‘We’ll go together. Ukrit will stay here.’ Amina and Palmira said.

  ‘We can’t involve many people in this. It’s just me and my horse.’ Pierre said. ‘Until they get to Walmon they have to stay together... What’s this about Ukrit?’

  All eyes turned to the boy.

  ‘I’m staying with Bo.’ he said.

  Bo’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

  Asmara gave the child a considering look. ‘Did someone else show you, or did you take off his candle?’

  ‘It’s in Pierre’s head. Guy put it there.’

  ‘It’s where now?’ Pierre asked, surprised.

  ‘That was thoughtful of him.’ Asmara said. ‘I suppose he shared and did not just take. Fine. Bo?’

  ‘Yes... I could look after him.’ he said finally, still getting used to the idea.

  ‘Alright then.’ she turned back around and fixed Pierre with a frosty glare. She knelt down slowly and picked up her sword. And then she stalked past him. Pierre took a hasty step back.

  Julietta watched Asmara’s retreating back, a lump in her throat.

  ‘She’s just going, isn’t she...’ she said, not expecting any response. ‘She’s just leaving without a goodbye...’ If Pierre hadn’t been waiting for them she would have already left.

  Out of the corner of an eye she saw Dorian turn around and head back down the beach, his pointed hat pulled low over his face.

  ‘So, children, it’s a long way to Walmon. You know you landed almost in Sontmor?’ Pierre said cheerfully, now that Asmara was gone.

  ‘I know where we are.’ Julietta snapped, blinking back tears. ‘The children don’t walk well, how will you take them?’

  ‘I have a horse and cart.’

  ‘We’ll leave after you then and let you get a head start.’ Bo said.

  ‘And Asmara too I suppose!’ Julietta said, her voice a little too loud.

  ‘I was going to go north from here, from the way she’s heading looks like she plans on going south and circling around the top of Sontmor.’ Pierre said, peering off in the direction Asmara had taken.

  ‘How thoughtful.’ Dorian said, with only a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

  Julietta hadn’t heard him return. She supposed he’d just taken a moment to collect himself.

  ‘Well, I suppose it’s time to say goodbye.’ Bo said, kneeling down in front of Palmira and Amina.

  ‘If you remove your candle you are close.’ they said as he gave them a hug.

  ‘Try not to use it.’ he said gently.

  Julietta awkwardly hugged the girls. They did not hug back, but they had not hugged Bo either. Then Dorian said goodbye. Julietta was surprised to see he was more comfortable with the children than she was.

  There was an awkward pause while they waited for Ukrit to say something to the girls.

  ‘Well, I suppose you better be off.’ Bo said, after Ukrit didn’t say anything.

  ‘Come along.’ Pierre said to the children.

  It was strange watching Pierre take the girl’s hands, one each, and lead them gently towards his hidden transport. Watching them go, Julietta realised she wasn’t even entirely sure what the girls looked like. Their shadows had not receded through all the time they were sailing. They were empty-voiced shadows to her. She felt sad at the thought.

  ‘I suppose we’ll leave tomorrow.’ Bo said, once they were gone.

  ‘And where are we going?’ Dorian asked.

  ‘I suppose I’ll go to Mercôt, but take the long way around. And you, Dorian?’

  No one mentioned that was so they could avoid running into Asmara.

  ‘I’m not sure. I’ll probably look for work once we reach civilization.’

  The two men turned towards Julietta. Suddenly, she found herself thinking of her future. Back to Manus, and the Royal Mages? Her heart sank at the thought. But where else? The last place she’d ever really succeeded was the Collegium. That felt so long ago, and she found herself overcome with exhaustion.

  ‘I haven’t seen my family in a few years,’ she sighed. ‘I suppose I’ll return home.’

  CHAPTER 111

  4, Sebre 1353

  A little over two weeks after leaving Dartham Belix and Emerré arrived back at her manor. It looked exactly the same as they’d left it. Emerré reflected that she’d missed the Belcanese winter. The ivy climbing up the stone manor had survived the cold. Winter had always been her favourite season. The difficulty of travel meant less pressure on her to remember how to socialise, though Castle Monbier had never been truly quiet. Cadel enjoyed winter too, if only to compare it unfavourably to Walmese winters. He liked fires and an excuse to stay indoors and cuddle.

  ‘Lady Emerré!’ an old, balding man greeted them as they arrived. He stood on the steps to the manor in an impeccable black suit. ‘Lord Belix sent word ahead. Everything is prepared for you.’ He fell silent quickly, as if he had been planning to say something but suddenly decided against it.

  ‘I did not find him, Giraud.’ Her face was pale and drawn as she spoke. ‘You must inform Dr. Delane that I have returned, and inform Lucine I would like a bath.’

