They were serving as anexcellentdistraction.
Kieran turned to Hattie, heart racing in his ears.“How do I attune my magic to that breathing device?”
She stammered, “Y-you just hold it and channel your magic into it as you would a paintbrush o-or a ball of dough.You’ll feel when it connects.”
“Are youmad?”Briar gaped, completely ignoring Hattie.“That thing is going to kill you if you go out there!”
“She’s right,” Delilah said, shaking her head furiously.“There has to be another way—”
“I’ll help you,” Sebastian cut in.When the girls spun on him in horror, he went on, pressing a hand to his chest: “Whatever you need, tell me.You saved my life before—let me repay the favor.”
“Oh, so you both have death wishes!Fantastic!”Briar met her twin’s eyes.“That thing will rip you apart, Kier.Just admit you’re out of your depth, and we’ll come up with a different plan.”
“Out of my depth?”Kieran frowned and shook his head.“If it were you, you’d charge in there without a second thought!”
“Sure, but that’s because I’ve been practicing combat magic my entire life, so I can defend myself!You, on the other hand, barely know anythingaboutmagic!What are you going to do if it attacks you, huh?Write a sad poem?Because that wentswimminglythe last time.”
Kieran flinched as if she’d punched him in the jaw.He’d always known how little Briar thought of his competency with magic—she was, admittedly, right—but she’d at least had the decency to keep it to herself until now.
Voice gentle, Delilah started, “Briar, come on—”
“You know what?”Kieran took the breathing mask from Hattie’s hand, using it to point at his twin.“Screw you, Briar.I’m going to prove you wrong.”
With that, he stormed toward the door, leaving the others slack-jawed behind him.
Chapter Eight
The back of Kieran’s throat burned as he left Hattie’s and stormed toward the woods, letting the trees swallow him until he was out of sight.He grasped the breathing device in one hand and held his other in a fist at his side.
Don’t cry,he chided himself, even as the tears slid from the corners of his eyes.Don’t you remember what Father used to say?Pelumbra men are the brave ones.Not the ones who cry the second someone doubts them.
He swiped a sleeve across his face.Ahead of him, the lake had gone deceptively placid.The two boats floated, unmoving, in the calm water.Most of the mercenaries had been able to get back onto them.Two of them were shouting about whether to follow the spirit into the water, while a third man refused to so much as touch the lake again.For now, it seemed, the spirit had elected to lie in wait.
Good,Kieran thought, gripping the breathing device.Gives me time to attune to this.Then I’ll make Briar eat her words.
Near the edge of the water, Kieran stopped.He looked down at the device, holding it with both hands.It seemed simple enough.He could feel a spark of magic already in it—it was like a wick, and he merely needed to provide the flame.It should be easy.He didn’t even have to cast a true spell, just tap into the well of magic in his chest and channel it.
So simple.Any witch could do it.
So why couldn’t he, no matter how hard he focused, seem to be able to summon anything but more tears?
Kieran’s fingers tightened around the device.His hands had begun to shake.Briar’s face hung in his mind’s eye, staring him down as if he was the most useless creature alive.Not far behind was Ash, shaking his head in disappointment, knowing full well that Kieran wouldn’t even be able to do this if he had ten more years of magical training.His curse would never break, and he’d never take Kieran back.
Pathetic, useless—
“Kieran, wait.”
Kieran sniffled and looked up to find Sebastian jogging toward him, hair fluttering in the breeze.Kieran desperately tried to rub the tears out of his eyes, but it was useless.Even if he could stop them, his red face and sniffles would have been obvious.
“Briar’s right,” Kieran said, looking down at the device.“This was a terrible idea.I can’t even prove her wrong, because—because—”
“Take a breath,” Sebastian said plainly, putting a hand on his shoulder.The warmth of it immediately made Kieran look up.Sebastian continued, unfazed by Kieran’s tears, “If you want todo this, I can help.The spirit is hiding—if you can swim to it, I can distract Elias’s men.You might be able to use this as an opportunity to surprise it and take the Hilt while it’s focused on the mercenaries.”
“But my magic—” Kieran blubbered.
Sebastian squeezed his shoulder.Suddenly, his other hand was clasped over Kieran’s, heat from his palm pressing into Kieran’s skin.Kieran inhaled sharply.It was enough to make the tears stop.
“You’re panicking,” Sebastian said.He grasped Kieran’s hand tighter.“You just need to focus.Close your eyes and breathe with me.Understood?”
