Page 52 of Storm of Ink and Blood

“What?” Zarya asked, whipping around to face him.

“Are you having trouble with your hearing, Zee?” Yasen asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “They can’t do that.”

“Why not? Don’t you need someone to practice on?”

Zarya pressed her mouth together in a tight line. “Yes, of course, but it’s not safe. What if the same thing happens to…” She broke off.

“They all know about what happened last time,” Yasen said, and Zarya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Was that the best idea, Yas?” she asked through clenched teeth.

“You can trust them.”

He was so earnest that Zarya did trust he hadn’t gone around blabbing without considering the consequences, but this was still dangerous.

“They know everything. What you can do. What’s in the ink, and what we did with the supply. They also want to step up to volunteer.”

“No,” Zarya said. “I can’t. What if something happens?”

“Please,” Vikas said, interrupting their argument. “I understand the risks. We all do. And we stand here willing to accept them. If you truly possess this gift, it’s a small price for the benefit of my people.”

She stared at him as she read the solemn emotion in his dark eyes.

“This isn’t a life, anyway,” he added, echoing Farida’s sentiments. “Please. I need you to figure this out.”

Zarya’s heart twisted at the hurt and sadness in his voice.

“I don’t know about this,” she said, but he wasn’t wrong. There was no other way for her to learn without using vanshaj to practice. She’d been thinking about what happened with Farida, trying to recall every sensation and emotion. She was almost sure she had pinpointed the moment her control had slipped and had considered several options to ensure it never happened again.

“We’re willing,” Vikas said. “We all are. Please let us do this.”

Zarya considered him for another moment before her shoulders dropped.

“I don’t like this,” she said, but the resignation in her voice was apparent.

“I’ll go first,” Vikas said. Zarya exchanged a look with Yasen, who had been sitting quietly watching their exchange. He dipped his head, the corner of his mouth tipping up.

“You can do this, Zee,” he said, and she offered him a small smile.

“Okay, sit down,” Zarya said, pointing to one of the empty chairs. “Over here.”

There wasn’t much space in the tiny house, but she directed him away from the others to give them a bit of room. She stared at Vikas, her heart pounding in her throat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so nervous. What if she hurt him? What if he also wouldn’t wake up?

“It’s okay,” Vikas said, sensing her hesitation. “I want this. If I die, tell everyone what I did.”

Great, did he have to mention dying?

“We’ll throw you a fucking parade,” Yasen said, and everyone laughed except Zarya. She swallowed the prickly knot in her throat and faced Vikas.

Once again, she repeated the same process, sending out the dark shadows of her sixth anchor, teasing and testing them against the ink. She felt that now-familiar sensation of the different particles moving and vibrating. She added another string of magic and peeled off the first star. Vikas sat still, not even blinking and barely breathing, as she slowly worked her way around his throat.

She’d become too excited with Farida and tried to do too much. She needed to maintain this methodical pace and take a break if she felt herself losing control.

When she was halfway through, she pulled her magic back, breathing heavily.

“Is everything all right?” Vikas asked.