Page 37 of Serpent and Shadow

Generally, those spells weren’t used on living beings, since it was so easy to accidentally shove them through walls, doors, windows, and other solid objects. Magicals weren’t as easy to reconfigure on the other side as laundry and plates and silver utensils.

Generally, if a Magical got vaporized in the process of transport, it killed them.

Was this something Dark Cathedral was experimenting with now? Using homing spells to move their acolytes near-instantly from one place to another?

Valor’s eyes returned to Saladin.

Unlike the others near to the gate, the Praetorian had not stepped back when the dark sorcerer seemed to vanish. He continued to stare up at the black tower, its few lights barely visible through the dense fog.

Valor followed his gaze up the length of that long drive, past the central fountain and up the stairs and dark walls of the tower itself. That last stretched higher to the heavens than he could see through the swirling mist.

Valor wondered if maybe the mist was magicked, too.

It definitely created a disorienting effect, particularly on the black stone walls and distant stairs leading to the front door. The entirety of the outer grounds and drive slid in and out of view as the pearlescent fog slithered between the various shapes.

“So it is over, then,” Saladin said, under his breath.

Valor felt his chest clench.

The words felt true, but he didn’t know exactly how Saladin meant them.

Maybe he just didn’t want to know.

9

Ticking Clock

Igripped his hand tightly, fighting to calm his magic when I saw his eyes and chest glow a sharper gold, illuminating the darkness of the stone floor and lichen-covered walls.

“Please.” My chest clenched. I fought to breathe. “Please, Bones. Please.”

He closed his eyes, and I felt that pain on him worsen.

“Gods, go away.” He buried his face in his arm, his voice pained but angry. “Why the fuck won’t you just stay away, Leda?”

“I can’t.” I said it without thought.

Was it true? It felt true. Maybe to distract myself, I fought to look around. It was dark, but not as dark as I remembered. More than anything I could feel the largeness of the space.

“Where’s Varya?” I asked. “Where’s your mother, Bones?”

He shook his head, his damp head coming to rest on stone.

“I told you… I woke up here. I only remember here. She’s not here. If she’s still in the castle, I don’t know where he has her. I don’t know, Leda.”

I swallowed, not knowing how to answer.

There was nothing to say to that.

Anyway, I could feel what he was thinking, and he knew I was thinking the same. We were both desperately hoping Varya had left before Malefic returned, that she’d gotten to Russia, that she’d left when Bones begged her to, and not done what she’d said she would do and remained at the Black Tower for a few weeks longer after we returned to school. I had no way to track Varya, though, no way to give him news. I didn’t know how to answer that question for him, and he couldn’t answer it for me.

“Please, just try to explain it,” I coaxed softly. “How does it work? Forsooth said we share magic now, and magical abilities. Even Blackstone implied I could, if I practiced––”

“He’s wrong.”

He forced out the words, breathing into the wet stone.

I didn’t believe him.