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“Elias,” Tas says. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
The Soul Catcher looks down at the boy, and I think of how he spoke to Tas after we escaped Kauf, by dropping to a knee so they were eye-to-eye.
“My name is Soul Catcher, child.”
I step forward to draw Tas away. But he holds tightly to the Soul Catcher.
“I’m Tas,” he says. “You gave me my name. In Sadhese, it means—”
“Swift,” the Soul Catcher says. “I remember.”
Then between one blink and the next, he is gone, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
The Blood Shrike turns west. “There’s a garrison ten miles away,” she says. “We can get horses there, and replenish our supplies before heading to Delphinium.”
Everyone moves off behind her, even Tas, but I find myself lagging. My legs feel like lead, and every step is labored.What in the skies?When a glow blooms at the edge of my vision, relief floods me.
“I’d wondered where you went,” I say to Rehmat. “Is this you?” I gesture to my stubborn feet. “Can you stop it? I need to catch up with the others.”
“Your unwillingness to travel a road you should not travel has nothing to do with me,” Rehmat says. “The heart knows what it knows.”
“Well,Ido not know what it knows, so please enlighten me.”
Rehmat does not say anything for a moment, but when it does, it is with a note of censure. I think of Pop’s face when Darin was being particularly obstinate.
“The fate of millions rises or falls with your strength, Laia of Serra,” Rehmat says. “You challenged the Nightbringer. You woke me. Together, we must stop him from the apocalypse he wishes to inflict upon the world. Such willful ignorance is beneath you. You do not wish to abandon Elias Veturius. Accept it.”
I feel suddenly exposed and cowardly. “I am not—Iwillfight the Nightbringer. I will destroy him and not because you tell me to. But Elias—the Soul Catcher—he has nothing to do with this.”
“He does and your heart knows it. Go against its wishes at your own peril.”
“My heart”—I draw myself up—“fell in love with a murderous jinn. It cannot be trusted.”
“Your heart is theonlything that can be trusted.” With that, the creature disappears and I stand there, ankle-deep in frozen grasses, my mind pulling me forward while my skies-forsaken heart yanks me back.
Darin, noticing that I’ve fallen behind, jogs to me. Skies, what will I say to him? How will I explain this?
“I can’t change your mind,” he says when he’s within earshot. “Can I?”
“You—” I sputter. “How did you—”
“You’re more like Mother than you’ll ever admit.”
“I cannot abandon him, Darin,” I say. “I have to at leasttryto break through.” The more I think about what I want to do, the more it makes sense. “I’ll head south. Months ago, a TribalKehannitried to tell me of the Nightbringer. But wraiths killed her. The Nightbringer wanted his past hidden.Which means there must be something about him worth knowing—secrets, weaknesses—information I can use to destroy him. Maybe thatKehanniis not the only storyteller who knows the Nightbringer’s tale. Maybe there is another who will tell it.”
“Right, well, I’m coming with you.” Darin turns to hail the others, but I stop him.
“Our people need you,” I say. “They need Musa. They need a voice in the Emperor’s court. The Shrike means well, but the Empire is her first priority. Not the Scholars. Besides.” I look to the forest. “Talking to the Soul Catcher—getting through to him—it will be difficult enough. I do not want any distractions.”
Darin argues with me for several long minutes, and far ahead, the others stop to await us.
“Skies, but you’re stubborn, Laia,” he finally says, running a hand through his hair, making it stand on end. “I hate this. But if you’re set on it, I won’t tell you what to do. Not that I ever could.” He digs around in his pack, pulling out a lumpy package.
“This was supposed to be a surprise for when we made it to Delphinium.” He offers it to me. “Don’t—” He stops me when I go to untie the twine. “Don’t open it,” he says. “Wait until you’re out on the road.”
I consider calling out to the others. But a nearby flash of wings tells me Musa will know about my decision in a moment anyway. Tas and Harper will understand. And while the Shrike’s friendship has been a pleasant surprise these past months, her first loyalty is to the Empire. The Empire would want Laia of Serra in Delphinium, sustaining an alliance between Scholars and Martials.
“Will you be all right?” I look up into my brother’s face, the first real stirrings of anxiety pulling at me.
