Chapter 31 #2
Thea dived behind the nearest oak. Peering around its trunk, she watched as Jasper began to weave fate.
He seemed to be tackling the void first: its black depths shuddered in response, leaking smoke like blood.
She darted from tree to tree, taking a meandering path to avoid being seen.
When she cast a final look back at Jasper, she glimpsed Stiltskin’s roof over his shoulder.
A lone wolf howled back at her from the weathervane.
Shivering, Thea tightened her cloak.
She fled the Magic Quarter.
Too many carriages rattled past on Prague Bridge, bright with street lamps and laughter at this hour, shoppers with festive packages and the odd child, staying up late to play in the snow.
Thea wandered up and down, waiting for Heloise to appear.
If Jasper was to be believed, there had never been a spell in place of her heart, no reason that she could not fall in love.
But perhaps she’d struggled finding a great love because her traitorous little heart, hiding away in her chest, had already had its sights set on Jasper and refused to consider another man.
Kept her chasing after toads as a distraction.
Five minutes passed, then another five. It was arctic, and the river below wore a thick crust of ice. Snowdrifts were piled high on its banks.
She possessed little hope that Heloise would meet her as requested, but nevertheless, Heloise would have to walk past her on the bridge to enter the Quarter, and Thea would not let her go without a fight.
Her fate-weaving was weaker than Heloise’s, but Thea would do anything to protect her family.
Even if she only bought them a little time, distracted Heloise while they launched whatever offensive they had planned, it would be worth it.
Another figure exited from St John of Nepomuk and strode towards Thea with a familiar gait. ‘What are you doing here?’ Jasper asked.
‘I could ask you the same question.’ Thea frowned at him. ‘How did you know I was here?’
Jasper’s brow furrowed. ‘You think that I do not sense you? Wherever you are in this world, across all the worlds, I will always find you, Thea. Your heart calls to me.’
‘I suspect your power helps,’ she said dryly. When he set his mind to it, there was little Jasper could not achieve.
‘Zofka has sent me eight ravens over the past day—’
‘She had no right,’ Thea hotly interrupted.
‘—fiercely scolding me,’ Jasper continued.
That sounded like Zofka.
‘As the ravens kept coming, her fierceness faded to worry as you didn’t take the dinner she’d cooked for you.’
She knew she should have taken that pot inside.
‘Then fear, as Talibah spotted you leaving the Quarter tonight. I also received ravens alerting me to your exit from Rose, Fleur, Zdenka, and Paní Dagmar, among others. Even Wojslav sent me a raven, and he’s terrified of the creatures.
No less than thirteen people, including myself, saw you attempt to sneak out of the Quarter in that ridiculous cloak of yours. ’
Thea glanced down, frowning. ‘What’s wrong with my cloak?’
‘It’s far too figure-hugging,’ he ground out, looking anywhere but at her. ‘And entirely too thin for winter.’
Her cheeks betrayed her; she just knew they were pinkening gleefully at his attention, even though she absolutely, certainly, did not want her possible past husband and current employer to be noticing her in that way.
‘I thought I was very subtle . . .’ she began, trailing off when Jasper made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort.
He searched her gaze, his voice softening.
‘Everyone was greatly concerned that you failed to attend today’s meeting.
In fact, it was discussed to such an extent that I am still not certain if anyone paid attention to my orders.
They mentioned that it was the first meeting you had not attended since you moved in? ’
Thea’s eyes were too dry in the freezing evening. She blinked hard to ease their prickling. ‘I didn’t realise going for a walk wasn’t permitted,’ she choked out.
Jasper’s eyes darkened as he continued to survey her.
‘They know you are hurting.’ He sighed, turning to brace himself against the stonework of the bridge, looking at the frozen river below, the birds skating over it.
‘You know I told you to stay put. Which begs the question, what you are doing here? Though I suspect I already know the answer.’
‘I needed some space,’ Thea lied, glancing over her shoulder, half-expecting to see Heloise materialise on the bridge.
When she looked back, Jasper was watching her, his frown tinged with regret. ‘You may be in denial, but I know you. I know you better than anyone else who has ever existed. I know the way you think, how you struggle with unwanted thoughts, unbidden and unrelenting—’
Thea jolted, looking at him anew. She had never told him how her own mind plagued her. Unless she had . . . but didn’t remember doing so.
‘Which is why I know you came here hoping to confront Heloise on your own,’ Jasper continued, a vein pulsing in his neck as he attempted to corral his anger, to hide it from her. ‘You always were a gods-cursed hero, too eager to sacrifice yourself for the greater good.’
‘I will not let her unleash herself on my friends,’ Thea told him, raising her voice.
‘I was this close’ – Jasper stood, towering over her as he brought his thumb and forefinger together – ‘from repairing that void, from restoring the wards.’
‘Good, go back and carry on then,’ Thea told him. ‘Protect them all.’
Jasper looked done with attempting to hide his anger. It was strangely reassuring; this was the Jasper she knew, this push-pull between them familiar and comforting. Thea half-smiled to see it, which only seemed to incense him more. ‘Not without you,’ he growled.
Thea folded her arms. ‘That is not your decision to make. I don’t know who I was before, or what we were, but I know who I am today, and I will not budge from this bridge.’
Jasper glared at her. ‘I am trying to keep you safe.’
Thea glared back. ‘And I am asking you to save everyone I love. It is the least you can do after having lied to me time and time again.’
A sudden sound bellowed out over Prague Bridge, sending birds fleeing to the skies.
Jasper grabbed Thea’s arm, steadying them both as the bridge shook, the icy river cracking into a patchwork of floes. One of St John’s stars snapped from his halo.
‘That came from the Magic Quarter.’ Giving Jasper a panicked look, Thea bolted towards the source of the sound.