  Later, Emerré sat perfectly still in front of her mirror while Lucine carefully brushed her long, black hair. ‘I am so pleased you are back,’ her maid said, ‘and the baby is alright, Lady?’

  ‘Quite alright.’ Emerré murmured. Her eyes were fixed on the door. The knob was turning, it opened and one of the other maids entered.

  ‘Elise!’ Lucine exclaimed, ‘what are you thinking!’ she scolded, ‘the lady has returned, where are your manners?’

  ‘Cadel?’ Elise asked, her brown eyes big in her pretty, pale face. There was a hint of demand in her voice.

  ‘The master did not return with the lady! Get out! I am so sorry Lady Emerré-’

  Elise’s eyes narrowed, became reproachful. ‘Did you see him? Is he alright?’

  Emerré did not turn, her eyes watched the girl from the mirror. ‘If I had seen him, he would be with me.’

  ‘Maybe not! What did you do- has he left you? I’m not surprised b-but,’ she trailed off as she started sobbing.

  A wave of tiredness washed over Emerré. ‘Elise,’ she said sharply, ‘do you know how I met my husband?’

  ‘Y-yes-’

  ‘Then how can you be so idiotic? I lost hold of my body and found him. I know every inch of his soul, and he mine. Are you so blind as to believe you know him better than I? Cadel asked me to fire you, but I declined as he hates nearly everyone. It is nearly impossible to find staff who please him. I see in this instance I was wrong. You may pack your things and get out of my house.’

  ‘H-he what?’

  Lucine, brush in hand, advanced on Elise and pushed her from the room, slamming the door behind her. ‘I am so sorry,’ Lucine said, clasping her hands together as she returned to Emerré. ‘She’s a young girl, and-’

  ‘And through no fault of his own, my husband misleads nearly every woman he comes across.’ Emerré sighed. ‘But you are quite young too, Lucine, and you haven’t been with us long.’

  ‘Ms Arnette,’ Lucine said, speaking of the woman who had been Emerré’s maid before Lucine, ‘gave me some advice...’

  ‘I am pleased you took it. Since I am at it, Lucine, take down some names.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I am not in the mood to deal with the jibes and looks of everyone who adores Cadel. I will give you the names of those I intend to keep, everyone else is to leave my home by tonight.’

  CHAPTER 112

  5 Sebre, 1353

  The darkness lightened. Metal grated on stone. Somewhere, a door clanged shut. His head jerked up as a familiar shape appeared before his cell.

  Sparks fizzed in the air, streaming towards the shape. He let out a breathless, angry gasp. The sparks disappeared before they got close, leaving spots dancing in his eyes.

  ‘Cadel,’ a woman sighed. She crouched down, until she was level with him. The amulet on her necklace, a candle inside a circle, dangled in front of his eyes. ‘You haven’t eaten, Cadel.’

  ‘She won’t come.’

  ‘Cadel, you’re exhausted, you’ve used up your magic, you are no danger to me. Please, you must eat.’

  ‘Who do you work for?’ He croaked, his voice barely audible.

  ‘Cadel, you know I can’t...’

  ‘Who you work for?’ he shouted, throwing himself at the bars. ‘Our King? Theirs? Who?!’

  She stood up quickly, backing away from the bars.

  ‘Cadel, please, I don’t want to do this to you, but I have little say. If you cooperate, I can get you free, free from the dungeon, free from her...’

  ‘Emerré won’t come! She has our child, she won’t come.’

  ‘It would be better if she didn’t... I know you, Cadel. You are kind and warm. It must be so hard to know her life depends on you, knowing if you left her she would quite literally die.’

  Cadel made a sound of disgust. He shuffled back until he was resting against one of the cold stone walls of his cell. There was enough room to stand. If he stretched his arms out his hands would brush against either side of the cell. He’d made countless circles around his prison, trying to keep his fitness up, trying to stave off frustration, boredom, madness. It was dark, always dark. Until someone came, leaving a torch in a bracket outside the cell. When that happened it seemed like there was a vast area just past his door, as if his cell was on the edge of a large, open room. But perhaps it just seemed that way because his cell was so small. The walls and door of his prison writhed with magic, just at the edge of his vision. He was too weak now to really see it, understand it. Too weak to break it.

  He’d tried. By the time he’d arrived it had been too late. He remembered sunlight and freshwater, things now foreign to him. Then pain exploding through his head. He hadn’t been expecting it. It wasn’t magic, not at first. He would have felt magic. He’d been hit with something. Then he’d woken up here, after who knew how long. By the time he awoke he was trapped and already weak.

