers,” he interrupts. “I’ve summoned them to assist.”

I rise from the cove to fetch Jay. “Let’s be on our way then. To the Healer. We needn’t wait,” I assert. My unwarranted trust is wavering.

“We have time. The damage is already done.”

“Of course the damage is done.” My voice rises. “If we wait too long, it will be irreversible. Healers cannot resurrect.”

“No,” he laughs. “They surely cannot. But this is no ordinary healer.”

I’m ready to grab Jay’s reins and be on my way. Have my instincts given way to madness? Who is this man?

“She’s no Lahyf, young lad, but her tricks seem to do the job. With a few side effects mind that.” He slowly bends to one knee next to Jaymes, gripping his back as he does so, and evaluates her condition.

“Side effects? She’s not a Lahyf? Then how do you suppose she’ll heal Jaymes? She isn’t going to grow a third leg and chop this one off, is she? That is out of the question.”

The Advocate erupts with laughter. “But what if it saves her life? You’ll see,” he replies with excitement.

He raises his hand, gesturing for me to help him back to his feet.

I do so hesitantly. I have an urge to give him a nudge and topple him over instead. Then flee this house and pretend like I was never here.

“You seem to have great interest in protecting this young lass. What do you suppose will happen once she’s all bandaged up? All fixed? Are you to return to your dwelling in the forest? Where she is vulnerable to more threats like this. The Broken Forest is no place to call home, lad.”

“How much did St…er…Elder tell you?”

“Not much.” The Advocate scratches at his stubble. “He keeps his secrets tight. But enough to know you haven’t been living a savory life.”

“Can we walk?” I gesture toward the door.

“Certainly,” he responds and leads the way.

I go to grab Jay’s reins and follow, but a gentleman and a woman appear and lift Jay’s loosely wound litter into the air. They follow the Advocate through the doors. I brush my hand through my hair and take a deep breath.

“I suppose I’m to follow,” I mutter to myself.

The Advocate digs further. “The Broken Forest, then, are you going back?”

“That forest is no concern compared to what we escaped in the Crimson Capital.”

“And what did you escape?”

“Never mind. It’s not important.”

The Advocate’s brow raises as he stops at the bottom of the stoop to allow his disciples to jaunt ahead. He looks upon me with eyes that would berate a liar. “Everweed will not solve all your problems, lad. I saw the salve applied to her wounds.”

I’m intrigued by his accusation. “And what do you know of Everweed?”

“Never mind. It’s not important,” he mocks