The drums woke Apollo from a dream of drowning.
He sat upright in bed, heart hammering as the rhythm penetrated the inn's thin walls, a slow, deliberate cadence that seemed to bypass his ears and strike directly at his core. The gold in his veins stirred in response, warming beneath his skin.
"You hear that?" Nik was already at the window, silhouetted against the deepening twilight. His voice held none of its usual flippancy.
Apollo swung his legs over the edge of the bed, muscles protesting after hours of fitful sleep. "How could I not?" The relic pulsed against his spine, suddenly alert, like a predator scenting prey.
Lyra appeared in the doorway, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders, eyes hard with tension. "Everyone up. Now." She didn't wait for a response, just turned and disappeared down the hall.
By the time Apollo reached the common room, the others had gathered at the large bay window that overlooked the square.
