Page 16 of Storm of Ink and Blood

She gave him a tight smile. Yasen could pretend he didn’t care and didn’t like people, but he was good and kind. Even if he never wanted anyone to realize that.

“How much do you know about Aazheri magic?” she asked, holding up her hand as though the answers were written on her palm.

“Just the basics,” he said. “Five elements. The more you have, the stronger you are.”

“Right,” she answered. “The five anchors. But did you know there was once a sixth?”

He settled onto the scorched rock and drew her down next to him.

“I’ve heard of it,” he said, his expression giving nothing away. “I remember Koura talking about it. The brothers…” he said. “The Ashvin twins had it?”

“Right. And that’s what they were supposedly protecting everyone from when they caged the vanshaj.”

She gave him a significant look, waiting for him to sort the pieces she was offering up like shattered pieces of crystal.

“The Ashvins had a sixth anchor. And… the vanshaj did, too?” he asked slowly.

She shook her head. “The Ashvins did, and I’m not exactly sure what the vanshaj have yet. But I’m almost positive my magic is connected to this ink.”

“Because…” he said slowly, circling his hand.

“Because I have six anchors.” She grimaced as the words seared her tongue. Now that she’d said them out loud, they felt like they were floating on the wind for the world to judge and examine, never to be taken back.

Yasen’s shoulders slumped. “Well… shit.”

“I discovered it the night of the binding ceremony,” she said. “When I killed the kala-hamsa, it exploded out of me along with my nightfire.”

Yasen ran a hand down his face. “That’s big, Zee.”

“I know,” she said, pressing her hand to her chest. “It’s been sitting there like a lead brick, and everyone’s so sure it can’t be touched, but I can.” She couldn’t keep the fear and the loneliness out of her voice. Yasen’s expression softened as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. She circled her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his chest.

“And you were worried what everyone would say,” he said as she nodded against him.

“The morning after the attack, I was planning to run away. I thought this was why Row had hidden me. That he knew and he’d locked me away so I could never hurt anyone. I thought I had to go somewhere where no one would find me.”

He stroked the back of her head, allowing her the chance to confess all the worries she’d been carrying for months.

“But then Row showed up and told me the real reason, which convinced me he didn’t actually know what I was hiding. And when I learned that my nightfire killed the demons, I wanted to stay and help.”

“I’m glad you did,” he said, and her heart squeezed inside her chest.

She pulled away and leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees as she twisted her fingers together.

“And now what?” Yasen asked. “Why did we come out here?”

She looked over at him. “Because I have a theory.”

Her gaze flicked to the charred copper bowl that lay in the dirt.

“You think you need to use your sixth anchor,” he said, picking up on the train of her thoughts.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I’m wondering if I can manipulate the ink with it. However, I wanted to see what my other anchors did first.”

“Makes sense,” he said, standing up. “So let’s try it.”

She stared up at him. “This doesn’t change anything?” she asked, and he frowned.

“Change what?”