Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
We materialize in the courtyard of the academy, and I take my first proper breath in what feels like hours.
The storm is all but gone.
The sky above the Arcana has smoothed out into deep violet dusk, and the grounds smell like wet grass and petrichor.
The first thing I do is check that Violet is still good. She is. Then I turn to Asher. “Can you get Lily from her room? She’s likely in full meltdown.”
“Yep. Back in a sec.”
When he disappears, I hug Violet once more, just because I can. “Thank you for not detonating. I wouldn’t have survived losing you too.”
“I’m pretty pleased about that myself. And no offense, but I’d really like to get to Dr. Thorne.”
“Yep. That’s the priority.”
I step back and scan the courtyard. The crowd of students from earlier is gone, but three Arcana officials are rushing out the doors with Headmistress Briar following only a few steps behind.
Asher reappears with Lily, and our youngest sister launches herself, arms out. “Violet!”
Violet catches her and stumbles back behind the impact.
"I thought you were dead," Lily says into Violet's shoulder, her words half muffled and full accusation. "I thought you were literally dead."
"I’m not dead." Violet wraps both arms tightly around her. "I’m fine."
"You are not fine, you were kidnapped by a freakishly giant bird."
"And taken to the freakish giant bird village. Yeah, I know. I was there."
"Violet, I'm serious —"
Violet presses her cheek against Lily's hair, squeezing. "I know you are, squirt. I’m okay. I promise."
I step in, wrapping my arms around both of them. Lily makes a small sound and turns to include me, and Violet laughs a little as the three of us stand there in a pile on the front steps of Arcana Academy.
When everything settles, I’ll think about how close I came to losing her, but not now.
Right now, I’m just going to be thankful.
"Okay, rude," Asher announces from somewhere behind me. "I’m feeling very left out of the love here."
Violet holds an arm out without letting go of the rest of us, and Asher wraps around the outside of all three of us. Then, he makes an exaggerated emotional noise that earns him a laugh from Lily.
Which I think was the point.
Mica appears at my elbow. "This is all very sweet, but I'm leaving. Come see me at the forge before you leave."
I nod, and she jogs off toward the forge building without ceremony.
When we break it up, Briar is standing off to the side with her officials. She’s speaking to them in low, clipped tones, and I catch words like matriarch, concessions, and damage control.
Asher catches my eye over Lily's shoulder and tilts his head toward Briar. “I think we caused a stir.”
“What else is new?”
I honestly don’t care. If we’ve upset the balance, so be it. We did what needed to be done to rescue my sister, and I’m not sorry.
I point toward where the roof of the Summoning Hall is barely visible above the trees. “Ash, please take my sisters to Dr. Thorne. He’ll put Violet into the Destiny Sphere, and it’ll track what’s happening with her affinity and what’s changed.”
“Got it. Are you good here?”
Briar seems to be finished speaking with her people and is ready to deal with me.
“I’m good. Violet’s stability is priority one. Take care of her, and we’ll meet up in a bit.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
Lily takes one look at Briar and makes a face. “It’s been nice knowing you, sis.”
I chuckle and wait until they’ve portaled out before I turn and address Briar. Chin high and back straight, I face the music.
The pink streak in her dark hair has come partially loose from wherever it was pinned, and her midnight robes are damp at the hem from the wet ground.
It's the most undone I've ever seen her, and she still manages to look like she's the most composed person on the mountain.
“You’ve caused me a great deal of turmoil, Miss Hallowind.”
“An unintentional by-product of rescuing my sister, I assure you. Bringing Violet back here was my only goal.”
"And how is your sister?" Briar asks.
"Better. I’ve sent her to Dr. Thorne." I pull my hands into my sleeves against the evening chill. "You should know that she burned through the conduit she was given. I calmed her down and, with the help of two more, was able to convince the guardian matriarch to let her go. But one wasn’t strong enough.”
"I’ll let them know. The truth is, the conduit is a relatively new innovation, and not originally designed for her." Something shifts behind her eyes. "We developed it when you first arrived at Arcana.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You came to us with years of built-up power, no safe channel for release… We were concerned. You left before we got a chance to test it, but the design seems to have transferred well enough."
I let that sink in for a second. Somewhere in the background of Briar's preparations for me, she developed that small silver conduit.
Without it, maybe Violet wouldn’t have regained control. Maybe the guardian matriarch wouldn’t have agreed to let her go.
Mom always said, ‘The Goddess works in mysterious ways.’ Well, if my struggles somehow saved my sister and help the others, I’m good with that.
"I hope it helps them," I say. "And, on that note, I wanted you to know I brought the Concordance mirror with me when I arrived earlier. It's hanging in the front room of the little stone castle on the edge of the treeline.”
She arches a brow. “And what is that building? It arrived here, and my envoys have had no luck determining its origin or purpose.”
I shrug. “Let’s just say it’s a magical mystery of legend, and the only chance I see of us beating the major demon plaguing the real world."
