N: It was a long time ago. We escaped S together, but he found us. Tracked us down and killed her so I’d go back with him.
D: Fates, Nox. I’m so sorry. He’s a monster.
N: That’s what he does. Takes those I care about and ruins them. It’s why I can’t let anyone get too close. Not since her.
D: I get it. But it doesn’t mean it’s always going to end that way. You deserve to be happy again.
N: Feeling sorry for your ruthless captor?
D: We both know that’s never what you were, Nox.
D: Sleep well. I’ll check in tomorrow.
D: That’s it, if he doesn’t show up today, I’m jumping out this window.
N: Good morning to you, too.
D: The suspense is driving me crazy. I need him to either kill me or give me something to do before I rot in here.
N: Not funny.
D: Sorry. I just don’t do well with this. Feeling purposeless. Like I can’t do anything to help. I know you’re all waiting on me to find something.
N: I’d rather you be safe than efficient, Devora.
D: Distract me. What have you been working on?
N: Silas is down to his last bit of fatesprig. He’s been trying to run magical tests without using it on anyone, since we don’t know what effects it’ll have, but it’s not working. He’s out of ideas. I’m thinking about letting him use it on me.
D: That sounds like a terrible plan.
N: Never stopped me before, darling.
D: Such an inspiration to rebellious souls everywhere.
D: S just showed up. He’s taking me somewhere tonight. Don’t wait up for me; it might be late.
N: I’ll be up. Stay safe.
40
Nox
“You’re certain you want to try this tonight, Nox?” Silas asked as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“For the last time,yes,” I said. “You’re running out of the fatesprig Devora brought, and we’re getting nowhere. We need to try it on a human subject.”
Next to Silas, Tessa crossed her arms, her black braids swishing against her wrists. “And you’re sure this sudden demand to put your life on the line isn’t because of something else? Something like, oh, I don’t know—your inability to protect a certain redhead from danger and needing to grasp control in other areas of the mission?”
I blinked at her. Across the workshop, Arowyn snorted. “Stop being rational, Tessa. We don’t do that here,” the Strider said.
Kieran and Everett were on patrol duty and watching the children’s wing, respectively. Tonight, it was just Tessa, Arowyn, Silas, and myself. Which may or may not have been why I decided to spring this on our Alchemist now, when the two most likely to convince me of my brashness were otherwise occupied.
It wasn’t even “brash,” honestly. This was practical. The next logical step in our testing. It had nothing to do with Devora.
I thought I felt the magical parchment burn in my pocket, and I reached for it so quickly, I cracked the arm of the chair.
False alarm. Nothing was there.
