“What’s his name?” I step over another patch of dry lichen that long ago strangled a patch of weeds beneath my feet. “He did not say.”
“Because he does not remember.” Her lips offer a bloodless smile at my shock. “He had a name, once, or so Petyr says. But his thirst for knowledge was greater than his sense of self-preservation. He continued casting in his need to learn more, to test the metal he is gifted with. He stopped remembering his name several years ago, and so we do not bring it up, for any mention of his past disturbs him. There is no escaping thepretium, Selene, not for any of us. He can cast—and does, often—for he has already paid the price. He has no memories beyond that of the maegis.”
I study her. “And you? What memories have you lost?”
“Not as many as you might think. Petyr and I have been close since childhood. He is very adept at filling in any gaps.”
But that’s not the same thing. I hold my tongue.
She stops at the gates. My body tenses, and I force myself not to look up as she speaks. “I will retire, I think. I get tired easily.”
The deep circles beneath her eyes testify to her exhaustion, and I nod. “Of course.”
As she turns, carefully climbing the steps, I call out to her. “What did you find? When you read me?”
Wendlyn stops, and turns. Her head dips. “Forgive me. I was curious about whether my maegis also applied to faeytes. But it does not. I saw nothing.”
I wait for her to slowly make her way up the steps and disappear through the doors at the top, before turning back toward the town. It stretches out in the distance, the ever-present void of the Sea of Stars beyond it like a curtain. My eyes flick to the side, waiting.
The male that steps into sight has me arching a brow. “You’re not nearly as subtle as you think.”
Callan grins, but there’s no amusement in it. Only tiredness, and a softness to his gaze that he offers as his eyes rake over me, as though checking for injury when I know full well he wasbehind us the entire time. “Maybe I cannot seem to stay away from you. That was interesting.”
“It was.” He falls into step beside me as we climb the steps. “Why does no sound come from the compound? It’s unnatural. Is it some use of maegis?”
He stops. Stares at me. “What do you mean?”
I shake my head. “I heard no soldiers. No clash of metal. No talking. Nothing at all, Callan. Did you not know?”
“I haven’t walked that path for months. It’s one of those places you avoid unless you need to go, and I hope to never set foot inside.” He’s frowning deeply. “The last time I did walk past, there was plenty of noise. Today I was focused on you. Perhaps they’re running an exercise. I’ll look into it. Truthfully, I was distracted.”
I stay close to him, my voice barely a murmur. “There is something happening here.”
Something deeper than trying to fix the Never. Something I cannot put my finger on. “There is darkness here, Callan. Can you sense it?”
It presses down on me, dragging me down. The closer we get to the castle, the worse it gets, until I’m certain I’m not imagining it. “This place feels like gods-cursed ground to me now.”
“I’m not surprised.” Callan waves off the guard who steps forward and opens the door for us. His voice is low enough for us not to be overheard as we step through. “I had thought we might go to the temple this afternoon and search for the scrolls, if you wish to. Merrick has invited us for dinner. I promise that he’s a much better host than Petyr.”
His voice sharpens at the mention of his brother. My fingers twist into my dress. “I’ll need to bathe. Will we stay at the house again, after? Or here?”
“Do you have a preference?” His arm brushes mine, and I almost forget to breathe as the thoughts rush over me.
“Yes,” I whisper. “A very strong preference, in fact.”
He clicks his tongue. He looks disappointed. “I’ll let Esme know you’ll be back, then.”
My lips part in shock, but then his lips twitch, and my heart leaps. Shaking my head, I turn away to hide my own smile.
It fades as I catch sight of purple eyes, staring at us. The Metallurgist drags his gaze slowly over me, over Callan, examining the two of us as if we’re an experiment from the shadows between the pillars to our right. When he sees me looking back at him, he nods, a small smile on his lips.
I step back, nearly hitting Callan with my wings. He slips his fingers around mine. “I’ll take you to your room.”
When I look back, there’s no sign of purple eyes anywhere.
But we are being watched.
Chapter forty
