Contents
Chapter Forty-Six: Essiya
Overview
Sylvia storms Orban Castle, confronts Heir Sorn, and bargains for Orban to open and protect the trade routes so Jasadis can travel. To secure the deal, Maia enters Champion Diya’s mind and wakes her, revealing Diya’s past and feelings for Sorn. Sorn agrees, while news surfaces that Arin broke the Zinish Accords and Vaida has disappeared.
Summary
Sylvia and her Jasadi allies reach Orban Castle and are attacked by khawaga. Sylvia uses her magic to net and disable the guards, breaks the doors, and demands to see Heir Sorn to “wake his Champion.” Sorn halts his men and grants entry, recognizing her as Malika Essiya.
Inside Sorn’s macabre chambers, Sylvia finds Champion Diya comatose since the third trial. She negotiates: Orban must reopen and protect its trade routes for twelve days so Jasadis can reach Jasad. Sorn counters with news—Arin has broken the Zinish Accords and is at war with Vaida, who has mysteriously vanished after an attendant cut off her finger to steal the ring. Sylvia leverages Diya’s condition, threatening to return her to slumber if Sorn reneges. Sorn agrees if they can revive Diya.
Lateef’s healing reveals no physical cause. Maia proposes a mental solution and discloses her rare lahwa power, unsettling everyone but winning Sorn’s consent. Entering Diya’s mind, Maia witnesses Diya’s past: avenging her sister Lubna, her near-execution, and Sorn sparing her; Diya’s secret love and belief it was unreturned; and the third trial’s illusion trapping her.
Maia collapses from the strain, but Diya wakes. Amid barbed banter with Sylvia, Sorn’s joy is obvious, and he awkwardly asks why Diya hid her feelings. With Diya restored, Sorn reaffirms the bargain: Orban will open and protect the routes. Sylvia departs, leaving Sorn and Diya together as the wider war looms.
Who Appears
- Sylvia (Malika Essiya)Jasad Queen; subdues Orban guards, negotiates with Sorn, and leverages Diya’s revival to secure protected trade routes.
- Sorn of OrbanOrban Heir; desperate over comatose Champion, trades protected routes for Diya’s recovery; reveals Arin broke the Accords.
- DiyaOrban Champion; trapped in mental loop since the third trial, awakened by Maia; harbors hidden love for Sorn.
- MaiaUrabi executioner and rare lahwa; enters Diya’s mind, exposes memories, and frees her, then collapses from strain.
- LateefHealer; confirms Diya’s perfect physical condition, prompting the mental approach.
- NamsaElder ally; monitors Maia and rebukes Sorn’s outbursts during the revival attempt.
- EfraUrabi ally; accompanies Sylvia, inadvertently reveals Maia’s role as executioner.