“I traced her from the records office in Pax,” Viz says. “There’s only one Leah who was married the day you were summoned.”
So she wasn’t lying about that, at least.
“Her full name is Leah Polaris. She’s the daughter of Nathaniel Polaris, a merchant. Her mother, Cerys, passed away when she was five.”
“How?” I ask, wondering if it will throw up some clues.
Viz gives me a look. “If there was anything of note about the mother, I would’ve led with it. The death certificate says she died of natural causes. She was the daughter of a midwife and a clerk. Nice and boring.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s all I found in the official records, anyway.”
“There has to be more,” I say. “Keep looking.”
He sighs. “If you’re afraid she’s hiding something, just cut her loose. We’ll be back to square one, but that’s better than?—”
“Keep looking,” I insist, hating my own weakness even as I give the order.
Leah
I deliberately don’t say much when it’s time for us to visit Strata. We don’t need to trace any old rifts this time, so we meet in the castle courtyard where Viz is already etching runes into the stone wall. I try to discreetly study them, hoping it’ll be easier to memorize their shapes now I understand a little Cyrax. I can make out some of the patterns and meaning now—runes related to the idea of opening and travel next to ones that must be related to location, though the references are a little vague.
But when Syrus arrives, I drop my gaze, keeping my response short when he greets me. It’s not just because I’m angry about yesterday, although I’m happy for him to think that. The real reason is I’ve decided it’s time. I’m breaking free today, at least for a little while.
I’ve been practicing. I know I can kick him out of my head, now I just have tokeephim out. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to hold him off, but there’s only so much time I can spend sitting around meditating before I put it to the test. So when Syrus hands me the rune-etched knife and I take it without a word, it’s because I’m mentally preparing myself, making sure I’m ready.
Weeks ago, this was my escape strategy. I thought I could maybe block Syrus out long enough to find a way to undo the binding spell. But now I’ve seen how strong the magic is—have felt how deep the bond goes—I’m more doubtful than ever that I’ll be able to find a fast solution. Well, fast enough to put it in motion while holding Syrus’s possession at bay.
So when I get to Strata, I’m going to test my new skill for a more important purpose: Evie.
I have to find out where she is, to know she’s okay. Even just getting confirmation she left home and isn’t locked up in some workhouse would be enough. I don’t need to see her, even if it breaks my heart to think of her going through pregnancy without my help and support. It’ll still be worth it as long as I can get news about her once we get to Strata.
OnceIget to Strata and send Syrus tumbling back into his body in Malice, that is.
He approaches me as Viz puts the final touches on the rift.
“May I?” he asks, checking—as he has done every time since the mirror incident—that he has my permission.
I give him a quick nod and shiver as the touch of his presence runs up my neck before settling into my mind.
Viz lights the runes, and the rift flares open. I pray Syrus can’t sense my nerves—the way my heart beats a little faster than usual and my stomach lurches as I step through the aether. If he does, maybe he just chalks it up to what he told me yesterday about needing to use force.
I emerge in a little back alley with no one to witness my arrival.
“Right,”Syrus says, no doubt about to growl some orders at me.
Before he can, I take a deep breath and shove his presence from my mind with all my might.
He obviously isn’t prepared for it, because he puts up almost no resistance, rushing from my body faster than it took for me to go through the rift. I immediately start slamming down the shutters on my mind, building the strongest mental barriers I can muster—a steel shield, a locked set of doors, a high wall. I use all those images and more. I’ve found I can keepthem in place without using my full attention, a bit like singling out a sound in a noisy room while still listening to the person talking to you.
Then I stand there for a full minute, waiting to see if he’ll come bursting back into my consciousness.
When he doesn’t, I start to run.
I’m on the right side of the river for my father’s house, and that’s the fastest way to find out where Evie is. I’m glad my training with Syrus got me in shape in Infernum. It means I don’t need to stop for a break as I sprint through the familiar streets.
I slow to a jog when my father’s house comes into view, bracing myself for potentially seeing him and Ada again. In some ways, I want to see them, if just to explain to them how colossally they fucked up trying to marry Evie off to Hathwell. I want to see some contrition on their stupid, apathetic faces, even if that’s not the reason I’m here.
