“Then tell me what this is really about,” I managed, the stabbing pain in my gut drawing my breath in quick spurts.
Kaine snarled, his fangs bared. He was more animal than man in that moment, and I had to fight the primal urge to claw at his face. I told myself that if Kaine wanted to harm me, he would have already done it. This wasn’t about him hurting me--at least, not in the physical sense.
“Do you want to know the real reason why I’m leaving you behind, Kaine?”
The question made him recoil, the weight behind his knee lessening.
“All day, I’ve had this horrible feeling. This ache in my chest that I can’t explain. I know it’s tied to the others. That Bast or Cirian must be in trouble, maybe both. One of them is the most brilliant mind I’ve ever met. The other, a powerful Magi, second only to his master. And neither of them could escape this new threat.
“I cannot ignore the pull of that place. Nor the ache in my chest. I have to go. And I know that you and the Urchins would follow me without hesitation. But I’ve lost too much already. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing one of my brothers. Not in the pursuit of my happiness.”
Kaine blinked, his steely gaze suddenly wet.
“You’ve been the best thing in my life for many, many years,” I continued, resting a hand over his even as he pressed against my throat. “And that hasn’t changed. So don’t mistake my want for solidarity as running away. You’re the only family I have left in this world. Your survival is all that matters to me.”
Kaine’s weight lifted off me as he stood, wiping at his face. “You could have just said that to begin with, you oaf.”
“I should have,” I agreed, rubbing the sore spot on my throat.
Kaine offered a hand, pulling me to my feet. “For the record, I still think you’re being a tosser. But at least I understand where you’re coming from.”
“You’re one of the few who can,” I said, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him in tight. “Now don’t worry so much. Worst case scenario, I don’t come back, and you get to tell Silas that he’s been promoted to rebellion leader.”
Kaine snorted a laugh in my ear. “That little twerp would run screaming after two days, max. And what’s this talk? We both know that there’s nothing across the Expanse that can put you in the grave before your time.”
“I hope that’s true,” I agreed, pulling back to look Kaine in the eye. “I really, really do. But seriously, should the unthinkable happen?—”
“Just focus on coming back to us,” Kaine said. “There will always be another Rudderkin, but this world only has one Azzy, and I’d rather have him any day.”
I pulled him to me again, hoping that the gesture spoke all of the words that my pride wouldn’t allow.
The train left Briarwood at half past five. I packed light, bringing only a satchel over my shoulder and the clothes on my back. Kaine promised that he would take care of the Urchins in my absence, as well as keep an eye on Amelia for as long as she would linger.
About an hour into the ride, the sun sank below the horizon, and the starless sky took its place, a pale moon casting long shadows across the countryside. I thought back to that night in the cemetery when those stars shone their final moments, andI couldn’t help but wonder if they knew what was in store for them. Did these heavenly bodies know that their time was about to be cut short? Did it hurt as they blinked out of existence? Or did they feel anything at all? The questions bouncing around my skull helped distract me from the lingering pain in my chest and the sense of doom that swelled the closer I drew to the Magi City.
As the train came to a stop, it was like a switch was triggered inside of me. I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head, moving silently through the crowds of commuters as we vacated onto the platform. I didn’t need to pull at the magic in my veins to make myself disappear into the masses. There were enough people here to hide within plain sight.
My senses—dulled by weeks of being underground—came to life on the busy streets. My days of rebellion steered my motions. Not that I needed them to pick up on the strange tension that permeated the air. It was like the city itself was ready to burst, waiting for the pressure to reach the point of no return. Newspapers fluttered through the air, propelled by Unseen magic as they found their destination—newsstands on each corner. I grabbed one of them, tossing a coin into the palm of the Unseen child standing nearby. A picture of the Cradle was plastered across the front page, the headline readingMysterious Magic Takes Church Hostage—More Mortal Mishaps?
The Council of Magi had wasted no time spinning this in their favor. They were primed and ready to point the blame at the Mortals. I was honestly shocked they hadn’t tried to spin it around onto the Unseen. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Weaving through the traffic that clogged the streets, I encountered my first challenge as I rounded the corner just a few blocks from the Cradle. The street itself was empty of traffic, the sidewalks barren, and even the storefronts were dark. Halfway down the block, stanchions had been placed in the street, and asheen of shimmering magic behind them, informing me of the barrier that had been woven into place.
I quickly ducked into an alleyway while my mind began to churn through the scenario. Breaking through the barrier didn’t seem too difficult, especially one of that size. Peeling back enough magic for me to make it through would be simple enough, but that option came alongside the risk of backlash. Barriers often had traps woven into the fabric of the magic, triggering when the boundaries were violated. If I were better at spellwork, I could try to unravel the layers of magic instead of breaking them. But experience had proved that brute strength would serve me better, and backlashes could be tolerated as long as I remained on my feet.
Electricity ran through my veins as I tapped into my magic, wreathing myself in its power until the outline of my body flickered, then vanished. Back on the empty street, I made my way toward the barrier, now hidden from any prying eyes. Ducking beneath one of the stanchions, the air hummed with energy as I drew near to the barrier. Reaching out a hand, I trailed the surface of the magic, an unpleasant numbness spreading up my arm as I did so. The barrier itself felt flimsy to the touch, as if it had been woven in great haste.
Glancing over my shoulder one last time, I sank the tips of my fingers into the pulsating wall of magic. A wave of needle-like pricks rippled up my arm. I exhaled sharply, focusing on keeping the layer of magic over my body intact.
Pain embraced me like an old friend, bringing a swell of memories to the surface of my mind. In my life, there had been few constants. But pain was always there, bright and bracing. It cleared the mind. Sharpened my focus. Drove me forward all those times I wanted to lie down and die.
And it would do it again.
With a grunt, I peeled back a section of the barrier, the sharp stinging spreading down into my torso. Squeezing myself through the opening, I released my hold as soon as my tail cleared the barrier, the magic snapping back into place with a sizzlingpop!
Shaking the numbness from my arms, I took a moment to catch my breath, scanning my surroundings. The street was just as quiet on this side of the barrier. Hastily scrawled signs hung in the windows of several storefronts, while others had left their doors standing wide open during what I assumed was a rushed evacuation.
Once I’d regained most of the sensation in my limbs, I resumed my jaunt toward the Cradle. The informant was set to meet me a few blocks over, and as I drew close to the rendezvous point, the scuffling of shoes against pavement sent my pulse skittering. Halting my advance, I pressed myself against the brick wall of a storefront, listening for another sign of movement. Again, the same scraping noise came, and I began to recognize the pattern.
