The world explodes. Valen senses it coming and his irises flare iridescent blue. A shield wraps around us. The bricks crumble away, the trash dissolves, the stone shivers. Lucas throws himself on me, wrapping his arms tightly around my shoulders to keep me safe from anything that could penetrate Valen’s shield.
Dust rains down, coating the shield in a layer of gray. Valen smirks. “Congratulations. You gave away our position.”
Lucas whips around with a snarl. “ME? Go fuck yourself!”
Valen’s smile widens. “Get ready to run.”
Lucas barely has time to untangle from me before Valen’s shield drops. Our attackers are not the bounty hunters I expect. Before us are full-fledged Order members who’ve shed their ceremonial robes to blend in with Havenport’s civilians with their suits and hats. A wind kicks up as Valen steps forward. Ice explodes forth with a hissing crackle.
The weavers raise their shields in time, but perfectly round spheres of ice encase them in shivering coldness. Valen snaps, “Run!”
Lucas grabs my hand. We sprint as fast as we can through the shop-lined streets, uneven cobblestones threatening to break our ankles. Chaos erupts, bystanders screaming and scattering as windows shatter and glass rains down. Lucas pants, “They must be fucking desperate.”
Valen is close behind. “Of course. Did you not see Alasdair?”
Lucas shudders. “Good point.” Threads explode forth as we encounter the three bounty hunters Lucas was tracking. A magic staff spins in the leader’s hands, electricity crackling along the gnarled head, but Lucas is too fast and willing to kill. He skewers the bounty hunter through the heart with a perfectly timed attack.
The man crumples and his companions are forced back by the wall of ice that crackles into existence before them. Lucas jumps over the dead body, forcing me to do the same. I gather my magic, ready to engage with any of our pursuers, but Valen snaps, “Don’t you fucking dare!” and it douses. I’m cold, my hand shaking. There’s an empty, broken pain in my chest. I cover it with my hand and rub while running. It’s different from my usual split soul and Dual Threads discomforts. The strangeness sets me on edge, but I have no time to think on it further.
My world spins, my legs weak, and my feet tangle. I go down, hitting my knee hard, but Lucas doesn’t let go, and Valen grabsmy other arm. They yank me back up. I get my feet righted and force myself to push past it.
I need to get back to the shop, to get back to Jinx. With my familiar around my shoulders, I’ll be able to face the world. Or at the very least, face the basement with the amulet. Valen is going to prove his worth with that one.
It will all be okay once I get back home, where we’ll be safe.
Lucas’ hand tightens around mine and he drags me around a corner, cutting through an alleyway. We’re so close, and yet so far, Lucas leading us via a longer route. The frustration almost makes me scream, but I submit to Lucas’ expertise. He’s mastered evading trouble his entire life. If he thinks going longer is the way to go, then so be it.
Valen pants, leaning heavily on the brick when we pause briefly. Lucas smirks. “Winded? All the fancy magic and no stamina?”
Valen flips him off and tries to catch his breath. I can’t blame him. I grip the stitch in my side, my palm sweaty in Lucas’. I’m not made for all this running. Hell, before this I hadn’t left my shop in six months. My seclusion didn’t instill a regular exercise routine.
I try to listen to what Lucas is saying, but all I can hear are bystanders screaming. I huff, “All of this is going to bring out the Magistrate!”
Valen snorts inelegantly. “And what can they do? Slap us with a warning?”
“Speak for yourself! Not all of us get a luxurious free pass with the Order and Daddy’s name.”
He mumbles, “You could if you’d stop being difficult.”
I choose to ignore him. “Let’s go.”
Lucas throws me back when I try to burst by him. “Wait. There are too many out there.”
My lips thin, my mind rapidly sorting through my options. Then it clicks. I grab a fistful of Lucas’ hair and he hisses, “What the fuck?”
I ignore him and take the strand of hair I ripped out. I run my fingers through my hair until I shed a long strand. I reach to rip out one of Valen’s, but he’s already holding it out to me.
I smile and take it. My magic quickly braids it. The incantation is on the tip of my tongue, but I hesitate. It’s a powerful illusion that could drain me if it runs for too long. Expending this much power, especially Creation power, could cause the Entropy to devour me more quickly. Then this will all be for nothing.
With great pain, I turn to Valen. “How well did you pay attention to Viola’s little tricks?”
His brow rises. “A good amount. You two were always up to mischief.”
Bile rises, grief weighing heavily on me. “Yes, well, this is one of those. Do you remember when we played hide and seek, but you couldn’t find me because I had multiple replicas of myself running around?”
“It was extremely irritating as a nine-year-old, but I remember.”
“Well, this time, it’s the three of us. The illusion is Creation blended with Transformation, but I think you’ll be able to bend the spell so you’re not using Transformation, but Preservation.” I smile weakly. “You were a candidate for Heir, after all. Being able to bend the rules to your needs is what Heirs do.”
