“Nor can I,” laughed Amrita. “But it doesn’t matter now. What I do recall is how you made me feel. You’ve always underestimated yourself, Will,” she said softly. “And your effect on people. Do you remember you once told me you didn’t think you could handle the truth?”
“During the Absolute Truth ritual,” Will recalled. He’d been assisting Arthur and Maida to solve the mystery of what made the Mudpuddle disappear. Amrita had conjured the truth for all to see; however, Will had shied away from being the one to interpret what they saw.
“Your moral compass has always been true, Will Porter. Even when the way forward isn’t clear. I can’t imagine anyone better prepared to handle the truth.”
Will shifted uncomfortably under her praise. He was used to being complimented for his abilities as a porter. But he wasn’t used to being singled out for his character.
Amrita’s expression grew grave as she leaned forward. “And now, we have to discuss the matter at hand. The situation with the bloodstone is even more dire than you realize. It isn’t just a single dangerous magical artifact at stake. That stone is part of a greater whole. It is one of a set of twelve sacred stones that maintains the balance of magic in our world.”
“You’re speaking of the ‘Weight of the World,’ the Celestial Sapphires protected by the Mer tribes?” Will asked.
“Ah, good! So you’ve already puzzled out the bloodstone’s origin.” Amrita nodded approvingly. “Though one of the original stones has been corrupted, it remains a crucial part of the magical ecosystem. The Celestial Sapphire is important for keeping us grounded, especially during an eclipse when the ley lines are not fully stable.”
“So if anything were to happen to the bloodstone during the next eclipse, say … someone tried to destroy it… what might happen?” Will prompted when she paused.
Amrita met his gaze directly. “Total destabilization of the ley line network. Obviously a porter like yourself, Will, can grasp the implications. Almost immediately, many of the lines in the network would break down and fade. Your abilities would become unpredictable at best, impossible at worst. But that’s not even the worst of it.” Amrita pushed her empty teacup away and frowned, worried. “The other eleven stones would absorb the bloodstone’s corrupt energy, tainting all beneficial magic. We’d be looking at the dawn of an age of profound disconnection and scarcity—not just for magical folk, but eventually for Ordinaries, too.”
Will felt cold dread settle in his stomach. The thought of losing his porting abilities was terrifying, but the wider implications were far worse. Catastrophic.
“Are you sure Cosimo was planning to destroy the stone?” Will turned to ask Zani. “He didn’t mention that he was interested in getting it back for some other vampire-y reason?”
“I’m pretty sure that destroying it was his primary objective.” Zani swallowed.
“Cosimo has long sought atonement,” Amrita agreed. “His guilt has blinded him to the consequences of his actions. He believes that destroying the bloodstone, and likely himself with it, will cleanse the world of its curse.”
“But it would actually make things much worse,” Zani moaned, placing her head in her hands.
“Exponentially,” Amrita agreed, sighing.
Will noticed Zani shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She was hiding something; he could tell from the way she avoided his eyes.
“There’s something else you should know,” Zani said finally, her voice strained. “Back when I stole the stone from the vampires, I... made a deal with Cosimo.”
Will’s head snapped toward her. “What?”
“It was before I understood what he planned to do,” she rushed to explain. “He offered to help me, and in exchange, I agreed to let him borrow it for one day. I promised to bring the stone to him during the eclipse. On Catalina Island.”
“Catalina Island!” Amrita repeated, her voice taking on an extra edge of concern. “Now that’s not a coincidence. Catalina will be the nexus point of the eclipse—the precise place where the moon’s shadow creates the perfect alignment with the earth’s ley lines. The ideal location for a ritual of this magnitude.”
Will barely heard what she was saying over the rushing sound in his ears. He was staring at Zani, shock and betrayal washing over him in waves. “You made adeal with Cosimo? And you didn’t tell me about it?”
“I thought he was just seeking freedom from being a vampire.” Zani winced, her eyes pleading with him to understand. “I didn’t know he planned to destroy himself and the stone.”
“Not to mention humanity!” Will jumped to his feet, unable to sit any longer. He paced around the spacious office. His mind was reeling. After everything they’d been through together, after all they’d shared, she’d kept this from him. The hurt cut bone deep, mingling with his ever-present fear that eventually, everyone always left him behind.
“You know it’s a moot point anyway,” Zani defended. She turned to Amrita to explain. “The stone is still missing. It vanished from inside a locked case, despite my wards.”
“I gathered as much,” Amrita said, leaning forward with renewed interest. “Tell me more about the disappearance.”
Will tried to force himself to remain focused on the matter at hand as he paced around the room, though the ache of Zani’s deception throbbed like a fresh wound.
“It happened on the train from Romania to France,” Zani explained. “I had the bloodstone amulet securely locked and warded in a lead-lined case, but when I checked on it mid journey, it was just ... gone. And the weirdest part was that the wards were still intact, which simply shouldn’t be possible.”
“Could Cosimo have taken it?” Will asked, unable to keep the slight growl out of his voice when he said the vampire’s name.
Amrita shook her head. “Unlikely. Vampire magic works differently. Cosimo is also an extremely accomplished mage. But breaking through Zani’s expert warding without disturbing it would be well beyond even the most skilled sorcerer’s capabilities.”
“Then who do you think could have done it?” Zani pressed.
