Chapter 38

The steps of the spell flowed perfectly into one another.

Barrier, dispersion, redirection.

Timmons wasn't there to power the magic the way she had back in the archive room, but Ren's adrenaline more than made up for her absence. Lev's bolt caught in the air in front of Theo. Briefly frozen, its tail midswirl. The energy ran in a current around the three of them until she harnessed that energy for her own purposes. This was her slight modification to the spell: redirection.

The bolt hit Lev's neck before he could even lower his weapon. She saw him fall, flopping like a fish. The older man was scrambling to fire again when Theo hit him with a well-aimed stunner. It slung him sideways into the nearest tree. They both heard the sickening smack. Ren's heart was in her throat. "We got them. Come on.…"

But then she saw Cora. She was on her knees. The other bolt had punched through her chest. Ren dropped down just as Cora sagged sideways, barely catching her.

"Cora. We're here. Stay with us.…"

Her eyes were wide and hazel and lifeless. The bolt had cut a path right through her heart. There was no pulse to find, no signs of life. Ren's entire body shook as she set Cora gently down in the grass. Her chest was tight. It was hard to breathe. She reached out to close Cora's eyes, and the girl's body spasmed.

A half-stifled scream guttered out from Ren. It took a few seconds for the body to stop twitching. When it did, Theo leaned down to perform the ritual instead. The two of them looked at each other in a wordless exchange. He nodded a confirmation to the question she couldn't bring herself to ask. There wasn't enough time to bury a body—or to take Cora with them. Not if they wanted to live.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Theo said.

Night complicated their escape.

They didn't dare risk a light cantrip as they descended through the hills. Out in this lifeless place, any lantern or fire would draw attention. The stars served as their only guide. Adrenaline would have been enough to keep them moving, but every now and again they heard extra incentive. The sharp baying of Della's hound. If their hunters did not rest, neither could they.

Cora Marrin is dead. And I'm the one who let her die.

Ren tried to ignore that thought as they pressed on. Three times they crossed over creeks. Whenever they reached an embankment that was too steep, they'd head south—nestling deeper into the waistline of Watcher Mountain—hoping to always be moving in the direction of Kathor, no matter the obstacle. Della had claimed it was a four-day journey to the city. Ren had no idea if the woman had told the truth about that or not. She also knew they didn't have to travel that entire distance. Not with the way candle at their disposal.

Morning dawned, a bright day that did not match how they felt. Ren had never been more exhausted in her life. Every muscle protested. Losing Cora was yet another added burden. There was also the colorless memory, rattling in the corner of her mind, of a cramped shed. Her missing fingers and all that blood. Those events had never actually happened, but Ren could not quite escape from the frightening possibilities of what might have occurred if that timeline had continued on its course. It was noon before they found a place that was tempting enough to stop for rest.

A small waterfall churned into a shallow pool that was so clear they could see the bottom. Ren thought that was what lured them in. Something that contained no possibility of danger. Theo unshouldered the pack and started working at the laces of his boots.

"We shouldn't stop for long," he said. "Wash up, eat, keep moving."

Cora had stolen an entire loaf of bread from the table. Ren hadn't noticed that during their escape, but now she whispered her thanks to their dead friend. It was a complicated feeling, though, as she unraveled all that had happened. Learning about the devorium led to the most disturbing question.

"Why didn't she use it to save them? Timmons or Avy?"

Theo was taking off his shirt and pants to get in the pool for a wash.

"I think she confessed that to us."

"Confessed what?"

"I have a memory of her telling us," he said, tapping the back of his skull. "It's in here somehow, even though it never happened. She confessed to keeping the devorium for herself. She said she didn't know what would happen, so she chose not to use it to save Timmons. I don't agree with her decision, but it doesn't matter now. She died getting us out of there."

She died because I decided to save you instead,Ren thought. Instinct had taken over. She liked Cora more than Theo. Ren respected any girl who was so similar to her, who'd ground her way through Balmerick to earn a brighter future. But Theo was her path forward. It was a selfish decision, prodded on by preservation. How many times would she have to make that decision to keep rising, to keep surviving? The guilt settled on her shoulders like a weighted cloak.

