Chanel carefully rubs life and magic back into my fingertips.

“If I catch your ponytail wrapped around your palm again I will cut it off,” she seethes. “You’ll lose these fingers if they don’t get proper circulation.”

After the day I’ve had, my nerves have kept me pacing with my ponytail tight around my palm. Chanel frowns as she gently runs her fingers along my palm and wrist. She smells like lavender lilac soap, with a hint of charcoal, soot, and metal.

“You’ve been practicing with some new weapon haven’t you?” I frown at her.

“Prince Artunnus isn’t the only one who needs protecting,” she mumbles. “There.” She releases my hand and turns away. “You need to take better care of yourself, my prince.”

I clench and unclench my fist. My fingers feel warm and alive.

“I really will cut it off,” she pats the small pouch strapped to her thigh where a scalpel is hidden, ready to do the deed.

“I believe you.” I put a kettle on not asking if she wants tea, I already know she will. We argued the first day about who makes the tea. Since she’s residing in my tower, she’s my guest. Ultimately we end up taking turns, but at least she’s letting me make it for now.

It’s been different having someone living in my chambers. She’s technically residing in the adjoining rooms, the ones meant for Amora. But she only leaves my side to bathe and sleep. She paces the floor now. Her opened skirt rustles against her trousers, a bundle of nerves and motion. She’s like Artunnus in that way.

I smile faintly while adjusting the new glasses on my nose. Bridgette’s gift was a pair of delicate glasses with tinted blue lenses. Lines of Dwarf runes run along the silver frames. The lenses magnify magic. Chanel looks like a small flame as she paces my rooms.

I’ve been hopeful the new lenses would make spying into the Elder’s minds easier, but I’ve had little opportunity to spy the Elders. With the exception of Madam Tiddings.

Madam hasn’t mentioned the prince’s absence to anyone that matters. She has been in and out of my rooms teaching Chanel and I proper etiquette for eating at the Queen’s table. I’ve found little in her eyes, except the same images of the girl and the faceless person in the carriage. Madam’s mind is full of people she has taught, students, and royalty. Years of high class soirees and galas. Vivid memories made brighter by Bridgette’s glasses.

I wish I had more control of my Sight, then I could find what I need in a glance.

A knock comes from the door as the kettle whistles. Chanel is already across the room before I can take the kettle off the flame. I don’t bother stopping her. The rumor of her presence in my chambers has already spread across the palace. It’s overtaken talk of Prince Artunnus and I. Even rumors of intruders have fallen away. New rumors vary from my weakened health due to Chanel’s medical skills, all the way to our romantic inclinations which have followed us for years.

I don’t care, though Artunnus will when he returns. My cheeks warm at the memory of his lips pressed against mine. At his body leaning against me right here, in this kitchenette. At the promise of a future I’m not sure either of us can keep.

I glance up as a mousy maid rolls in a food cart. The girl’s brown cheeks darken as Chanel’s hand gently traces up her arm. Chanel’s face is flush as she leans closer to the girl’s cheek. I quickly turn and pour water over our tea.

I don’t want to catch sight of their thoughts again. With the new glasses I accidently saw a few intimate images I wish I hadn’t. Images that make my cheeks hot as they pop up unwanted into my mind.

Mia was reassigned to the tower when Chanel moved in and has been working overtime. She sneaks in little chances for them to be together. I allow their privacy as best I can, though sometimes it means our food is cold when we get around to eating it.

The smell of bitter sweet tea wafts from the leaves as they unfurl in the steaming water. I press my hand against the locket hidden under my shirt. Artunnus will find her and protect her. He has his wits, a sword, and magic on his side. I tell myself this over and over, though I have heard no such news of his success or failure. He should be nearing Centralis tomorrow.

Muffled giggles roll through the next room. I pour the tea then refill the kettle. I’ll probably polish off both cups before Chanel gets around to joining me.

Hikari and Shadow failed to report yesterday. Their situation is too delicate for me to summon Shadow without proper notice. I know the spells to force him, but I would never use them. Captain Saldene recommended we wait.

I stir three heaping spoons of sugar into my cup and watch the steam drift across the twirling dark liquid. Amora loved tea. She loved the floral kind Artunnus brews, rose specifically. I wonder what kind of tea the girl in Madam’s memories likes, if she likes tea at all.

“You should eat,” Chanel says as she rolls the cart into the room.

“Done flirting already?”

She frowns, but her cheeks warm with an undercurrent of a smile. “She has work to do, and so do I. Eat.”

She motions for me to sit. I roll my eyes and grab her tea. She’s been forcing me to eat every meal. She gets overly attentive when she’s stressed. Downright motherly, actually. I don’t complain. So long as she stops threatening to cut my hair.

“Captain Saldene said the two new recruits made it to Centralis palace.” Chanel says as she fills a plate with leafy greens and colorful vegetables cut to look like blooming flowers. “The letter came by way of the Elders. The Captain has yet to receive a direct message.”

I frown as she hands me the overfilled plate. Stuffed mushrooms roll around the colorful salad. “That may settle Madam Tiddings’ investigation,” I say while pushing the mushrooms out from under the greens. “But it only raises more concerns for us.”

“Let’s hope good news is coming,” she nods and stuffs a mushroom into her mouth. I do the same.

