Okay, get out of your own head, Gia. You can do this.
“But I won’t give up,” I continued. “I will fight to the end. You must go about your routines as usual and not provoke the authorities. Keep your families safe.” I paused again for the man as he repeated my words in Spanish. “There will be a time to rise, but now is not it. We will send word when you are needed. I guess that’s all.”
The concern on their faces changed to hope as the man finished translating what I’d said. I hopped off the cart.
Bastien’s eyes met mine. There was so much love in them that it caused me to pause. He placed an open palm on my cheek, and I leaned into it even though I was still mad at him and he hadn’t apologized. “I wish we could run away from all this madness. Spend time alone, and truly enjoy each other without mayhem and ruin clouding over us.”
“Me, too.”
“And I do think you’re strong. I apologize if my concern made you feel differently. I was just scared for your safety.”
Though his anger earlier still stung, his words were a start at tamping down mine. “I worry about you, too.”
Edgar put a hand on Bastien’s back. “We must get out of here before your charm is broken.”
I glanced at the faces around me. Old and young, men, women, and children, all helpless to what could come if the Tetrad ended up in the wrong hands. Really, were there any right hands? I didn’t think so. Power changed people.
That’s why Athela wants me to destroy it.
It made me wonder why she chose me. Because she had used her magic to set all this in motion after her father created the monster. It should have happened way before this time, but the Wizard Council threw an ax at her plans, first by killing her, and then by keeping Sentinels from marrying other Sentinels.
I led Bastien and Edgar through the Talpar tunnel and into the library. We jumped through the gateway book and returned to Barmhilde. It was the raining cycle in the coven. Lightning shot across the sky like a synchronized dance against the clouds. Rain smacked the hood covering my head and clapped the ground around me. Mud sucked at my boots with each step.
The Red met us when we entered his camp. “Ah, it’s good to see you made it back. There have been some unsettling things happening in the havens. Tearmann was invaded.”
“Gia filled us in about Tearmann.” Bastien pushed his wet hair from his face. “What else has happened?”
“Let’s get you somewhere dry,” The Red said, motioning us to follow him.
Demos peeked out of his tent as we passed. “I wondered what all the commotion was about.”
Shyna looked over his shoulder. “Hello, Gia.”
I gave them a puzzled look. “What are you two doing? And why is she here?”
Demos turned and said something to Shyna. She nodded, and he darted after us.
The Red held the flap to his tent open for us to enter. I removed my cloak and dropped it by the entry. Bastien dropped a flaming ball onto the logs stacked in the fire pit.
I stood over the fire and held my hands above it. My fingers thawed, and a final shiver shook my body. Bastien came up behind me and rubbed my arms.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, nodding. “I could sleep forever.”
“Please don’t. I’d be lonely if you did.”
I flashed a smile over my shoulder at him. That was sweet.
Bastien took a seat on one of the pillows.
Edgar warmed his hands beside me, glancing from me to Bastien. “You know, when all this is over, if our side wins, there will no longer be a Wizard Council,” he said under his breath, for only me to hear. “The talk is that there will be one ruler over a united council with both Mystik and wizard representatives. And that ruler would be Bastien. He’s sacrificed and given much to take care of both the covens and havens. He hasn’t hesitated in denouncing the council.”
Edgar walked off, not expecting a response from me. It hadn’t surprised me. I’d heard it mentioned when I first arrived in the Mystik world that his people loved him and that they wanted him to be high wizard of their haven one day. But what would it do to our relationship? I was too young for all this. Too young to fight beasts. Too young to have everything counting on me. Too young to wonder what the future held for Bastien and me. I just wanted to survive and go to college next year.
All the dreams I had for myself before I was sucked into the Mystik world were like the smoke rising from the fire—a hazy, thin line dissipating into the air.
The Red cleared his throat while rubbing the wetness from the stubble on his scalp. “So Tearmann’s queen is in exile, and her parliament has been removed from power, replaced by Comyn MacColgan. Horrible man and wizard, that one. Once bit a man’s nose off just for looking at him wrongly.”
“What’s happening to the guards and their families?” I asked, my thoughts going to Buach and Galach.
“We sent word for them to show no resistance,” The Red said. “A few ignored us. Some are dead. Others are in the gallows under the Vatican.”
“I see.” I lowered my head, hoping neither Buach nor Galach was one of the dead.
“Once the new high wizard is in place,” Bastien said, “they plan on expunging Conemar’s criminal record and allowing him to resume his role as Esteril’s high wizard.”
Demos slammed his fist against a pillow. “This is felonious. They can’t reverse a court’s finding.”
Bastien nodded, staring at his folded hands in front of him. “If they’re in control, they can do whatever pleases them.”
The Red picked up a bottle with dark red liquid inside and poured himself a glass. He downed it in one gulp. “There’s more. The High Wizard of Veilig and his family escaped before the guards sent by the council to arrest them arrived in their haven. We received word from Greyhill that the family is hiding within their coven.” A quick look passed between The Red and Demos.
Shyna must have brought the message.
“You have some time to rest,” The Red said. “Make sure to use it wisely. We must plan for our library invasion. So get some grub and some sleep, and we’ll meet again in the morning.”
…
The smell of breakfast wafted on the cool morning air. Rain plunking against the hard shell of my pod-like tent had kept me up all night. I yawned and picked at the eggs on my plate with the bent tines of a fork. The uneven surfaces of the log tables caused the dishes to tilt, and the chairs, made of stumps, rocked if not positioned just right on the lumpy grass.
Bastien placed a plate of food down and sat beside me, his stump rocking. He scooted it around until it was steady. “You dressed for a battle?”
My fingers went to my scabbard on the table. “Lei ordered us to be ready at all times. Just in case.”
One of his eyebrows shot up. “Ordered you?”
“Since—” I stopped before mentioning Arik. It hurt to think of him against us. “Anyway, she was next in line to lead our Sentinel group.”
He picked up his cup. “I see.”