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“Get me the Bloodmoon stuff?” I asked Selena

She eyed me. “That stuff’s poisonous.”

“It’s not like I’m going to snort it.”

She laughed. “But it is like your dramatic boyfriend will stab me in the throat.”

“Didn’t you say yours threw women out the window after he fucked them?”

She lifted an arm in the air like Elijah’s past habits were no big deal and retrieved the little jar of red liquid. “Thank you,” I said.

“What are you going to do with it?” She glanced down at the water. “Maybe dip the ball in there, first?”

She was pointing at the stream. “Good idea. Water’s a conduit.”

Kneeling, I held the object in the flowing stream and washed it back and forth a few times, trying to stay focused on imagining the energy around us being drawn to the crystal. It was hard, but I tried to remember everything I’d seen about metaphysical stuff in the past. Thoughts are things.

If I intended for the gadgets and potions to help us, they had to do it. At least, that’s what I was telling myself. That’s what the social media lady insisted was true.

“Okay.” I stood and walked a few steps to the altar.

Selena was watching Elijah and Markus. Her husband had sat down in a chair and was resting his chin on his hand, listening to the other man. They were tense but didn’t seem overly upset or anything.

I glanced at my friend just as the room shook. I heard a cracking sound across the way, coming from deep inside the cave where Lukas had gotten the wraiths. I had to hurry up.

Quickly, I uncapped the Bloodmoon nectar and dumped it over the crystal ball. Streams of red flowed over the top and pooled on the altar’s surface. It looked like blood.

I held my hands over the top of the globe and caught Elijah staring at me, looking puzzled. I ignored him while Selena stood patiently beside me. The lack of him doing anything about what I was doing lowered my confidence for a moment. Was I going to be that ineffective?

While everyone else stood around acting like red lightning and a crumbling castle with apparently significant foundation issues were every day, ordinary events, I was doing something to try and help.

It felt like nobody else cared, and the very thought of that soured my stomach.

“Focus,” Selena whispered. I glanced at her and she gave me a little nod. “I think you have to look at it while thinking about what you want.”

Standing a little straighter, I redirected my thoughts. I pictured Kiam and tried to think of what his house would look like. Probably as overdecorated as he was.

The glass turned cloudy, and warmth emanated from it. My heart skipped a beat as I watched in wonder.

It looked like a picture was starting to form.

But all I saw were crows.

CHAPTER 30

Lukas

When I left the castle, Elijah nodded to me and walked away. I didn’t say a word to him, intent on getting to the ridge where Annalise and Wyvon waited for me. There was no formal goodbye or any well wishes. We weren’t friends.

I could have run to meet my enemies, or I could have transitioned myself to appear directly face to face with the two of them, but that would have been unwise. I could miss traps or convoys enroute to the castle or get sidetracked by an ethereal trap designed to slow me down. Any number of weapons could be formed against me, and while I fought those distractions, they would go after Cassia.

Cold wind whipped my hair in my face when I crossed the bridge and then again when I entered the forest. I couldn’t help but wonder if it had been Annalise, forcing me to stare at blond strands. None of the trees had moved. Whether it was her taunting me or not, I would never change the color back to what it was. It was my giant “fuck you,” to her, my keeping of the lighter shade.

Elijah had told me it was a two-day journey via normal travelling speed. I was now halfway there, according to his calculations.

Navigating the dark woods, I passed the areas I’d brought Cassia to. My mind kept straying to thoughts of her regardless of the good memories we had made here. As I walked, I could sense her anger and sadness. Our blood bond cycled through her heightened emotions, letting me feel them while she railed against the cage I’d built around her.

She was furious with me. But she could remain angry. She was safer encased in the glittering cell than she would be anywhere else while I was away.