The prophecy we were attempting to fulfill was dangerous, and we’d all realized getting out of the Institute alive was damn near a miracle for regular inmates, let alone us. But Marcus stroked Rishi’s fur and said, “I’d rather she be alive and safe than with me. She needs to go home. Whatever happens to me doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to all of us, Marcus, especially her.”
“I can’t be happy unless I know she’s okay. This is her golden ticket out of here. She’s gotta take it, even if I have to stay behind.”
His tone said to drop it, so I didn’t say anything more about it. I didn’t agree with his choices lately, but I didn’t want him to live without his mate.
At the same time, Kallie was one of my closest friends. I wanted her to be safe just as much as he did.
Even if we had to let her go.
* * *
Charlie didn’t come back to our cell until it was nearly past curfew. He told me Professor Jobe had believed them, and was going to send what they’d put together to the Arcanea Alliance straight away. We’d just have to wait and see if the theory actually panned out.
It was hard to sleep that night. I couldn’t rest with everything that was going through my head. Was there a chance the Dollmaker would be arrested, and made to answer for what he’d done? Would Kallie be released from the Institute once the Malovian officials knew her crime wasn’t her fault?
I had an absolutely dreadful day of Work-Study. Transcribing all day in the Institute’s office bored me to tears. I kept glancing at the clock, waiting for it to be five so I could go to summer music group. My constant checking made the day even longer. Oberi lay at my feet, snoozing the afternoon away. He sure wasn’t in a hurry to get out of here.
Finally, I was released. Charlie was already waiting for me outside of the office.
“How was your day?” Charlie asked. Oberi yawned, transformed into a unicorn, and trotted ahead of us.
“Long. What about you?”
“Alistair was acting… weird,” Charlie said. “He barely spoke to me all day.”
“Strange.”
“He’s really bothered by what we told him about Mazur. Maybe we shouldn’t have said anything.”
“He loves Eddie. He deserves to know. We did the right thing.”
Ez and Opal were already in the music room. Opal was strumming a harp, while Ez was busy working on setting up a camera. Tahoma pressed piano keys with his antlers.
“What are you doing?” I asked curiously.
“I thought we should film a video for your vlog, since we haven’t in so long,” Ez said.
I was excited, but at the same time, trepidation weighed down my limbs. “My fans haven’t seen me in a wheelchair yet. They’ll want an explanation.”
“You don’t have to give them one. They’ll see it, and realize why you’ve taken so long to upload anything new. Just let the music speak for you,” Ez suggested.
I really wanted to get back into my vlog, so I guessed Ez’s advice was the best way forward. Marcus came in almost immediately after, but instead of saying hi to us, he sat in the corner with Rishi and flipped open a sketch book.
“Why did you come if you’re not going to participate?” I grumbled under my breath. He acted like he didn’t hear me.
Charlie and I got to warming up on the piano. He was halfway through playing a song when Kallie walked in. “Hey, everyone.”
Charlie stopped playing, and Marcus looked up from his drawing. Everyone went quiet.
“I received the news,” Kallie said heavily. “The Malovian government is clearing me of all charges, but the Warden won’t let me go.”
“What?” Several of us shouted at once. Rishi gave a low mew.
“He says I’ve committed crimes during my sentence here at the Institute, so that’s grounds to keep me behind bars,” Kallie admitted. “And because he’s the authority here and has the Union’s backing, nobody can override him, not even my brother’s legal decree of my innocence.”
“He just wants to keep as many demigods as he can within his reach,” I spat bitterly, crossing my arms.
