Page 37 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

“Even if Kaly thinks you won’t betray them and will do whatever they like, it won’t matter,” Charlie said solemnly. He had perched on the throne’s right arm. “I’ll be honest. If you want to live, you’re going to need to leave right after you help us. That might even be too late.”

Fiona felt her heart clench. It was true. The moment she had called out Tanis’ name, she had signed her death warrant with Kaly. There was no chance her Childe could continue on without being found out. She was certain that Roan Tithe would have no compunctions about privacy like Balthazar did. He would rummage through Tanis’ thoughts without a moment’s hesitation, especially if she even showed even a second’s qualm. This was the last thing she’d ever wanted to do to someone she’d loved. It had been hard enough to deal with the agony that awaited Eyros and Elgar and the two of them would be there in the future.

But Tanis?

No Tanis.

No sign of her.

“Leave? And go where? The War is still raging in many parts of the Ever Dark. And you’ve said that Kaly could become anyone. So who could I trust to shelter me?” Tanis asked. She pulled away from Fiona and began to pace. “What was the good of surviving when I’m going to die now? And for what? For nothing!”

“Not for nothing.” Fiona shut her eyes. “Helping us get to Seeyr is of the utmost importance for the future. But not worth your life. I don’t want it to be worth your life.”

She sagged and put a hand to her forehead.

There must be some way to save her. There must be!

“You should go, Tanis. Escape now. Don’t think about where you’re going. Just go,” Fiona told her. “It’s your only chance.”

“Again, go where? Do what? Hide? Leave you here? You said you needed me,” Tanis pointed out.

“We’ll figure something out. You got us away from the guards. We’re in the Spire so that’s the next step,” Fiona said. “You should go–”

“Go? Leave? No.” Tanis approached her this time. “No, no, no. I’ve been so focused on what I’m losing that I haven’t thought about what I’ve gained.”

Fiona grimaced. “Knowledge you didn’t want. Knowledge that is dangerous to you and that you can’t even use.”

Tanis’ feet entered her vision. She wore golden, strappy sandals. Her First Childe had always been beautiful, literally from head to toe. But now that beauty seemed more luminous to Fiona.

A candle burns brightest just before it's snuffed out. No… no, there must be a way to save her.

Tanis put two fingers under Fiona’s chin to lift her head up. “I’ve gained you. I know that you come back. That you’re not gone forever. And that is worth everything.”

“Not your life, Tanis–”

“Yes, it is. Because I would have given it before to save you,” Tanis said, her voice going thick with emotion. Tears formed in her silver eyes. “I wasn’t there when you died. But I’m here now. So I’m going to stay.”

Fiona stared at her with her heart soaring and crashing.

I should have found another way to save us. I should have been better. I should have…

If her powers had been working, she would have teleported Tanis to some far off place where it would have taken even her most clever fledgling too long to return from. But there was no chance of that. She’d be lucky if she teleported them into the hallway where people were finally clearing out. It was time to leave. Time to find Seeyr.

Go see another person that we’re leaving to Kaly’s mercies. By the gods, this is worse than fighting and losing. I feel so useless!

Charlie’s head was tilted to the side. “I think the hallway is clear, Fiona. We shouldn’t wait any longer or we might learn who is sitting in that chair these days..”

“No, we shouldn’t wait,” Tanis agreed, taking the decision out of Fiona’s hands.

“Who is sitting in that chair?” Fiona asked.

“Oh, we’re not quite sure yet,” Tanis said with a wave.

Fiona frowned. That seemed unlikely. But perhaps the Kaly slices were simply biding their time before proposing one of their own with less suspicion.

“Come, time is short,” Tanis told her.

Her First Fledgling hustled towards the doors. She lightly pressed her right ear to them as Fiona had before smiling at them before opening the doors and slipping out into the hallway. Fiona glanced back at Charlie who was looking down at the throne and frowning.