“We’ll make it,” Henry said fiercely. “You should tell me, Kara.”
“What?” she asked.
Please don’t ask me, Henry.
“What it is you’re going to say to him.”
Kara stood and busied herself with the valmares, pouring water from her canteen into their bucket. The silence stretched.
“No,” she said eventually, without looking up.
“Why?”
She shifted uncomfortably. “Because I don’t feel good about it, okay? But I have a plan.”
Henry studied her. “Did something happen between you two? Before all this?”
Her head came up too quickly. “No. Nothing. He’s a Thorne.” The words sounded defensive, even to her.
Henry raised a brow. “The way you look when we talk about him–”
“Is what, exactly?”
He tilted his head. “You tell me, Kara. You seem conflicted.”
“I’m not conflicted,” she said sharply.
I’ll have to give him something.
“I... I find it hard – the idea of using my magic like that on someone... someone who saved my life.”
His eyes widened a fraction. “I didn’t know he saved your life.”
“In the Fire Trial,” she said. “And I didn’t see this in him, Henry. I didn’t. But it doesn’t matter. What he’s done since...” She held his gaze, willing him to believe her. “He needs to be stopped.”
Henry still looked doubtful. “But you didn’t want this mission. It was just another thing your father asked of you.”
Kara straightened. “Yes. And I’ll do my duty. I know how dangerous Sebastian is. I’m not blind to it.”
“Good.” Henry nodded, apparently satisfied. “And so you know, if he tries to fight you, you won’t be alone.”
Kara scoffed. “If he tries to fight me, I don’t have much of a chance.”
She was a healer for Gods’ sake. A pacifist. Sebastian could kill her in an instant if he wanted to. Her only hope of success was getting close enough to cast her spell without him realising her intentions.
“I’ll be with you. Caldris magic can do more than send messages and read minds, you know,” Henry said.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s possible to... control a mind – to a degree. Make someone see things, or see nothing at all.”
Kara’s throat tightened. That was horrifying. And not how Arcanth magic was supposed to be used. Forbidden, like time magic. For good reason.
Henry saw her expression and rushed to add, “I’ve never used it like that. I just know the theory.”
A log collapsed in the fire with a sharp pop.
“Theory,” she repeated hollowly. “What kind of theory?”
