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Mia sits on the bed, keeping some distance between herself and Emrys, and it should please me, but it only makes me think there’s something going on between them.
Focus, Ash.
“So this…” I draw the arrow out of my shirt, wrapped up in a piece of cloth. I let the cloth fall open and lift the black projectile. “This is the arrow that hit Emrys. Let’s assume it’s the same kind that hit the rest of us.”
“Why are we discussing the arrow now?” Emrys mutters. “Shouldn’t we start with Mia? We need help to control the surges.”
“First,” Sindri says, “all of us have to agree that we’ll owe Mia a favor if she agrees to help us.”
“Isn’t that what she’s here for?” Jason says. “To help us?”
“Why, did you pay her tuition? Did you arrange for her to stay?” I shake the arrow at him. “Why would she have to do this?”
Jason shakes his head, his face a thunderstorm. “What’s your point?” He turns to Mia. “I saved your life once. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Mia does that distracting thing she does, biting into her lush lower lip and then lifting a hand to tuck a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Is that your answer?”
Jason huffs, runs a hand through his tousled, blond hair. Then he massages his wounded shoulder. “All right, fine. I swear I’ll owe you.”
She turns to me. “Ash?”
“I got you into the Academy,” I parody Jason’s earnest tone. “Doesn’t it count for something?”
Her gaze wavers and her mouth twists in an almost smile. “That’s not an answer, Ash.”
“Yes. I’ll owe you, witchy girl. If you can help us. Can you?”
The color drains from her face.Interesting.
“What sort of question is that?” Emrys snaps. “Now you have doubts? Really?”
“I don’t have doubts,” I lie, rubbing at the black stone set in my family ring. “I’m only wondering if we need an experienced witch for this.”
“What we need,” Sindri says, “is a powerful witch and she is of the Apollinari line. Couldn’t ask for a better one. It’s like a damn miracle, having her here.”
If anything, Mia grows paler. “I’ll need some time to study this… phenomenon,” she whispers. Her hands twist in her lap. “Find spells, I’ll maybe need certain materials—”
“We’ll help you,” Emrys says.
“Though the Apollinari are famous for one thing,” Sindri says. “Their gift is to draw magic directly from the elements, rarely needing any props.”
“Well, maybe I do need my props,” she snarks. “And to study this a little. I have time, right?”
Sindri opens his mouth as if to protest but snaps it shut again.
“The surges are becoming intense,” I say. “I don’t know how long we can resist.”
“Resist?” She blinks at me. “And if you fail, what then?”
“We don’t know yet.” I glance at the others and find them trying to hide worried looks. “I think that the elemental magic is pushing us to shift.”
“Into what?” she asks.
“The beasts of our family crests.”
She nods as if she’s not surprised. Why isn’t she?
“I always thought that was a myth…” Emrys whispers, brow furrowed.
