“We’ve shielded the perimeters with all sorts of magic,” Jae explained as they led the group up the dunes. “Wards against the tide and prying eyes. Illusions to keep folks away. Helps that most people in these parts have evacuated farther inland because of the tides. It’s a wasteland. Perfect for our safe house.”
“How long have the tides been acting like this?” Emory asked, thinking about her father, alone in his lighthouse in the remote Harebell Cove. She hoped he was all right, that the Aldersea hadn’t damaged their home.
“Since last fall.”
“Which was how long ago, exactly?” For all she knew, more than a year could have gone by since she’d gone through the door, because time, as they’d found out, did not run the same in each world.
“It’s early March now, so I reckon about six months ago.” Jae gave her a sidelong glance. “Your father, Henry, is with us. He’ll be so happy to see you.”
Emory blinked at them. “You know who I am?”
“Of course. You’re the famous Emory that Basil here’s told me all about.” Baz blushed at that, muttering something under his breath that had Jae smiling slyly. “Everyone knows who you are. I’m afraid you’ve left quite the mark, and when people find out you’ve returned… the Shadow reborn!”
Behind Emory, Sidraeus gave a gruff snort. Emory bit her lip, not wanting to correct Jae and reveal Sidraeus’s identity just yet.
“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Virgil muttered.
Ife asked him something, and he replied in a voice too low for Emory to understand, presumably filling her in on who Sidraeus was. Emory was dying for a chance to ask Ife about the rest of the Selenic Order members—Louis and Javier—and how she’d found herself here to begin with. She didn’t recognize the other woman who was with them at first, but seeing the familiarity between her and Vera, she had to assume this was one of the Kazans.
One of heraunts.
Emory found herself stealing a glance at Baz again. She couldn’t believe it was really him. It was like her mind was trying to make sure he was real and not a ghost or a figment of her imagination. But this wasBaz. Though he did look different—there was a confidence to him she’d rarely seen, an assurance in his skin that made him seem taller, older, wiser. Whatever he’d gone through had changed him.
She wondered howshemust appear to him. Broken. Full ofdarkness. Something to fear, or perhaps to take pity on. Especially after seeing what she’d done on the cove.
She thought of her father again with trepidation now, uncertain howhewould react to the new her. If he might take one look at her and know all the things she’d done. If he would accept the darkness that enveloped her now.
Her silent exchange with Sidraeus earlier came back to mind. When she’d asked him if he could take them here the same way he’d gotten them out of the sea of ash, his voice had echoed in her mind.
I might be willing to help, if you’d stop threatening me with that dagger and asked nicely.
Emory had fought to keep the surprise off her face; she hadn’t expected this mind connection to last.So you’re invading my mind now?she’d thought, wondering if he would even hear her.
He’d huffed in reply.Invading? Please. Your mind is laid bare to me. A consequence of this bargain you’ve made, I presume.His eyes had turned violent.Don’t think I won’t kill you for what you’ve done to me.
Emory had gripped the dagger tighter in response.So try it. I’d love to see just how far this connection between us goes.
She knew she’d won this battle of wills the moment he’d narrowed his eyes at her. Of course he wouldn’t try to kill her; not if there was a chance it might kill him, too.
“Iownyou,” she’d said aloud, the words tumbling out more confidently than she felt. But those silver spiral runes were proof that Sidraeus’s fate was tied to her—to all Eclipse-born—thanks to the bargain she’d made. And she would use that as leverage against him as long as it served her, if it kept him from killing Romie.
Emory cut him a glance now, wondering if he could hearallof her thoughts. She’d have to be careful, learn how to ward her mind.
They came upon an old building that used to be an orphanage long ago, then had been converted into dormitories for the prep school for a time, before falling into disuse and disrepair. It was a bit dilapidated, all crumbling brick and loose roof shingles.
The front door opened, revealing a familiar bearded face—and every worry Emory had was gone in an instant. She ran ahead of the others and threw herself into her father’s arms.
“My sweet girl,” he whispered, cheek resting on the top of her head. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”
“So did I.” Emory wanted to break down crying, feeling her throat close with all the emotions overwhelming her. He smelled like home, and she breathed him in, pretending for a moment that they were at the lighthouse in Harebell Cove, that she had never left, that everything was still the same.
She wanted to ask how he’d gotten mixed up into all of this and why he was here, but she let him go and held her tongue, conscious of all the people behind her—and those inside the old orphanage who craned their necks to see the new arrivals. Emory recognized none of them except for Baz’s parents, who burst into tears as they engulfed their son in a tight embrace. Most people, Emory realized, had Eclipse sigils on their hands. There must have been more than two dozen of them, all gawking at her and the others as they stepped inside.
“Basil, my dear boy, come and give an old woman a hand.”
This came from an aging woman Emory recognized as Professor Selandyn. She pushed her way to the front of the group, walking slowly with the help of a cane, which Emory didn’t remember her using before. Baz extricated himself from his parents’ embrace and swallowed the professor in his arms. She seemed tiny compared to him. Emory had never seen the Eclipse professor so frail, and it hit her how much the womanhad aged in such a short time. Professor Selandyn patted Baz’s cheek with a fond smile. Her eyes flitted over to Emory, and that smile grew.
“I knew you’d find her,” she told Baz. “You brought the Shadow reborn back to us.”
