“Hedies?What kind of story is this?”
“Shh! Listen!” I removed my hand from his leg and whacked him on the arm, earning a grunt of disapproval and a few mumbles. “Just as the boy’s body flew over the edge, something snagged his ankle. He was lifted into the air, death a memory as life beat into his chest. And there, holding him, was the root of atree.Awed, he watched as the dirt-coated root lowered him, setting him down gently on the forest floor.”
Again, Altair opened his mouth to interrupt, but he quickly closed his lips at the look on my face.
“It was then, as the forest breathed in and out in time with the boy, that he realized he wasn’t in any danger at all. The trees parted, greenery sliding out of the way, grass flattening. When they were done, a path had been made. A pathhome.The boy cried tears of joy, being sure to touch as many of the plants as he could. He thanked them out loud through sobs, each of his steps taking him closer to his family. At the edge of the forest, the boy turned, watching as everything shifted back to its place, the sentience seeping from the forest as he stepped out of it. Maybe the boy didn’t know directions. Perhaps he often got lost. And sure, that was inadequate. But he had something else. Something far more important and rare. Within the boy, magicloomed. It flooded his veins and twirled around his bones. Magic not from above, but frombelow.Magic that vibrated beneath his feet. And from that day on, when the boy got lost, he called to his magic, and the land answered.”
Silence. Not even a sly comment. I stared at Altair, waiting for him to say something. Anything. Just so I knew I’d helped.
“Altair?” He wasn’t moving, his face emotionless. And then, as if he came to life in the same way the forest in the story had, Altair jolted forward. He grabbed me, pulling me against his chest, his arms wrapping around my body. One of his too large hands gripped the back of my head, the other stretched across my mid back. He held me there, with my arms tucked against his chest, as he breathed so deeply I felt his heart slow.
Altair washuggingme.
“I think I get it,” he whispered against my hair. “Thank you.”
Chapter Nineteen
Azazel
“One of our servants died today. Turns out, he’d been secretly taking haya. He had black ooze coming from his lips. Priya’s mother was visiting when it happened, and she thought it was so funny that she suggested we start forcing all of the eadi to take it just to watch them suffer.”
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9276 AS
We’d been away from the cottage for two minutes and I was already pissed off.
“This is way more than you insinuated,” I said, pointing at the stacks of haya. What Maitoza had made seem like only a few batches turned out to be hundreds of vials.
“I didn’t specify an amount,” Commander Crazy countered, her face as serene as ever.
Nova sighed, stepping in front of me. “How do you all usually transport it?”
Maitoza’s eyes lit up like a blazing fire as she caught Nova’s gaze. “Usually, we send one individual to each location. These batches are a bit larger than normal though, and you’re both the only ones transporting today, of course.”
Are you fucking kidding me?
I stepped forward, my teeth grinding, but Nova got hold of my arm.
“Fine,” she said, tugging me towards the batches. I reluctantly followed her lead, glaring at Maitoza as she smiled. Her eyes were trained on Nova’s grip around my arm as we stepped up.
“We can take it all in my bag,” Nova said, pinching her eyes as a burst of shadows coagulated around her back. I nodded, grabbing vials as she unzipped her bag.
“Do be careful, we wouldn’t want any of them breaking.” I scoffed at Maitoza’s condescending tone, not bothering to turn around and grace her with the eye roll I wanted to. “Good luck, you two.”
I heard the door shut seconds later, but I didn’t speak freely. Not yet. Neither did Nova, the two of us working as quickly as we could to load the vials into her bag. When we were done, I offered her my hand, unable to resist smiling when she took it without hesitation.
We shadow walked to the first destination, a small village in the Eastern section of the Alzalam District, aiming for a patch of trees near one of the mountains that bordered the Royal District. We appeared just where I wanted, concealed beneath branches and stormy, grey skies.
“Okay, we get in and out. We have the exact location of the meetup. No detours.” I knew she’d argue before her lips even parted.
“We agreed it would be beneficial to scout the area.” Her hand left mine, reaching up to hold the thick, black straps of her bag. At this point, I was genuinely terrified of what could happen to her. And she wouldn’tlisten.
“I’m serious, I have a bad feeling about this. Maitoza is up to something.”
“I agree.” She swung her bag off her back, setting it on the ground so she could rifle through it. I watched, tapping my foot, my eyes darting around the area. No people—that we could seeat least. Maybe they were waiting for us. Perhaps Maitoza had set up an ambush.
Would the stars protect Nova? Would they at least help her?
“Got them! Here’s your vial. Did you already think of someone to look like? Someone you can genuinely picture in your head?” She handed me the vial of blood-red liquid, my fingers grazing hers as I grabbed it. She snatched her hand away the second my grip was tight enough on the vial, clearing her throat.
