Page 17 of Storm of Ink and Blood

“Us? You still want to be my friend?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m tainted. I’m… a monster,” she whispered.

His expression softened as he reached out a hand and pulled her up. “Maybe. But you’re my monster, and nothing will ever change that, Zee.”

Zarya’s eyes stung. She’d been so worried, and of course, Yasen wouldn’t judge her.

“Just don’t cry.”

She snorted a laugh and then picked up the half-empty bottle of ink.

“I don’t have much to practice with,” she said. “I really wish I hadn’t dropped that crate.”

He considered that. “I’m sure we can get more if we need it. The Jadugara must have some stockpiled in the Taara Den.”

“They won’t give us any.”

He shrugged. “No. But we’ll steal it again.”

“Okay. Right,” she said, some of the tension releasing from her shoulders. He always knew what to say to make her feel better.

“So try the other anchors.” He bent down and retrieved the bowl, handing it to her. She poured some ink into the well and then centered it on the rock. They retreated into the shadows of the trees, using them for cover.

“Let’s try fire,” she said as she twisted out a tendril of orange magic. Delicately, she touched the surface and wasn’t all that surprised when the ink flared, spurting up in a tall column of flames before sputtering out. They shared a look, and Zarya walked over to find a pile of ash in the bottom of the bowl.

“Well, I can’t try that on Farida.”

“No. Rania would gleefully pull out each of your toenails.”

She gave him a rueful smile.

Zarya then cycled through the rest of her elements. Her water anchor vaporized the ink into mist, and air froze it solid. Her earth anchor caused the ink to transform into crumbling dirt, which at first seemed promising. Maybe she could use that to break apart the tattoos. But a moment later, it started to corrode the copper, burning a hole right through the metal until only a ring remained.

“None of these will work,” she said grimly.

Zarya then tried a few combinations of elements, but each had the same end result: fire, explosions, or the production of corrosive substances, which she absolutely couldn’t try on a living person.

Well into the second bottle of ink now, she poured the remainder into another bowl.

“This is the last of it,” she said before placing it on the rock.

Then she closed her eyes, feeling for her sixth anchor. It had been months since she’d accessed it, but there it was, waiting for her. A little more muted but still glowing like melting silver. She heard Yasen moving around in the grass behind her and backed up with him.

From where she stood, she stared at the bowl in the center of the clearing, starlight reflecting off the ink’s dark surface.

“We could try another night if you aren’t ready,” Yasen offered.

“No,” she replied with her jaw clenched. “I need to figure this out.”

She reached inside herself, feeling for the tendril of darkness, and slowly drew it out. This was the first time she’d ever called it up on its own, having previously used it only in combination with the others to create her strongest nightfire. The magic felt cool and slippery, like caressing satin ribbons. It had a certain kind of seductive beauty as it swirled across the clearing. At first, it appeared like a whisp of dark smoke, but it reflected the light with a million shades of muted color. It reminded her of the scales on Rabin’s dragon. Like moonlight over an oil-slicked pond.

She twisted her fingers as the shadowy ribbon spiraled over the bowl, and then she held her breath as the tip touched the ink.

It didn’t explode, and it didn’t catch fire. It didn’t dissolve into a toxic substance. She felt it dip into the liquid, and then she twisted her magic as the darkness stirred the ink, gently moving it around in the bowl. She shifted left to right, feeling how it responded to her magic. Without realizing it, she’d started moving, and the closer she got, the more control she had.

She pulled back and lifted her hand as a thin tendril of ink spiraled up from the surface. Drawing it higher, she formed a loop that curled through the air.