Cold damp spread over Elysia’s knees as she stared off over the hills. She’d been watching Topp and Rollie while in the warehouse, catching glimpses of them in what looked like a hot,bustling street market. Rollie had stolen from a merchant. Topp had gotten shot in the ass.
It concerned her that the fates wanted her to stir up the gods, considering that was what Aidan and Grim sought as well. Call it intuition, or maybe just a lifetime of being hunted, but she had a terrible feeling about being sent to the White Sands. The note was a reminder to stay in line—if they wanted her to jump, she would jump. She couldn’t say she cared for that.
Elysia stood, turning her face up into the brisk air, her anger fading into a sharp loneliness. The soot-stained purple evening sky was a balm, though. The dark fog drifted aimlessly, quieting the turmoil in her chest.
She’d once told Topp that she didn’t believe redemption existed for people like them. She hadn’t entirely changed her mind, but even if redemption remained out of reach, she was starting to believe they could dosomegood, and maybe that was better than none. She would go to the White Sands. Not for whatever end the fates desired, but to further her own aims—the aims of Aidan and Grim, and all her friends who fought to keep the mortal realm safe from Garrison and the fates’ machinations.
She touched the ruby in her pocket.
If they wanted a show to wake the gods, then that was what she’d give them.
Chapter 27
Elysia was throwingtrowels and rummaging through seed pouches to no avail. This was thedeath realm,was it not? So why had this man only gifted herniceplants? She needed snapping plants, poisonous plants, and ones that could be ground into fine powders meant for diabolical ends. Frustrated, she chucked another pouch filled with peony seeds across the greenhouse. No one ever pulled a god’s head from their ass withpeonies.
“Looking for something?” Dry humor coated Maya’s words as she leaned against a workbench.
Elysia scowled at her, in no mood for jokes. “Obviously,” she muttered.
Maya untied her cloak, dropping it onto a table, and smirked as she walked over. She tapped the crumpled letter from the fates, which was resting on a shelf near Elysia, with a black-smudged finger. “The fates are meddling again, then.”
“According to them, they don’t meddle at all.”
Maya snorted, glancing over the note’s contents. “I take it you haven’t shown this to Aidan yet.”
“No, I’ve been a little busy.” She grunted as she lifted and released a heavy box of seeds onto the table. Sorting throughthem, she shoved at the box. “This is useless. I need something, somethingexplosive.”
Maya rummaged through the seed pouches, humming as she did so. “I could help.”
Elysia’s mouth flattened. “And what do you want in return?”
“Come now, I’m supposed to mentor you. What did you think I’d be mentoring you in? All that mushy emotional magic you’re doing with Aidan and the new arrivals?”
Elysia wasn’t convinced. “What type of magic do you work with, anyway?”
Maya didn’t answer, instead grabbing Elysia by the wrist. “All kinds. Come on, take a break. You’ve never visited my cottage, and I can tell you more about your magic. Did Aidan evenexplainwhat you’re really doing?”
No, no, he hadn’t.
Elysia threw her coat back on and followed Maya to her small stone cottage. The stark contrast to the reddish-brown brick buildings with iron accents everywhere else in the city piqued Elysia’s curiosity. The cottage’s chimney puffed happily, and the door was painted a dark burgundy with both dried flowers and nails hanging from its center. To the right of the cabin were several plots of tilled land that Elysia imagined Maya used for plants in warmer weather.
Stomping her boots on the porch, Maya unlocked the front door and Elysia followed her in, looking around and breathing in the smoky air. Maya immediately checked on several tinctures and paused at the stove to stir something that did not look remotely edible. Satisfied her work was progressing, she grabbed a bottle, popped off the cork and poured out two small glass goblets.
“Woodland berry wine. Tart, but good.” She set one down in front of Elysia before taking her own seat.
Elysia sniffed the wine before sampling it, her face screwing up in shock at how sour it was.
Maya laughed, her gray eyes dancing. “Maybe it’s an acquired taste.” Standing up, she walked over to an apothecary cabinet andbegan to pull out drawers, talking to herself as she piled more and more ingredients into a jar.
Watching her gave Elysia a disturbing flashback to the old meela in Kava. Slamming the last drawer shut, Maya turned around and placed the jar between them before settling back into her chair. “Grim said the Kava boys want to light up a temple? These will do the job when mixed appropriately.”
Elysia nodded, holding up the jar to peer at its contents. “Rollie is probably five steps ahead of me, but just in case.”
Maya took a long pull of her wine, not even wincing as the sour alcohol went down. “Your goal is to destroy the temple or to garner the attention of the gods?”
Elysia fidgeted with the goblet before taking a breath. She’d been sitting on a thought all day, afraid to ask Aidan since he hadn’t brought it up when it seemed like there had been an obvious opening. Finally looking at Maya, she kept her voice even, disinterested almost.
“When I extracted the pain from a newcomer today, I was able to hold it as raw energy, and the river transmuted it to support the realm.” The rocks in her lap had been clods of hardened soot—giant hunks of raw magic waiting to be used.
