“Stop us from what?”
“From reaching the sea of ash, of course.”
There it was. Emory’s shoulders slumped. “Ro, be serious.”
“Iambeing serious. Look around you, Em. We’re quite literally in a world fromSong of the Drowned Gods, called here by a song we both heard. If this is real, then why shouldn’t the rest of the story be?” She pointed to Emory, then to herself, saying, “You’re the scholar who found a portal to other worlds. I’m the girl of dreams who was slumbering among the stars. And now we’ve found a witch with the same spiral mark that we have. Two witches, apparently! Bryony and Aspen are the missing pieces we need. They’re the reason we’re here.”
“What if you’re wrong?”
Something shifted in Romie, that fervor in her eyes banking,bringing her back down to earth. She swallowed hard before saying, “Look, I know I messed up back at Aldryn. Obsessing over the epilogue the way I did… I lost sight of what was important to me and nearly lost everything in the process. I don’t want to do that again. But Iswear, Em, I’m right about this. All I’m asking is that you trust me.”
“Of course I trust you.”
“Then let’s do this together. The way it always should have been.”
Hearing those words resonated with Emory. For a long time, she’d resented Romie for her secrecy and obsession, for throwing away their friendship along with everything else that had been important to her—like Romie’s budding romance with Nisha and her relationship with Baz.
But now a part of Emory understood. Because while Romie had lost herself searching for the epilogue, Emory had lost herself searching for Romie.
She, too, had alienated and used the only real friends she’d had left in search of power and acceptance, which she’d sought from people who, in hindsight, might not have been the best influence on her. Keiran sure hadn’t been. Neither had Lizaveta, despite her veiled warnings. Virgil and Nisha had been the only Selenic Order members Emory had connected with, but it still felt to her like she’d been too consumed by Keiran to give them a proper chance.
“Can we make each other a promise?” Romie asked.
At the solemnity in her voice, Emory sat next to her on the divan. “Of course. Anything.”
“We’re in this mess because of the secrets I kept.”
“Ro…”
“No, let me finish. I hate that I lost you even before I went to Dovermere. And when I thought I might be dead, I hated that I would never be able to make amends. But we’re here now. Together. And I don’t want any secrets between us anymore.”
Guilt stabbed through Emory. “I don’t either.”
“So no secrets, then?”
Everything Emory was keeping from Romie rose to the surface. The pull of her magic and the ghosts it conjured. Tides, even the truth about Keiran. Romie knew of his betrayal, how the entire Selenic Order had fallen for his lies, but she didn’t know about Emory’s relationship with him. Emory had kept that detail out, too embarrassed to admit she’d let her feelings for Keiran cloud her judgment.
She didn’twantto lie to Romie. But it wasn’t like Romie was being entirely truthful with her, either. Whatever she felt about Emory’s magic hung between them like an impenetrable wall. But Emory wasn’t ready to tear it down just yet and find out what lay behind it.
“No secrets,” she said with a smile she hoped reached her eyes.
“Good.” Romie rested her cheek on Emory’s shoulder and sighed happily. “You know, as much as I love being here with you, I feel bad for my brother. The dork would have a field day with this.”
Emory snorted on a laugh. “He’d probably pass out from excitement.” The thought of Baz made her heart sink. Quietly, she added, “I do miss him, though.”
Romie leaned back and waggled her brows at her. “Like, miss him, ormiss himmiss him?”
This, at least, was one truth Emory hadn’t hidden from Romie. How close she’d become to Baz in Romie’s absence. How confused she was about what she felt for him.
“I’m not sure,” Emory said with a sad smile. And she genuinelywasunsure. She missed him more deeply every time she felt homesick, because she realized that Baz had become her anchor. The one person she knew she could depend on.
She missed his friendship, his companionship, his solid presence. But she wasn’t sure she missed himlike that.
There was that kiss on the beach, and their goodbye in the cave, playing still in the back of her mind. But those weren’t the first things that came to mind when she thought of Baz. And that made her feel awful all over again, remembering how she’d used his feelings for her to get something out of him.
Maybe if they made it back home, she would give him a chance. A proper chance this time, to see if these feelings he’d always had for her could be reciprocated.
Or maybe it was best to let it go.