It took a few minutes for Ren to set those feelings aside. Compartmentalize. She needed to place those thoughts in a small box for later, leave them there, and focus on what actually mattered. Survival. She turned her attention back to Theo. He was waist-deep in the pool, using his hands to scrub at bare shoulders and under his arms. They had no soap, but a little water would go a long way to feeling refreshed. They'd been on the move for half a day. Ren waited until she caught his eye.

"What?"

"I was getting brief flashbacks of that dance you did."

He managed to smile. "Pretty sure whatever you're thinking about involves exerting energy, which we have precious little of."

She raised one eyebrow. "Very well. You win the prize for most responsible boy. Let's sort through the pack and figure out what to do next."

Ren opened their lonely satchel. Cora's devorium was there. It looked like it had been run over by a carriage. The amber light was gone now, leaving a patterned discoloration. It was still warm to the touch. She shuffled it aside, reaching for the item she'd placed in the bag.

"Well, that's not good."

Her mother's bracelet. She held it up to the light. The dragon-forged veins were a dulled color. Ren slid it onto her wrist and attempted the simplest spell she knew. There was a sharp fizzle as the magic sputtered and failed. That earned Theo's undivided attention.

"Did you just mess up a spell? Did I just bear witness to history?"

"No, you prat." Ren held up the bracelet. "Cora's devorium drained the magic from it. They must have been touching inside the bag when she activated the spell. There's nothing left. All the ockleys I'd stored in there were burned out."

Theo pointed to the wand hanging from her belt loop.

"What about that one?"

"I've got… maybe twenty ockleys? I stored most of my allotment in my mother's bracelet. How do things keep getting worse? If we survive, I'll never spend another day in the woods."

She'd been keeping such a close count. If the bracelet hadn't been drained, she'd have had more than enough for a quick duel. Now all they really had were Theo's vessels. At least five hundred ockleys, if her count was right, but she could offer only a few paltry spells. That would be just fine if this ended up being nothing more than an uneventful hike. Not so well if either of their hunters caught them.

Ren dug through the knapsack and pulled out her stolen way candle. In the front pouch she found the earring that Timmons had kept from the start. She slipped her own earring out and replaced it with the humming-sword bird. It dangled for a moment, turning slowly, until a faint voice emanated.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. This next one is a timeless tune. You'll recognize it.…"

Ren looked at Theo before unhooking it. "I think we have two options. Put your clothes back on. I'm not going to mess up details because you're being promiscuous."

That earned another laugh. Ren was trying to keep the mood light. The rest of their day would be gritted teeth and straining muscles and staring death right in the eye. Ren knew they both needed these moments to get them through what was coming. Theo dressed as she washed the dirt from her own hands and feet. As he buttoned up his shirt, she broke down the situation.

"First option is to keep going. At least three full days of hiking. We've got a breath lord trailing us with a tracking hound. We have no idea if they've got other contacts out here or other farmers who are loyal to them. We have no idea if they've got a supply of waxway candles that might let them jump ahead of us to cut off our escape. But one thing we do know is that they'll know all of this territory better than we will. If we keep moving, there's a decent chance we stay ahead of them and Clyde, but it's far from a guarantee."

He nodded. "Three days is a long time to keep up this pace."

"The other option is to walk as far as we can tonight," Ren explained. "No stopping. No breaks. We find a spot that's defensible. Choke points and wards and all of that. Once we're bunkered in, we light the way candle. It's the standard size. That means it will take at least three hours to burn all the way down. Which also means that all we have to do is stay alive for three hours. That's a lot easier than three full days. And then we port back to Balmerick."

She saw a trace of fear in his eyes. Their last trip through the waxways had been the cause of all of this. Lost in the woods, hunted by a friend-turned-revenant. It took a moment for Theo to steel himself to the possibility that they'd need to travel through those dark passages again.

"You're sure we can port that far?" he asked. "Safely?"

Ren held up the earring. "If this is clear enough and loud enough, I think we'll be in range. And we'll follow the proper methodology. None of the usual shortcuts. No borrowed lights. No early snuffs. We won't take any of those risks this time. We light this candle ourselves. We meditate and focus the entire time it burns down. And we let it burn all the way through, instead of dousing it before its ready. I promise you, Theo, we'll do it the right way. The safe way."