Her focus sharpens. "And will it draw the wrath of demons upon us?”
“I don’t see how. No, if we do our jobs right, there won’t be any blowback. It’s also magically bound to the woman who was with me just now, Mica. She’s from the Emberwood coven but is now part of the Life and Death Brigade.”
“So, I assume it’s Mica who I must arrange with to access the mirror?”
“It is. The building is warded, and Mica's agreed to allow entry into the front room for use of the mirror under those conditions. Those are the terms."
She doesn't argue. She studies me for a moment with those frost-and-starlight eyes, and then she nods, once, precise as a signature.
"The witches who are most volatile need that resource urgently.
I'll arrange supervised sessions beginning tomorrow.
You have my word that your conditions will be observed. "
“Thank you. And, you should know the condition to me securing Violet’s release from the guardians is that the moment she’s cleared by your team, all of us foul-mouthed, demon-tainted abominations will leave Arcana and never come back.”
She blinks. “Arcana is open to all without judgement or prejudice.”
“Apparently not. I just thought I’d mention it, because when we go, so does the mirror.”
It’s not a threat. It’s a simple statement of how things are and how they will be.
“Understood. Please wish Violet well from me when you see her. It seems I’ll be busy ironing out a few administrative unpleasantries.”
“Good luck with that.”
Briar turns with the kind of finality that means the conversation is finished and she's already headed up the steps, speaking crisply to her staff as she moves back inside.
I let out a long breath and strike off toward the Summoning Hall.
"Excellent. Thanks for coming.” Mica stands aside and opens the door wider to invite Asher and me into the forge building. “I know you’ve had a day already, but this is important.”
“Not a problem. Personal stuff aside, we’re still trying to take down a major demon before he releases a…” I stall out on that one. “What’s worse than a major demon?”
“A super mega major demon?” Asher offers.
Close enough. “Yeah, we need to stop all the big baddies so we can reclaim our lives.”
“Then roll up your sleeves because we’re about to wreak some magical havoc."
“Isn't that what life is about these days?” I shrug out of my jacket and toss it carelessly onto a nearby chair as Asher and I step deeper into the stone building. "So, what have you got in mind?"
She gestures for us to follow her to the back, and Asher quickly gets out of his winter jacket before he melts.
The further back we walk, the hotter it gets, until we’re in the forge room proper, and the sulfuric air wraps around us, dense with heat and the unmistakable signature of Mica’s affinity.
Mica takes the towel hanging at her hip and wipes her brow and neck. Her teal and blue hair glistens in the firelight, purple, blue, and silver highlights dancing as she moves. "How's Violet?"
"Better." The heat sluices over me, and I pull my sweatshirt off and toss it to Asher. "She's with the healers and Dr. Thorne now. Lily's staying with her, ready to pack up and leave as soon as Violet gets the all-clear."
Mica grins. "I'm glad it worked out.”
“It was iffy there for a bit, but a win’s a win.”
“Damn skippy.” Asher weaves past the anvil and takes a seat on the bench against the wall. “And after Ireland, we needed a win.”
True story.
The room is alive with shadows and smoke. Flames flicker within the forge’s heart, the magic of the ancient Cinderheart Crucible crackling in the air around us.
“You mentioned wreaking magical havoc. Does that have anything to do with the demon blades you’re trying to forge?”
“It does. I’ve been thinking about your affinity and how we imbued the last batch.”
“And?”
“It was a good start, but not enough to affect Tharuzel. The blades didn’t hold your intention long enough, and I’m not sure the banishment spell was strong enough to do damage.”
“So, what are you suggesting we do differently?”
Mica pauses in front of a stack of glimmering metal ingots. “I think we’ve been going about it wrong, trying to pour your power into the objects. Instead, what if we let the metal itself guide the resonance? Let it tell us how best to take Tharuzel down.”
Asher looks intrigued, his attention shifting back and forth between us like he's watching a ping-pong match. "And how do you get the metal to connect to your intention?"
Mica scrunches up her nose. “Poppy’s blood.”
Okay, I did not see that coming. “My blood?”
“Yeah. I want to infuse not only your affinity and intention, but also your blood. It struck me when the guardians kept ranting about you carrying the demon’s mark.
You’ve got a blood-bond with Tharuzel. Let’s use that connection to hone the intention of the banishment spell and target it directly toward him. ”
My mind buzzes. I’m not sure if it’s Mica’s excitement, my desperation, or the possibility that we’re actually on to something, but I like it. “All right. I’m in.”
Mica claps. “Yes! Magic, alchemy, and intention. I think it’s the trifecta that’s going to get the job done.”
“And do you know anything about alchemy and blood bonds?”
“Not a thing. But when I came back and pitched the idea to Brimstone, he said it absolutely could be done. Well, as long as we did it the right way.”
“Oh? And what’s the right way?”
She hurries to one of the closed cabinets on the far wall and pulls out an old brass bowl and a ruby-encrusted athame. “It’s all about the blood.”