Knowing her, she assumes it’s her fault. The blood. The pain. Me shutting down. What I meant was she caused me to open up to her in my subconscious. That the memory of the night they carved my legs surfaced in our dream because, deep down, I want to share it with her. I wantsomeoneto forgive me for it. But that person can’t be Ember.Ifshe finds it in her heart to forgive me, we’ll be halfway to sealing our Counterpart bond.
I have no clue how to stopherend from sealing. All I can control is how close I let myself get to her. Because once our bond seals, she’ll experience every magical consequence inflicted on me, and that includes my Death Bonds. If I don’t do what Jaxan says and the Death Bond kills me, bonded, Ember and I will die together. And I refuse to endanger her.
I take a breath and turn on my transmitter.
In the silence of the arcade, my footsteps sound like a battle-worn army marching toward an impossible conclusion. Do yourjob even if it can’t be done. Protect her but don’t get attached. Push her away every time you feel yourself falling for her. Don’t fall apart when she tries to wrap a towel around your leg.
I used to think it was pretty, how the white moonlight shines down from above. Now I can’t stop myself from being disappointed every time I have to wait for the sun. Four more hours until the sunrise turns the arcade golden.
A flood of notifications buzzes in my hand, and I hear myself swallow as dozens of unread messages pour in.
I only read hers. They’re short, to the point, and the most upset I’ve ever heard her. The Illusion I cast in the city, shadows to throw the Echelons off while I went to Alchemia, got back to her. She thinks I’m in the Shadowrealm.
Her messages get worse as I scroll.Are you hurt? Why aren’t you in your room? Answer as soon as you get this. I’m worried you’re missing. Everyone’s worried you’re missing. Are you in the Shadowrealm? Why is your blood in the catacombs? Case told me to read the letter I wasn’t supposed to read unless you were dead.Her last message hurts the most.Leland.
I jog past the fourth-year rooms and head up the spiral to hers. It’s late, past the time they go to bed, but all I plan to do is tell Ember I’m back, make sure she’s okay, then go back to my room.
Skye opens the door before I can knock. She’s wide awake, wearing gray sweats and one of her loose tanks, shoes on and legs jittering like she’s about to implode.
It hits me that I can’t feel Ember, and with the door open, I should. I glance over the top of Skye’s head and get a view of Ember’s empty desk.
“Where is she?” I ask. “Why are you up? Why are your shoes on?”
“Don’t be mad, but” — Skye does the watery eye thing she does when something’s wrong — “Ember went to the Allwitch temple.”
I’m done with the conversation.
I head to my room to grab the coin.
Skye follows, jogging.
“Why didn’t you stop her?” I ask.
“I tried?” She bites her lip, considering her statement’s accuracy. “I think I tried. It was all very confusing. Ember said she had a highly contagious, fatal disease that becomes infectious in Hartik’s Hollow, and we would definitely catch it and die if we went with her. The cure’s in the Allwitch temple? Obviously, it was analonejob. Except she took Pepper. Strangely, her disease does not affect Familiars.”
I open the door to my room and motion for Skye to enter, processing her story on the way to my desk. When did Ember start getting sick? Why didn’t she tell me she didn’t feel well? I have potions. I could have Healed her. And why would she think the cure’s in the Allwitch temple?
I Summon a mask from my pocket realm to wear around her as Skye stands by my mirror, guilty and avoiding her own reflection as I rummage through my desk drawers.
“Fuck,” I say, finding the coin missing. Stress pours out of my exhale. “Fuck.”
“What’s wrong? What’s happening?”
“I don’t know how to get inside the temple. I had a way, but I don’t now.”
“Oh, yes,” she replies factually. “Forgot to mention that. Ember took your coin. Well.” She tilts her head. “Technically,hercoin.”
My eyes slide to her. I know Ember didn’t tell Skye about the coin. I’ve shut down multiple conversations on the subject, and every single time Ember brought it up, she did so in Privacy. She knows it’s something she shouldn’t share, and she wouldn’t.
“Should you be going to the temple when she’s this contagious?” Skye asks, twisting her ring around her finger. “Pus-filled pustules are involved, did I mention that?”
“Then I guess I’m getting pustules,” I say, stuffing my mask into my backpack.
I quickly scan my pocket realm for anything else I might need, and try not to fixate on why I didn’t pick up a second coin when I could have, in Alchemia. The first thing I need to do is message Ash, who might have a coin I can use. But she’s not always available, and my muscles tighten in readiness as I consider what I’ll have to do if I can’t reach her. I’ll have to steal the Everblade and use it to carve open the door of the Allwitch temple.
“Huh,” Skye says, pulling me from my thoughts. “Now that I think about it. Ember also kind of thought she would findyouin the temple. How does that make sense? Why would she go there to find you only to kill you with her highly contagious, deadly pustule disease?”
I’m out the door. Skye scurries after me. I cast Privacy because it’s late, and I don’t need anyone else waking up to follow. The fastest way to Ember won’t be the portstops. I need to lose Skye so I can Teleport.