Theo was nodding. It was the affirmation he needed.

"Besides," Ren said, saving her best card for last, "I have a secret I forgot about."

She reached into the small pocket on the front of her plaid jacket. She hadn't mentioned it to the others. It felt like offering a false hope. Her palm spread. Five blades of faded grass. Theo lifted one of those perfect eyebrows.

"Do I have to ask, or are you just going to explain it?"

"It's more fun when you ask."

He sighed. "All right. What are those?"

"Each of these blades of grass came from Balmerick's lower quad. That meadow right outside the portal room? I was sitting there when you walked by. Absently running my hands through the dirt and the grass. I plucked them. And then I found them in my pocket a few nights ago and realized how useful they might be."

Theo was nodding. "An actual piece of our destination. That'll be a lot stronger than the pull of a mental image. Having those will accelerate our passage through the waxways. You're right. It could definitely work."

"So, option two?"

He asked the obvious question. "What happens if they get to us before the candle burns down far enough? What if Clyde reaches us?"

Ren could only shake her head. "You have your vessels. I have a few spells. We'll just have to make sure that we make them count."

Theo looked dissatisfied by that answer. He knew what she knew. In a true duel twenty ockleys were nothing. Silence stretched between them as Theo looked deep in thought. Ren wasn't sure what else she could say. They were winding to the end of this journey. Their options were limited. It was really that simple. Either they'd survive or they wouldn't.

"What if you had more magic?" Theo asked unexpectedly.

Ren stared at him. "Please tell me you're not about to unveil some secret way of acquiring more magic that only the city's elite know about. I mean, I've heard a few theories about that, and it wouldn't even be a huge surprise if it was true, but I've been keeping track of our spells like a professional accountant this whole time.…"

"No, there's nothing like that." His finger absently traced the chain at his hip. His fake vessel. "We can't risk you having just three spells. If Clyde comes? Or Della's crew? We can't make a stand like that without your magic helping us."

He shook his head, golden hair tossing across his forehead. It took Ren a moment to understand what he was thinking. She hadn't suggested this option because she'd never dreamed he would entertain such a thing. A boy in Theo Brood's position would never dare.…

"Bond magic," he said, breathing the impossible into the air between them. "I don't… I don't want to frighten you away. Normally, I'd never consider such a forward gesture. And if you want the bond removed when we get safely back to Kathor, I'll understand. I just don't see any other option, Ren. If we're going to survive, I need you." He looked up. "Vega. To me."

Ren didn't have to pretend to be shocked. This was as startling as Cora's possessing a devorium. An heir of one of the greatest houses in the world was suggesting bond magic with her. Ren was well versed in the history of House Brood. She'd studied their family, and all the others, hoping to find a foothold in the greater power structure that existed in Kathor. The only recorded instance of bond magic in the entire Brood lineage had happened nearly a century ago. The Broods had fought bloody battles with the northern rebels for decades. The family used notoriously brutal tactics. The only way to heal the decades-long divide was through an arranged marriage. Olivier Brood was bonded with Anni Graylantian—a daughter of the most powerful northern farming tribe. The Broods turned around and used that marriage as leverage against the rest of the rebels, dismantling them one by one. It wasn't the most promising precedent for Ren.

Of course, there were examples of bonded couples in the other houses. But it was the kind of magic that was reserved almost exclusively for marriage partners who existed on parallel levels of power. A second son would bond with a second daughter. A Shiverian might bond with a Brood, but they'd never stoop to bond with a Swift or even an Ockley. Power did not bind itself to weakness. It was already unthinkable enough that Theo could imagine a future like that between them so soon, but would he really ignore rules that had been in place for generations?

As she looked into Theo's eyes, understanding finally broke through her faulty logic. Of course. The answer was simple. Theo was falling in love with her. Certainly, the desperation of their circumstances played a role, but the truth was written in his patient and watchful expression. He looked like a fretful groom, waiting at a makeshift altar.

Ren struggled to form words as Vega landed on Theo's shoulder. He crossed the distance between them, biting his lip the way he always did when he was nervous. He set one hand on the bird's talons before offering his other hand to Ren. The gesture was an intentional one. He was linking the three of them through physical touch. Creating a bridge over which the bonding magic could course. Ren's hand trembled slightly as she reached out to him.

