Boris flared with his true colors, struggling against the darkness wrapped around them both.
That’s it, I whispered. Fight him. You’re stronger than whatever he promised you. You’re—
Something surged.
Blood-dark magic—impossible and violent—wrapped around her, yanking her backward, and the shadows peeled open like a wound in the world, swallowing Raven whole.
No!
I lunged forward, my necromancy flaring, but someone caught me. Their arms locked around my waist and pulled me back as shadows swallowed Raven whole.
And then she was gone.
Cyrus’s arms were still holding me. When had he moved? Heat and solidity.
I should have pulled away. Should have put distance between us after he’d made it clear he needed space.
But my legs gave out, and his grip tightened, keeping me upright while the world tilted.
I left her, I whispered, not sure if I was talking to him or just saying it out loud. Not in Albany—here. All semester. She was right there, and I was so caught up in everything with you three, with the council, with the conspiracy. I didn’t even notice when she started pulling away.
His chest rose and fell against my back. For a long moment, he didn’t speak.
He’s ancient, Cyrus said finally, his voice rough and low near my ear. He’s been doing this for centuries. You’ve been here one semester. This is not on you.
The words should have helped. They didn’t.
She asked me to stop her if something went wrong. My voice cracked. She knew something was wrong and I—
You couldn’t have stopped this. His arms loosened slightly, like he’d just realized he was still holding me. Like he wasn’t sure if he should let go. None of us could.
I turned in his grip. I couldn’t help it. I needed to see his face.
His jaw was tight, fire flickering in his eyes.
Keane reappeared through a portal, his expression grim. Lucas is fine. Unconscious, but the healers say he’ll recover. No signs of corruption. It was a direct strike, not an infection.
Alive but just hurt. Small mercies.
And the librarian is stable as well, he continued, squeezing my hand. No one else was hurt.
I nodded.
Aurora? Cyrus asked, his voice carefully neutral.
With him. Shaken but unhurt. Keane’s eyes found mine. She saw everything.
Of course she had. Another person pulled into this nightmare because they’d been close to me.
Elio stood a few feet away, Echo wrapped around his shoulder. The shadows she disappeared into—that was blood magic. Transportation, probably.
To where? My voice sounded hollow.
The master, Cyrus said flatly. He’d stepped back now, putting careful distance between us again, but his eyes were still on me. He took her to prove he could.
The air split with the sound of another portal opening.
Captain Morrison stepped through, Shroud Guards flanking him. His expression was grim. Perimeter sealed. We picked up a surge in forbidden magic.
