Dom turned away, a muttered “Foka” trailing him. Worry and anger at her stupidity knotted my stomach. She jumped up, the barest hint of remorse on her face. “In case you needed an earthquake, I wanted to help.”
Dom stared at the sky, imploring the clouds to grant him wisdom. Not for the first time this morning, his hand dragged through his hair. “No one is to find out who you are.” He glanced down at her forearm which partially exposed the tattoo of the red wolf. “Cover that up,” he snapped. She quickly obeyed. I, too, tightened the hood of my cloak to hide my face.
Korin brushed debris off her pants. Finn came alongside of her shaking his head. “I don’t know whether to be impressed or alarmed.”
She smiled brightly at him, tapping his chest. “Impressed works just fine.”
She turned toward Dom, awaiting his reproach. He looked down his nose at her, face stern. “You stay with Finn or Bowen. Stick to the shadows. Do not go near the Vestal tower. If Nolan figures out who you are, he’ll drain you of your magic. Do you understand?”
She threw her arms around him. “Yes. Got it.” He grunted in resignation, returning her embrace.
My attention turned to our immediate surroundings. Each step in the direction of my home brought mounting anxiety. Logically, I know Delah’s not there, but if there was a sliver of a chance at finding clues or something of assistance, I had to try. The spindly trees that made up the forest had dropped thick mats of rust-red needles. Small animals skittered around us, disturbing the detritus of the forest floor, causing me to flinch with each unnerving sound.
When my small home came into view, Dom insisted he and Finn scope it out first. He released his shadows to swarm the corners of the cabin, allowing them to move with some obscurity between the shade of the trees. After several tense moments, we were afforded the all clear. Dom beckoned me to the front of the house, and I pushed open the front door.
Kaida leapt off the couch, her massive body bounding toward me. I yelped and instinctively ran toward her. She stopped just shy of tackling me with her giant paws. The familiarity of her presence eased some of the worry that cloaked me. I glanced up at Finn, his eyes dripping with horror and confusion. Dom stood ready to unleash every piece of metal at the fearsome beast now nuzzling me.
I chuckled, cracking the shell of quiet shock. I gave my good girl a hearty head scratch. She glared back at me. “I know, Iknow, I’ve been gone a long time. I didn’t mean to be.” She bowed her head, allowing me better access to her favorite spot.
Dom cautiously stepped forward. “You’re friends with wolvin?” His eyes still held a trace of alarm, but his curiosity won out.
“This is Kaida. We found each other a long time ago. We… have an understanding.” How could I explain the relationship we had? It wasn’t like I was an animal whisperer. Hers was the only mind I could inherently speak to and understand. “Kaida, these are friends. And there’s more outside. Don’t scare them.” She scowled at me before returning to the couch.
The familiar smells of our home would have been a comfort if not for the fact that it was empty, and clearly had been for a few days.
Nothing appeared to be out of place. Perhaps Nolan had taken Delah while she worked with the elixists at the Keep. I continued my inspection with her bedroom, Dom following close behind.
Most surfaces were covered with vases of half-wilted wildflowers. The bed retained crumpled sheets from her final morning here. I twirled a dagger in my hand, wracking my brain for inspiration. An idea flashed as I focused on a discarded vial on the floor.
I got on my hands and knees, gently tapping on the floorboards around the headboard of her unmade bed. A hollow sound responded after several taps, and I pushed into it, dislodging a small plank. My hand rummaged inside the hole, my fingers grasping her journal.
I only knew of its general whereabouts after a night of too much bramblewine and her casual mention of the experiments she was privately doing that could get her into trouble. I ached at the memory. She had been trying for so long to drop hints ofwhat was going on in Haluma. I willingly ignored them in the name of blind loyalty.
Dom’s broad shoulders shaded the light coming in from the window as he peered over to see what I’d grabbed. I flipped through the journal, searching the worn pages for more recent entries. There were copious notes about the effects of Glint, describing it as a neuromagical-toxin, and ways the king was experimenting with it. I shook my head at what she uncovered all on her own.
I flipped back a few more pages. There were recorded times for shipments making it to the castle, all under the cloak of night. Berine shipments surged during new moons, when it was blackest. My breaths thinned as I inhaled page after page of damning evidence for the betrayal of Nolan against his own kingdom.
The weight of Dom’s hand on my arm anchored me. I turned to the last entry in her journal. I closed my eyes in fear and tempered hope. I scanned her notes. She had done it. Delah had created an antitoxin that successfully reversed the effects of Glint. In Delah-fashion she had named it Steel. With a few doodles of flowers in the margins, she explained that steel, the metal, is harder than gold and also its opposite color. It also sounds like steal, which is what Glint was doing to magic, and what Steel would do to the power of Glint.
If Nolan knew about her antidote, she might already be dead. I clutched at the hope that she was still being held as a ransom. And I was the demanded payment. As deceptions piled, I increasingly doubted he would stand by his word for a trade. Me for her. I straightened my spine, not leaving any space for doubt that we would lead a quick and successful mission. Delah would be in Yarit by the end of the day.
Bowen entered Delah’s room searching for Dom. They muttered in low voices while I unraveled the information thatswirled in tornadic activity within my mind. I handed the journal to Bowen for safekeeping. After all, he could undoubtedly make sense of Delah’s equations, ingredients, and shorthand scribbles better than anyone. He tucked the journal under his arm, while I started rifling through her desk, searching for secret drawers, or any place she might have hidden vials of the antitoxin. All my expected hiding spots came up empty. I tapped my foot, trying to think like Delah as I searched her room for any missing clues.
My scan paused on the wilted wildflowers. On a hunch, I lifted the vase and turned it upside down onto her desk. Three corked glass vials tumbled out alongside the dying flowers and murky water. The letters “FeC” scrawled on the side. I crinkled my nose in disappointment.
Dom held one of the vials, assessing its contents. Bowen leaned over his shoulder to see it as well.
“Your friend is tricky. For not studying under a Prime Chemist, like Gemma, she was aware of our elemental table. These are the symbols for iron and carbon.”
I stared at him confused, waiting for elaboration.
“These two elements combine to make steel.” His smile broadened as he handed me the vial.
There were three vials of the antitoxin. They may as well have been liquid gold for the value they held.
I handed the vials to Bowen to add to the leather pouch at his waist with the other glass containers. He tucked them away, along with the journal. We stepped outside, reuniting with Finn and Korin.
“There is nothing more here for us. Let’s go get Delah.” I allowed one last parting glance to the home that had been a haven these last several years. Kaida kept pace behind us, a monstrous wraith in the shadows. We walked onto the main road away from my quaint little home, perhaps for the final time.
