Erinna’s stomach lurched. Perhaps Asher was right. Grace came before Talent. Her head swam with information she wished were useless, but a primal instinct in the back of her head begged her to comprehend.
“Whatever it is…how do I use this?”
Raye’s spirit flickered for a moment like flame as he thought. “It’s the same fundamental principles as any other mage. You have been blessed with the ability to grab and move the threads of magic, touch arcanum. Do they not teach you this in school?”
“I’m not allowed…” Erinna trailed off to tame rising vexation.
“Oh. I see.” The sorrow in Raye’s voice was unmistakable. “If you continue to use your power untrained, it will not only be dangerous for you, but for anyone around you. There’s a book in the library in the back that we gave Iprix when he was just the Minor Apprentice.On the Domains of Witches and Wickedry. It should still be there somewhere if he kept the same filing system.”
“Thank you.” Erinna nodded and couldn’t keep herself from asking, “How long have you been stuck roaming this place?”
“Oh, I haven’t been. You called me back from the Realm Beyond. You should be lucky it was only me that came across.”
Erinna furrowed her brow, and Raye was quick with an answer to her unspoken question. “It’s in the book.”
She desperately wanted to ask for more information, but the sun was already peeking through the windows.
Erinna moved toward the fire, careful to keep the ribbon away from the licking flames as she relit her lantern with the enchanted light. She would keep it burning as long as she could, but time would be of the essence. Should Raye be pulled back to the Realm Beyond, she would be back to square one and doubted she’d be met with the same success.
Raye disappeared in a silent puff, but Erinna knew he was still around, could feel him, waiting for his time to guide her. She straightened, her resolve hardening.
Kane. Afton. Time to hunt them both down and get back to what they’d come here for in the first place. No more delays. No more distractions.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
The camp was a frenzy of chaos when Erinna returned. They were preparing for the inevitable. Even if they hadn’t seen the new Chancellor’s ship, it was only a matter of time before the academy was there.
Kane and Afton barreled out of the small guard station and into the center of the camp. The Minor Apprentice held a book in front of his face and scrolls beneath his arm. Kane barked orders to some of his men and sent them scurrying to their stations.
“There will be dozens of them inside,” Afton muttered, eyes darting from the doors to his scrolls.
“We don’t have time to wait,” Kane snapped, already heading toward the large iron doors.
“Oh dear,” came Raye’s low whisper, as if the ghost feared being overheard. “They will surely perish if they go in blind.” His gaze flickered between the two men, spectral features morphed in thought. “I take that back. They will live but perhaps be down a leg or two.”
“You’re supposed to be helping us,” Erinna hissed louder than she thought. Both men halted and turned as she neared.
“Who are you talking to? Where have you been?” Kane asked, scanning her from head to toe—searching for an injury.
“Never mind,” Erinna said quickly. “I may be able to get us around some of the obstacles,” she continued, forcing her eyes not to stray to the corner where Raye lingered.
“And how did you come across such information?” Kane asked, eyes narrowing.
She hesitated, heart thudding. “You can appreciate it when a woman wants to keep some secrets to herself.”
Kane took in a deep breath, clenching and unclenching his hands. Erinna stared at the flickering light in her lamp. As long as it burned, Raye could guide her. Her stomach twisted when she saw Kane’s eyes flick to the lantern in her hand, sharp and searching. Almost like he knew what to search for to see through her lies.
“Show us,” Afton demanded. “Now.”
A whistle sounded in the distance, high and harsh. Kane tensed and turned back to the doors. “Let’s go, before we all run out of time.”
Afton held up his hand, and the air around him hummed with energy. Erinna did not spend much time with mages, but it was clear that Afton was in a league of his own. Air and light warped around him, fissures made of sharp, stinging arcanum pierced through. The doors opened in response to his call, and the three were met with a blast of stale air.
“Showoff,” Kane whispered beneath his breath, gesturing for two of his men to move forward with the gangplank. Erinna couldn’t suppress a small smile of amusement. Even with such tension and the prospect of calamitous ruin, Kane could still manage such banter.
The wooden bridge came crashing down with a harsh bang. The makeshift bridge rattled over the crevice. It fit, but barely.
