Page 160 of Of Masks and Fury

I turned to find Isi watching me, her expression tight with concern. Pherin had calmed on her shoulder, but her companion’s eyes remained alert.

“We need to move fast,” I said. “Whoever sent that woman may know our plans now.”

“Then we change them,” Derren said. “Adjust the timeline.”

“We can’t rush the prisoner rescue,” Lexie pointed out. “Not if we want everyone to survive.”

“But we can find that property.” Kerralyn’s hand went to her journal, clutched against her chest. “If there are answers there?—”

“We’ll leave as soon as possible,” I said. “We need to find that place before it’s too late.” Taking Isi’s hand, I strode back toward the palace.

We reached the edge of the forest. The palace rose ahead of us, stone and towers and secrets I was only beginning to uncover.

Coralee stood near the entrance, watching our approach. When we drew close, she stepped forward. “You need to know something else about bloodfire magic.”

I paused, waiting.

“It requires a specific catalyst. A piece of the caster’s life force. Blood, hair, bone. Something that ties them to the spell permanently.”

“You’re saying that the woman who just killed herself was bound to whoever gave her the poison.”

“I believe so.” Coralee’s expression went grim. “Which means somewhere, they felt her die. They know she failed.” Coralee’s gaze fixed on me. “We’ve made ourselves a very dangerous enemy, nephew, one who commands magic others believe should be extinct. Please be careful. I can’t bear to lose you as well.”

“Could this be connected to whoever’s controlling the Skathes?” Isi asked her.

“Who knows?” Coralee turned toward the palace, speaking over her shoulder. “Bloodfire magic isn’t the only forbidden practice that might resurface if someone desperate enough wants power.”

She entered the building, leaving us standing in the shadow of the palace.

“Inside,” I said.

I led them down two levels, through passages I’d explored as a child, to a storage room. I warded the door behind us, weaving protections as thick as I could.

I didn't know what we’d find south of the wasteland. I didn’t know how much the woman had heard or what was already being reported back to whoever had sent her.

What I knew was that staying still was no longer an option.

"Fill bags with what you think we'll need for a few days," I said, tossing sacks to each of them. “And make it quick.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

ISI

The storage room smelled like leather and medicinal herbs, and the shelves were lined with supplies most people forgot existed until they needed them. I took a pack from Trew and began loading it with waterskins, dried meat, and trail bread that would keep for days without spoiling.

Derren hefted a sword, testing its weight. “We should bring extra weapons.”

“We won’t have room for an armory,” Lexie said, though she was examining a set of throwing knives. “Dragons can only carry so much.”

“Then we bring what counts.” Derren set down the sword and picked up two smaller blades, tucking them into his pack along with a whetstone.

“I’ll bring some books I picked up recently.” Kerralyn had claimed a corner near the medical supplies, and was carefully selecting and placing bandages and little jars of ointment into her bag.

“What books?” I asked.

“Some from the…” Her gaze shot to Trew. “Ones I recently acquired.”

Trew paused in his own packing, his eyebrows lifting. “From the library?”