Page 45 of Fallacies

“But we didn’t get all the information we needed,” I remind him, still trying to recover from the initial shock of what he’d just done. “She didn’t tell us the dosage or the ratio of antidote to Ashvine⁠—”

“Gemma will know. All we needed from Aster was a name.”

Callan looks down at me when I don’t respond right away, and he must catch the worry on my face, because he adds with a sigh, “It’s a big risk to take—messing with poison like that—but at least we have a last resort. Easton is talking to Sedona today, and their coven is the most experienced in wards. I’m sure she’ll have something that can help us.”

I tuck the Lakelet’s expertise on wards away, saving it for later, and I nod.

We slip into a comfortable silence as we walk, and I find myself wishing so badly that I could tell him everything. All that Fenton knew, who my father was and my theories on crossing the blood ward.

I just…what if he never looks at me the same again? What if I lose the one place I’ve ever belonged to? The only place that’s ever felt like home.

It isn’t my fault. I didn’t ask for this. But what if no one believes me? Or worse, what if no one cares?

There are too many what-ifs, I decide as we walk, and I don’t have enough courage yet to risk them.

9

Lucina

“What do you mean you want to trick a blood ward?” Selene blurts, loud enough that Gemma ceases her chewing, and Kimber picks her head up from whatever book she’s reading.

I get that this isn’t the most appropriate topic for breakfast, but I could do without the disbelief on Selene’s face and the disgust on Gemma’s and Kimber’s.

I grip my warm mug tighter and explain, “Your coven is highly trained in wards; I was just curious if you thought it would be possible. There has to be a threshold.”

Easton talked with Sedona the other day, but she didn’t tell us anything we don’t already know, and until Pax, Hunter, and Phoenix get back from Streatham, we’re in a period of…waiting.

Sort of.

It all depends on my scary lakelet friend’s knowledge of blood wards.

Selene’s dark brows furrow, two beaded braids slipping over her shoulder as she cocks her head and watches me for a moment. “A threshold…” she ponders, mostly to herself, I think. Then she straightens and slides her tray out of the way. “I don’t know, let’s see.”

As casually as she moved her food aside, she pulls a small knife out of her pocket.

Kimber shrieks, fumbling with her book.

“For gods’ sake,” Gemma curses around a mouthful of food, pointing a stern finger at the Lakelet, who flips the silver blade out of its compartment with a smile. “Selene, don’t you dare spin a blood ward at this table.”

“So, with a blood ward,” Selene starts, slicing through the center of her palm like it’s nothing. I ignore the death stare Gemma is burning into the side of my face and set my mug down, completely invested in whatever she’s about to show me. “You are essentially spinning a regular ward and weaving your essence into it. Something unique to you or your magic.” She pinches her fingers, letting crimson rivulets drip onto the table.

Kimber makes another bark of protest, but Selene pays no attention to it as Lakelet magic ripples across the table and a foggy smoke lifts from her open palm.

I watch with rapt attention as she arches her hand off the table, and a thin, glossy sheen comes to life in the air between us. It moves like a spiderweb caught in the wind. Like the Barrier.

When Selene talks, her voice is slightly muffled from the other side. “Try to pass it,” she taunts.

Raising a brow, I glance at Kimber and Gemma, who have migrated to the far end of the table. Gemma’s mumbling something under her breath—likely a complaint about how embarrassed she is to be sitting here—and Kimber nods her agreement, eyes wide on us.

I meet Selene’s challenging glare and tug up the sleeves of my cardigan, reaching up to press my hand into the ward⁠—

“Shit!” The second my fingers brush against the ward, a merciless burn shoots up my arm, knocking my shoulder back. “What the hell, Selene?!”

“Oh?” She rears back. “So you came to breakfast all hyped and ready to ask me about blood wards, without knowing what happens when you try to cross one?” Selene shakes her head, silver piercings clinking in her ears. “Blood wards don’t take kindly to intruders, Cin. If it doesn’t recognize your blood, it’ll kick you back. A more powerful one might even kill you.”

She demonstrates by thrusting her hand through the ward, but without the pain I’d just experienced. She wiggles her fingers on the other side, then pulls her hand back out.

“Noted.” I rub at my sore and throbbing fingers. “So…how much of your blood do you think I would need? To pass, I mean.”