Chapter Thirty-Three #2
“So your plan is to, what, kick your way in? Let me know how that works. The temple was specifically designed to be opened by one method. Two, if you want to count the Everblade, but I don’t see that working out either, considering Ember lost it in the catacombs.
My Counterpart has a coin, and I have already communicated telepathically with her, asking her to bring it there. ”
Her Counterpart. I should’ve known. “Ash?”
“I know.” Skye grins, wide and pleased. “I have the best one. Isn’t it great?”
Of course, I knew about them, but Ash is private, so I left it alone.
Ash and Skye started getting close last winter, pretended like they weren’t dating for five months, and then Ash was supposed to be in Alchemia.
Once Skye and Ember were hanging out, I thought Ember had a right to know and told Skye to tell her.
Skye said Ash wanted to wait. That they were Counterparts wasn’t something I considered, but it makes sense.
Skye sees into minds. Ash empties them. Skye has a Familiar before Selection . . .
“When did you bond?” I ask.
“Recently. And she has answered. Ashy is coming to meet us at the temple as soon as she can.”
Even if she is Ash’s Counterpart, there’s a difference between an Allwitch and an Unselected first-year student. I open my mouth to remind Skye she can’t come, but before I can get the words out, she says exactly what I’m thinking.
“ ‘You can’t come, Skye.’ ” The words are low, mocking my voice. “Go ahead. Tell me your two reasons. I can’t wait to hear them.”
Well, that’s not annoying. If Skye knows there’s two, she’s read them in my thoughts, but I tell her regardless. “I work with a Dark Witch who covers my spelltracks. Your gift would expose her.”
“Seracia Zackery. I already know this.”
Although we have Privacy, I shoot her a harsh look that says stop talking.
I don’t want conflict with Seracia. She’s the only reason I’m comfortable using light magic I’m not supposed to have — I cast, she covers it up.
It’s always worked for us. But if she had any idea other people knew about our arrangement, she’d want out, and now more than ever, I need my full range of spells.
My secrets are unraveling, secrets I’ve bargained everything away for, just to live long enough to graduate fifth year.
It should feel like defeat, how — little by little — everything is coming undone.
But somehow I feel fine, good. The total opposite of what it felt like three years ago, after the incident, when I thought the only way forward entailed a volley of deaths.
Wouldn’t be the move I made now, that’s for damn sure.
The shift started before Ember came into my life, but I can’t say watching her be so willing to take the fall for people she hardly knows, people who despise her, hasn’t played a part in solidifying what getting away from Jaxan has helped me figure out.
I’m done doing whatever it takes to survive. Some things just aren’t worth it.
Skye rolls her head in time with her giant eye roll. “Stop being dramatic and tell me the second reason.”
I glare at her for reading my thoughts again. “The Allwitch temple is in Hartik’s Hollow.”
“That is correct.”
“You don’t Teleport. How are you getting there?”
“Extremely nauseously,” she says, her breath hitching like she’s been bracing for it.
I give her a look.
“Ember and I have been practicing. Not on portstops. That would be a terrible idea. But sometimes I make her spin me in my chair really fast to simulate the woooshing. I think I’ve improved.”
“You think?”
“I want to do it. Ember was not in a good place when she left. Rye Cackrin attacked her. She was severely injured. Vyra told her she’s ruining your life.
And as you know, Ember was already very sad.
She’s not just yours, you know. She’s also my friend, and when she realizes how dumb she was today, and inevitably processes that information by hating herself, I would like to be there to tell her how stupid she is. ”
The thought of Cackrin laying his hands on her wipes every other thought from my head. I don’t have it in me to fight Skye on this anymore. Finding Ember in one piece is the only thing I care about.
At the end of the pedestal, I drop Privacy to Contact Seracia, letting her know to stay hidden because Skye’s coming with us. After that, Seracia surrounds us in shadow, and we Teleport to the temple.
Immediately after landing on the terrace, Skye clutches her stomach and sprints off to the steps down the hillside to hunch over the fountain. I take out my transmitter and message Case while we wait for Ash.
Five minutes go by. Ash isn’t here yet. Ten minutes. Skye’s done puking, but still no update from Ash. A painful knot pulses in the pit of my stomach. Skye lifts Nova and makes me pet her.
“Ash will be here,” she says at the same time I stop breathing.
A stabbing pain of a thousand knives spears me through the heart. The same pain I felt when Jaxan Severed Ven. A part of me is dying. My Counterpart is dying, and I’m too late to save her.