“It doesn’t matter if permanent magic can be made,” Fatemah said. “You will not commit such cruelty in my sanctuary. That is what it will be—cruelty, experimenting on people, manipulating our island’s magic. And”—she hesitated, disgust curling her lip as she glanced at Ben—“we have heard the proclamations too, from Elazar’s people, of a light coming. Rumors say hisblessingswill start in a few days. If it has nothing to do with permanent magic, Elazar could be planning more arrests, more burnings, interrogations, the sorts of things that nearly destroyed Grace Loray years ago. We must act before Elazar gets the chance.”
“How?” Pierce planted one hand on his hip. “Say Elazar is planning to attack Port Mesi-Teab. We could march on him first and—what? Politely ask him to leave? With our couple dozen Emerdian raiders, however many Rosalia’s got left, and the Tuncians, who don’t have their Head? All that, against the whole of Argrid’s militaryandthe Council’s soldiers?”
“We had small numbers during the revolution,” Kari countered. “We utilized our island’s terrain and defeated Elazar’s forces with guerrilla attacks. We can defeat him now the same way. I move that our next steps be to scout for Elazar’s location and assassinate him. Killing the figurehead of this war in a single, decisive act will make it far easier to reclaim the island and demand return of your missing people.”
Ben’s heart tripped.Assassinate him.He knew, in the fogof his mind, that this war would end only with Elazar dead. But the idea felt uncomfortable.
Pierce’s lips twitched. “And I move that we fortify this sanctuary. We batten down and let Elazar throw his worst at us. We already know his ultimate weapon is here.” He jabbed his thumb at Lu. “We go on the defensive until we get permanent magic—then we march on him, and we take out not just him, but every goddamn defensor stinking up this island. It’ll befar easier”—Pierce’s voice turned mocking—“to get our missing people whenallof their captors are dead.”
“How long will that take?” Kari’s voice pinched. “What if you never get permanent magic? You are basing our next steps on a weapon that doesn’t exist.”
Pierce ignored her, staring at Lu, who eyed everyone in the room.
Ben started to pull attention back onto himself—he could make permanent magic, too; let the raider Heads torment him—but Lu turned to Kari.
“I can make permanent magic,” Lu said. “And with it, we will destroy Elazar.”
Rosalia applauded. The noise sounded dull in Lu’s ears.
“Permanent magic doesn’t help us with an immediate plan of action,” Kari said, her face frail. “It could be months before you perfect any potion.”
“I’m close,” Lu said. “I know I am. Days, at most.”
“We need to focus on steps to take against Elazarnow.” Kari was trying so hard to convince Lu without derailing their war plots—leader, mother; general, parent. “We will fortify our position in this sanctuary, as Pierce mentioned. We will build our defenses. But we cannot sit behind those defenses hoping for permanent magic.”
Fatemah stepped up. “I second your earlier motion to scout for Elazar’s location and assassinate him. We will not turn this into a magic war. We go after Elazar as we are, or you all will leave my home.”
“It isn’t just your home.”
Nayeli’s face was grim. “As long as Cansu’s missing,” she continued, “we’ll do everything we can to get her back. Including permanent magic. I’m with Lu.”
“We cannot win this war divided,” Kari said, her voice cold. “We must find a compromise. Many of you believe in permanent magic; many of us believe in acting as soon as possible and keeping magic out of this war. But we must find a way to—”
“Tell you what, Councilmember.” Pierce sniffed. “If you figure out where Elazar’s hiding and scrape together an assassination attempt before Lu here makes her potion, we’ll join in. But ifweget permanent magic first, then we stage our attack with that weapon and wipe out as many of his defensors as we can. How’s that for compromise?”
Kari’s face paled. Her hesitation made Lu’s chest buck with terror. That was all she could feel: fear, hatred,need.The need to obliterate Argrid the same way it had obliterated her.
That need blinded Lu as Vex shuffled next to her.
“No,” he whispered.
Lu deflated. “What?”
“No. Not with... not with magic. My father didn’t want—”
“Since when do you do things because of your father?” Nayeli snapped. “Cansu is gone, Vex! Argrid captured her becauseyouleft her in the castle. You owe her.”
Vex shivered, a tremor that made him dip his chin to his chest.
Pain lit like an ember in Lu’s heart. She stoked it higher, willing herself to feel it beyond the numbness, beyond theneed.
He disagreed with her. Vex, who had been tortured with magic in the Church’s prisons. Vex, who knew her history with magic as well, and for a moment she saw the situation from his view: Lu wanted to create more of what had hurt both of them.
But it was different. They would be the ones in control. They would be the victors.
Nayeli, her eyes red, grabbed Lu’s hand. “C’mon. I’ll get you someplace to work. Let them scout for Elazar. We’ll get permanent magic and end this whole mess.”
Nayeli dragged her out of the room. Pierce and Nate trailed them; Rosalia lingered for half a breath longer,enough to throw a parting wink at Vex.
