“Rusli’s a Luaguan student,” Kai explained. “I bumped into him on my way back here. He got jumped by Regulators who tried to put damper cuffs on him.”
Rusli gave them a slanted smile. “I fought back.” He motioned to his cut. “They didn’t like that.”
Kai chuckled darkly. “Welcome to Aldryn, I guess.”
Baz couldn’t help but notice the spark of kinship between Kai and Rusli. He shoved down the hint of jealousy that flared inside him—now wasnotthe time to dwell on what the Deep that even meant—and thought instead of all the Eclipse students like Rusli who had traveled here only to find themselves caught up in this horrible situation.
The elevator gate opened onto the illusioned field. Only whenthey were all in the safety of the Eclipse commons did Baz feel like he could breathe again. “Where’s Jae?” he asked, looking between Kai and Vera. “And how did you get here anyway?”
“Jae’s fine,” Kai said. “We split up at the train station. They went to warn the Eclipse-born in Threnody—and get a message across to your dad at the lighthouse, of course.”
Baz pulled at his hair. “This is bad. Freyia talked. The Regulators know about Jae, and it’s only a matter of time before they make it out to the lighthouse.” He eyed Vera. “How did this happen—how did she even escape?”
“We think it’s Artem,” Vera said. “He came into the Institute right before the Reanimator went missing.” She threw a glance at Nisha. “Your friend Virgil was with him. I’m assuming this has something to do with the Selenic Order?”
Nisha looked puzzled. “If it does, it’s news to me. Artem must have roped Virgil in at the last minute, otherwise Virgil would have told us.”
An inkling of doubt rose in Baz. He wanted to trust Virgil—didtrust Virgil—but what if he was wrong?
“A Reanimator,” Rusli said, face pale. “So it’s true, then, what they’re saying about corpses running around town?”
“That wasn’t the Reanimator,” Kai said, avoiding everyone’s eye. “It was me.”
“What?”
“I accidentally slipped into Freyia’s nightmares last night and woke up on Dovermere Cove with an army of reanimated corpses at my back. I tried to make them disappear. Got most of them, but some got away from me.”
Rusli whistled a dark note. “Those are some gnarly nightmares to have.”
“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Baz asked angrily.
“I tried telling you this morning.”
This morning. When Baz had all but shoved Kai out the door. He clamped down on a surge of guilt. “There’s no getting out of this mess, is there?”
Professor Selandyn let out a breath. “Obscura Hall will remain safe for as long as the wards stand. But you two”—she motioned between Baz and Kai—“need to leave. If they find out you’re Collapsed, there’s no knowing what they’ll do to you now.”
Baz’s gaze flickered uncertainly to the Luaguan student. Rusli had similar features to Kai, though his dark hair was cropped close to his head, and he was on the shorter side. He didn’t bat an eye at Selandyn’s admission.
“He’s good, Brysden,” Kai said tightly. “We can trust him.”
Baz was unconvinced. “Look, no offense, but—”
Rusli rolled his eyes. “You think you’re the only Eclipse-born I’ve met who’ve Collapsed? If this Jae you spoke of is who I think it is, then rest assured they’re a mutual friend of ours.”
Baz lifted a brow. “You know Jae Ahn?”
A nod. “I met them last year when they came to Luagua asking after a friend of mine who was in hiding after she Collapsed. Jae called her to Threnody a few months ago to help her deal with her newfound powers. If it weren’t for them…” Rusli caught himself and cleared his throat. “The point is, I don’t make it my business to rat out Collapsed Eclipse-born to Regulators. As far as I’m concerned, we’re all on the same side here.” He pointed to his wound to prove his point. “We Eclipse-born have to protect our own.”
A sense of pride swelled inside Baz. This—this was what they were fighting for. Solidarity among their peers. The Eclipse-born coming together as one, unburdened by fear.
Limitless, and all the better for it.
But it was folly. All the ways in which things could go wrong swam in his mind, and Baz shook away the fancies that hadstarted taking shape there, grounding himself in reality. “They’re going to haveMemoristslook into all of our minds. If you know we’re Collapsed, then they’ll know. We’re done for. There’s nowhere to run.”
“There is one place,” Professor Selandyn said. “Somewhere no one will be able to follow.”
“The door,” Kai murmured.
