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With Elodie leading the way, we head up another flight of stairs that ends at the highest point in the lighthouse. There are windows all around that must allow for an amazing three-sixty view during the day, but with a storm beginning to brew, it all looks the same—black sea meeting dark sky.
Jago stands directly before me. His nervous expression is not at all reassuring. Also, now that I know he was gossiping about me, providing a blow-by-blow account of my flawed performance today, he’s clearly not the friend I hoped he would be.
Elodie stands beside Jago, while Song, Oliver, and Finn occupy three separate points along the wall.
“Don’t worry,” Elodie tells Jago. “She goes under really quickly.” She shoots me an approving look, but I get the feeling it has less to do with me, and more to do with the fact that she recruited me.
Jago raises a hand and tells me to focus on the pocket watch that dangles from his finger. Its case is gold, with a pearlized face and slim black hands that spin backward, unspooling the hours already lived.
“Just to be clear,” I say. “I’m not reallygoinganywhere, right? This is all just theoretical?”
Elodie locks her gaze on mine, then signals to Jago, who begins to sing in a language I don’t understand. Though I do recognize the tune as the one from Elodie’s car. It’s the same song the torch singer sang at Arcana. The same song that played whenever I hung out with Elodie.
“This isn’t a real song,” I say. “Or at least not one you can stream. You made it up! You—”
“You’re so smart,” Elodie coos. “Now, shh…”
While Jago continues to sing—his voice surprisingly melodious—Song, Oliver, and Finn unlatch the panels lined up beneath all the windows and begin flipping a series of switches that sets the room buzzing.
I have the fleeting thought that for an old lighthouse, it’s surprisingly high tech. But then I find myself laughing for even thinking such a thing. Of course it’s high tech. It belongs to Arthur Bla—
Next thing I know, the roof of the lighthouse shifts open, filling the room with wind and fast droplets of rain that spill onto my head.
Arthur Blac—why can’t I remember his name?
Somewhere in the distance, I hear someone say, “You forgot to give her a talisman!”
“Not necessary,” Elodie says. “When the lion fawns upon the lamb, the lamb will never cease to follow him.”
Jago laughs, but I’m not sure why. I don’t know what any of that means, so I focus on the Gray Wolf logo hovering before me…something about alchemy…
Alchemy Black—No!
My lids feel droopy, but my feet have grown wings.
I’m dancing!I sing.I’m floating!
All around me, the wind funnels down from the sky and spins like a cyclone.
I want to tell Elodie to make it stop.
I want to shout the news to the rooftops: I’ve remembered the name, it’s Braxton Bla—
No! It’s Arthur Black—
A bright and terrible light fills up the sky. A horrible crack sounds overhead. And I dream a wonderful dream of clocks melting down walls, a torch singer wearing a crown of antlers, and a boy with eyes like the sea…
I’m floating—I’m really truly flying, and it’s—
“It’s really happening!” I whisper, as Elodie presses hard on my wrist.
