But I’d absorbed the institutional stress without letting it fracture what mattered.
I’d made my trustworthiness the question so hers didn’t have to be.
I’d used the same social perception skills my family had taught me—but for protection instead of exploitation.
18
Marigold
KEANE’S PORTAL HAD OPENED ONTO the stone corridor outside the Raynoff Tower war room. It was warded, distant from Wickem, and off the record. Now the four of us stood around the tactical map, tension coiled tightly.
I shifted my weight, my fingers grazing the chain at my neck.
Lord Raynoff sat at the head, the interim council flanking him. The small group consisted of trusted people only.
Everyone here already knew this wasn’t going to be easy.
Raven Singer, I began. Corrupted for at least four months. Held at the master’s Alps compound. We’re going in.
Extraction timeline? Raynoff asked.
One week, Keane said. Portal insertion during guard rotation. Four-minute window before compound security responds.
And the corruption level? Voss leaned forward, his expression grim.
I felt the weight of their stares, waiting to see if I’d flinch. Long-term exposure. If she’s too far gone, extraction could kill her.
The silence after said everything.
So this is a suicide mission, Voss said flatly.
No, I replied, my fingers pressing against the edge of the table. Because there’s a test. If it works for her, it might work for others.
I continued, If I can reach her consciousness, if she responds to a specific anchor, her core self is still intact. Recoverable. If she doesn’t respond, we abort and switch to containment tracking.
And if the corruption tries to spread during contact? Raynoff’s amber eyes were sharp.
Scout gave a soft clatter of bone against my shoulder, barely audible but sharp in the quiet.
I looked at Cyrus, and he met my gaze steadily.
Then I burn it, Cyrus said. Even if it hurts Raven. Team protection is nonnegotiable.
The bluntness landed hard, but it was honest.
He expects us, Elio said. This is bait. We’re going anyway.
Because? Raynoff’s tone held challenge but also curiosity.
Because four months is near the edge of what we think we can reverse, Elio said. We’ve seen the pattern in the wellsprings we’ve cleansed. The longer corruption stays embedded, the more carefully we have to extract it.
He paused, meeting each council member’s eyes, and then continued, “We need all four of us: Marigold for consciousness contact, Keane for portal timing, me for illusion traps, Cyrus for fire containment. If any part fails, we pull out.
Who makes that call? Hartwell asked.
I assess recoverability, I said. Keane monitors portal stability. Elio tracks threat emergence. Cyrus initiates abort if things go badly.
You’re giving abort authority to—