"I see a future between us," he whispered. "If we were back in Kathor, I would never ask this of you so soon. We could walk through the Giver's Gardens. We could go out together and spend time in each other's company. I would never want to… force your hand. But if we are going to survive this, let's survive together."

A slow-creeping dread filled Ren. This was what she'd wanted all along. A clear foothold. A path forward. House Brood had not been her original aim. She'd intended to work with literally any other house—intended to work against House Brood—but now she was being offered this? An opportunity to begin her dark task from within? She would be better positioned than she could have ever hoped, but her dread had a second source.

Bond magic was no trifling thing. It would knit the two of them together. Ren had no way of knowing how intimately. Most knowledge of the practice was anecdotal. There was too much variance, historically, for anyone to predict the consequences. Would she start to fall for Theo? Would he learn some of her carefully guarded secrets? Ren's stomach turned unpleasantly at those thoughts. She forced herself to speak, even though she was gripped by uncertainty.

"Binding myself to a Brood is no small decision," she said. "Before I do this, I need your word, Theo. I need to know that you meant what you said before."

He frowned. "About what?"

"What kind of Brood do you want to be? I cannot stand the thought of being bound to someone who doesn't have a care for others. I've… I've read all about the Canal Riots, Theo. I know the kind of men your father and your grandfather are. The kind of legacies they've left behind. I know how easy it would be for you to slip into their shoes and walk the same paths that they have. I need to know that you mean what you said about changing that legacy."

He shook his head, adamant. "I am not my father. I promise you that."

Ren wanted to point out that he could not truly promise her anything. It was likely that Landwin Brood would have the final say on who Theo became. It was even possible his father would demand they sever their bond when they returned to Kathor. A procedure like that was expensive—and dangerous—but not beyond the scope of House Brood's capabilities. Ren stood there, weighing her options, and realized her fears were small compared with all the potential rewards.

Theo was literally offering her the impossible. She had to take it.

"Yes," Ren whispered. "A hundred times, yes."

He tightened his grip on her hand.

"Breath to breath. What I have, I give you."

It was an old Tusk saying. The intentionality of his words wove into the magic. The spell curled briefly around her wrist like an invisible bracelet. Theo's fingers flexed beneath hers. She was standing there, wondering if it had worked, when Vega's existence poured through her mind. She could sense the deep pulse of magic. The brooding consciousness of the stone bird. On the other side of that consciousness Ren could feel Theo. It was like the first wafting scent of a garden that had been made just for her. She found herself frightened by how pleasant and alluring it was to her senses.

It was a relief—and a distraction—when the spells arrived. Everything Theo had stored inside of Vega over the years. Ren felt that knowledge clicking into place in her own mind. She looked up at him. It was such an intimate gesture. The hairs on Theo's arms had risen, and she knew just how vulnerable he must feel. He'd offered her something incredibly personal.

Ren tried to keep the mood light. "You know, they say the true test of a proper wizard's arsenal—"

"Is whether or not he has Evert's basic principles stored and stacked. You know you're not the only one who reads books, right? I've got all of those spells memorized. Trust me."

She laughed as Theo shouldered their pack.

"We need to keep moving."

He said those words as if the most significant thing in the world hadn't just occurred. Before he could turn, she caught him by the collar. Her hands took action before her mind could even confirm the thought. When he'd spoken of a future, this was the sort of thing he'd meant. Now she'd perform the expected steps. She drew him into a brief kiss. When she slid away, Theo's eyes were closed and his lips were still slightly parted.

"Priorities," she reminded him. "Let's go home."

Vega fluttered into the air before setting back down on Ren's shoulder. A little heavy, but the magic she felt waiting for her within the stone creature more than made up for that. Ren's plans were slowly altering course. Now she had several viable paths forward. Some more glittering than others. All she had to do was get back to Balmerick. As they walked, her mind honed to a fine point, focusing entirely on that goal—and that goal alone. The first step was to make a plan.

"If Clyde catches us, I have an idea," she said. "I've been thinking about our forced memories. The figure that was in my dreams—and Cora's dreams—but not in yours. I'm pretty sure I figured out why that would happen. And if I'm right, it means we can beat him."

And I'm always right,she thought.