My stomach hollows. Arlo trains new guards at the border in the afternoons. If anything's happened to him, I'll kill the Sages myself. They're the ones who sent him and Cas to the Dueling Estate. They're the reason our friends wear the Council's uniform now.
“Margot went to the … Sages,” Mara pants.
“Where did you see the fallen guard?” Jordi asks.
She points a shaky finger ahead.
“Near the Noxbridge Library!” Blue shouts.
I stumble when I spot movement in the fog. Jordi throws out his arms and halts. We crash into him just as a blur of Lunarian green and Veritas maroon breaks through the haze, storming toward us.
Their fear hits me first. Then their panic. A wave of it, slamming into my chest before I can brace myself. I fist the back of Jordi's cloak, squeeze my eyes shut, and fight to keep it out.
It's not your fear. It's not your panic. It's not your fear. It's not your panic.
It's rare for me to lose my grip like this. But with this many people, this much terror, and without an amulet to keep my gifts contained, I shouldn't be surprised. My mind snags on that last thought for a beat. We’re stepping into the Council’s territory and I’m not wearing my amulet. The consequences of that are nearly as terrifying as whatever we’re running towards. The thought vanishes as people run past us screaming.
“Run!”
“A Shroud demon took a guard!”
“We're going to die!” Mara's cry near my ear makes my eyes fly open.
I turn, grab Mara's shoulders and tune out everyone else. “Do you have water on you?”
Her hands shake as she pulls out a glass container. I address both students. “Take off your amulets. Wet your hands like youlearned in class. If anything tries to grab you, channel your water.”
“What about compulsion?” Blue asks, yanking off her purple amulet.
“No. No compulsion. No serephony. Not with these things.” I hold her gaze. “We don't know if they can use it against you.”
She nods rapidly.
I set a hand on each of their shoulders and squeeze. “Go.”
“Professor,” Mara whispers, wide-eyed. “What about the two of you?”
“Don't worry about us. Get back to Veritas and make sure everyone stays inside. Go!”
They give a sharp nod, turn towards the fleeing crowd, and run. I let out a shaky breath and turn back to Jordi.
“Deny it all you want,” he says as we rush down the sidewalk. “You make a good professor.”
I scoff. “That siren's hair turned blue two weeks ago during my truth serum lecture. She still hasn't figured out how to go blonde again.”
The sound of footsteps makes us freeze. We slam our backs against the brick wall and watch two men in labor uniforms sprint past. I'm about to push off the wall when a cold breeze skates down the back of my neck. I go rigid. Yank Jordi back when he tries to move.
“Wait,” I hiss, staring at the darkening fog.
I watch it spread slowly, creep closer, and nearly jump out of my skin when Jordi’s hand closes around mine. I squeeze back, the way we used to when we were children, when the dark felt like something that could swallow us whole. In front of us, the fog ripples. A dark shape moves within it.
I can't make out what it is, but I swear I see wings. We don't breathe. We don't move. We just watch as the Shroud creature drifts past us.
Once it passes, Jordi slides along the wall, pulling me with him toward the edge of the sidewalk. He lets go when we reach the light post at the corner, and I press my palms against it, trying to draw heat from the metal. I don't know what my fire could possibly do to those creatures, but I’d rather be overly prepared than not.
“The fog looks different here,” Jordi says. “Does it feel different to you?”
Something in his tone makes my hackles rise. I press my hands harder against the warm metal. “I don't know.”