The Elders have codes they use when sending messages. The Briga has a set of our own. Like the symbol the girl at the Academy drew, the images look like doodles at first glance. Captain Saldene uses them as a failsafe, in case the Elders’ code is ever intercepted. I never dreamed our code would be needed because we feared the Elders.

“You asked me if there is a way to transfer magic by blood,” Chanel says as I eat another mushroom.

I swallow. “You saw the woman from the Vault, do you think it’s possible?”

Chanel’s expression clouds over. I catch a glimpse of writings that look like medical symbols. “I’ve read a paper theorizing that those born of different Clans could offer resistance to certain diseases, or spread new ones. Clan specific diseases are rare these days, but not unheard of. What bothers me is another interpretation of the work.”

She pauses to pick at a purple carrot in the shape of a butterfly. “If you could transfer a disease by blood, why not magic?”

I shudder at the memory of needles biting into the tournament attacker’s skin, and the inky lines of magic carved into the Vault attacker’s arms.

“I’d say it’s possible,” she adds with a pointed look. “It’s unethical, but possible.”

“There are children without Clan missing across the kingdoms.” I grab my teacup instead of reaching for my ponytail.

Chanel’s brow deepens. “I don’t want to think about children suffering at the hands of the Order. However it seems possible they are putting magic-blood into normals.”

I don’t want to be right about something like this. “If that’s the case, whose blood are they using? Whose blood could give someone the power to howl wind and force a body to endure past death?”

Chanel glances up at me. Scarlet and Angel flash behind her eyes.

Angel can control wind. Scarlet’s powers teeter between making those around her feel whatever she feels and creating light. They are both too young to know the true extent of their powers. They were supposed to spend the summer with Madam Tiddings learning self-control, which is very similar to etiquette. The fact they were transferred without Madam’s or the Briga’s knowledge jolts through me.

“How long ago did they set out for the Academy?” The question rubs raw in my throat.

“Before the tournament,” Chanel replies holding my gaze.

Her thoughts are clouded with symbols cut into the attacker’s arms. Bruised punctures near darkened veins. I tear my eyes away.

“Captain Saldene thinks the Order may have recruited magic-users too,” she says.

“Even so, I fear for Angel and Scarlet’s safety if we haven’t heard directly from them.” My stomach knots.

We fall silent as we pick at our food.

“You need to rest.” Chanel says once we give up on finishing our dinner. Her thoughts are full of death, mine are full of fear.

“How can I sleep when the Order could storm the palace at any moment.” I grunt. “They could already be here, inside the walls, concealed by hidden passageways even we don’t know about.”

She shakes her head. “Let the guards do their part.”

She knows the Order is at this very minute planning something worse to some other poor soul. But she’s right. I need to rest. I hold my tongue from arguing.

“Let me at least fix you some tea to help you sleep.” She’s been trying to get me to drink some flowery concoction all week.

“It smells like perfume.”

She shakes her head at my grimace. “Like a kid.”

I stare up at the painted stars. I’ve been refusing sleep not just because of the Order, or the returned nightmares of Amora. Artunnus’ scent lingers on my bed. The smell of it makes me long for more than I ever dreamed possible. I cannot bless him with heirs, and I will not share him. The thought of that turns my stomach. I think of him in the Vault, the way his magic flowed over him like racing vines, it was a thing of beauty and strength.

“How would you like to come into the Vault with me?”

Chanel’s eyes widen with surprise then narrow. “Is that possible?”

Just like Artunnus.

“I have a theory,” I confess rolling a small radish cut into the shape of a rose across my plate. “It’s only a theory. But I would like to test it.”

She frowns. “It would be unnatural, my going down there. I don’t have royal blood, nor is my magic like yours. But…” She pauses. Our eyes meet. An image of the first time we met lingers in her gaze. Of snow falling all around and golden flowers blooming in a small blanket of grass. A younger version of me reaching out a hand with a welcoming smile.

“I would rather try than risk you going alone.” Her voice is firm.

“Want to go now?” I smile. “A little walk around the palace would do us both good.”

She returns a pretty, wicked grin. “Let me get my boots.”

We stand to leave. The room fills with smoldering ash. A cloud of smoke erupts in the center of the study. I cough and wave a hand to clear it away. Chanel pauses at my side. Her magic washes over me.

“What’s wrong?”

She’s unaffected by the smoke, which means it is magic.

I stare into the cloud as I move to block Chanel. It smells of campfires and tea and a metallic hint of something unnatural.

Chanel gasps.

The cloud clears. Hikari and Shadow lay face down on the floor. Blood seeps into my silver rug forming a crimson pool under Hikari’s stomach. Arrows stick out of Shadow’s shoulder as he wheezes. His hand is coiled tightly around Hikari’s wrist.

My breath catches. Chanel’s gold magic erupts through the room. Hikari doesn’t move under the ribbons of gold light. Chanel reaches her first. I turn to Shadow.

He pushes himself up on one arm, only to collapse again, the strain of his effort ripples through him. He lifts his head. Sweat glistens on his brow. His eyes meet mine.

An image of the library floats to me. Arrows fly by as darkness comes.

His voice rasps with a gutted whisper.

“There. Are. Others.”