And then I finally take stock of the pool’s edge.
It’spacked.
Bob stands at attention, still puffed up from his Torric-competition moment. Patricia hovers beside him, notebook flickering — I refuse to look at that page again. Finnick is doing lazy victory laps in the air. Linda radiates smug approval. Carl and Steve are still in a heap, arguing silently. Mouse sits at the head of the formation like a disappointed king surveying his chaotic subjects.
Walter bobs lazily at the far end, pulsing with starlight, completely unbothered by everything.
And the Eds—
The Eds areeverywhere.
Dozens of them. Maybe more. Crowded along the waterline like spectators at a sporting event. Some of them are floatingonthe water now, little dark shapes drifting closer, clustering at the edges of our group.
“Are they…” Torric squints at them. “Are theywatchingus?”
“They’re always watching,” Finn says, sounding far too delighted. “Hey, Eds. Enjoying the show?”
Several of them bob enthusiastically.
“I hate this,” Darian mutters, sinking even lower.
“I don’t,” Finn says. “This is the best day of my life.”
I drop my face into my hands.
The water is warm. The company is… a lot. The shadows are judging us.
And somehow, impossibly, I start to laugh.
Chapter 27
Malrik
The water is perfect.
I sink lower, letting the warmth seep into muscles I didn’t realize were knotted. Days on the road. Nights of broken sleep. The constant pressure of leading without being asked to lead. It’s all been building in my shoulders, my neck, the space between my ribs where tension lives.
For the first time in what feels like weeks, I breathe.
Around me, the others are finding their places. The pool is larger than it looked from the edge — big enough for all of us to spread out, though no one seems inclined to spread far. We’ve been pressed close for so long, I’m not sure any of us remember how to do distance.
Torric groans like a dying animal as he sinks deeper. “Gods.Gods.Why didn’t we find this place sooner?”
“Because we were busy almost dying,” Aspen says mildly. He’s settled beside his brother, shoulders finally dropping from their usual tension. His eyes are already moving — cataloging everyone’s state, tracking who’s relaxed and who’s faking it.
I do the same thing. Always have.
Kaia floats near the center, her golden hair fanning out around her like a halo. She looks… peaceful. Actually peaceful. Her shadows drift lazily through the water around her, loose and content in a way I haven’t seen since before the sanctuary.
Finn is beside her — close but not touching. He’s practically vibrating with energy, even in the water. His chaos magic hums beneath the surface, a low static charge I can feel against my skin.
Kieran has positioned himself near the far edge. Close enough to be present, far enough to maintain that careful distance he’s been keeping. His gold eyes drift to Kaia every few seconds — quick glances he probably thinks no one notices.
I notice.
And Darian…
Darian has sunk so low that only his face is visible above the waterline. His cheeks are still flushed, his eyes darting everywhere except directly at anyone. His magic flickers nervously at his fingertips beneath the surface.