  He’d expended everything he had in the first break out attempt.

  He had failed.

  Lank hair, blond and dirty fell into his face and brushed his back. It was too long. It was a little thing, a tiny thing. But it grated unbearably on his nerves. And his beard. He hated his beard. Sometimes he would try and pull it out. They would come and stop him. He would scream in rage at them that it was just too damn long and he couldn’t bear the feel of it on his back and- they would knock him out again. Usually they used magic. Sometimes they hit him. They wouldn’t cut his hair though.

  ‘Cadel,’ the woman said. ‘I want to help you. It’s Emerré we want, not you.’

  ‘She can’t use her magic,’ he said, ‘not any more. She’s twenty four, ancient for a shadow mage. She’ll die. She’ll die. No. She won’t come. Jonathan will keep her... he’ll keep her safe...’

  ‘They have candles, Cadel. They’ve been planning this-’

  Cadel’s eyes flicked up and he lunged for her necklace. She took a hurried step back, her hand clasping it protectively. He crashed into the bars. A feral grin curved up his mouth, his eyes glinted in the dim light. ‘How long?! Since she refused to fight in the war? Since you lost? Planning for the next round?’

  ‘I can’t tell you which side, Cadel-’

  ‘Afraid she’ll find out?’ He taunted. ‘Afraid that necklace won’t protect you, Rachel?’

  ‘Rochelle, I’m Rochelle-’

  ‘She’ll look inside and find everything you care about. And she’ll take it. You don’t want her here. You don’t want to risk pissing off a shadow mage... leave her, leave her...’

  ‘Cadel, please, you’re weak, you barely know what you’re saying...’

  ‘I know... I know you think... you think if it wasn’t for her...’ he laughed. He rested his head against the bars, wracked by laughter. He was so hungry. He couldn’t remember when he’d started his hunger strike. Eating, or refusing to, was the only thing he could control down here. It was the only thing he could do. His laughter faded, leaving him shaking from the effort.

  ‘... Emerré’s a shadow mage. She’d share my body... if it would make me happy. Not my heart, never that.’ he mumbled towards the stone floor, as if talking to himself. ‘... She doesn’t require monogamy from me. I’m the... I’m the traditional one... Emerré would allow me to be with...with others... I don’t because... ’

  ‘Cadel, please-’

  As if remembering there was someone else in his dungeon he looked up. ‘I don’t like you. I don’t want you.’

  She fled with a strangled cry.

  Her footsteps receded. Then they grew louder as she came back. ‘Eat, please!’ she cried. ‘Don’t do this to yourself. Please.’

  And then she ran, her footsteps echoing throughout the dungeon. The torchlight dimmed, until he was alone in perfect darkness.

  CHAPTER 113

  20 Odref 1353

  ‘How much longer?’ Loic Macon asked, his voice grating on Quince’s nerves.

  ‘I don’t know, I’m not her doctor. Soon, within a week, or possibly more if it’s delayed.’

  Quince watched Loic pace up and down his office. Quince didn’t like working when he had others in his office.

  ‘Everything is riding on this. The King has expectations-’

  Quince laughed. ‘Ridiculous expectations! I can’t force her to cooperate!’

  Loic shot a panicked look at Quince. Clearly, the thought had occurred to him too.

  ‘The shadow mage you’re training, the child, will she be able to learn from her? What about that other one... Brigitte, was it? She died when we tried the same thing with Blaise.’

  ‘She was close to the end anyway. The child is new, she’s not in any immediate danger from her magic. Besides... Blaise’s desire to stay in this world was much weaker than Emerré’s.’

  ‘So we hope.’

  ‘Hope? She hasn’t used her magic in years, there’s no hoping about it.’ he shrugged. ‘Now, if you’d be so kind as to leave-’

  ‘If this doesn’t work the King will have your head!’

  Quince narrowed his eyes. ‘I have work to do.’

  ‘What work? We’re all just waiting! What’s your backup plan if this doesn’t work?’

  ‘Backup plan? I’m breeding more spiders-’

  ‘We never found Linette! Apparently she died somewhere and burnt her body! Burnt it!’

  ‘An unusually practical shadow mage.’ Quince said sourly. ‘Guy is still in the castle.’

  ‘He’s being cooperative.’ Loic said. ‘Sort of. He cleared Dulère and the prince. The King isn’t ready yet to give him up to a spider, not when he may soon be the only shadow mage left in the Kingdom. What’s your back up plan if Emerré doesn’t cooperate?’

  Quince pursed his mouth. ‘You want a backup plan? Fine. Bring me some sorcerers, some good ones, not some rejects.’

  ‘Sorcerers? What for?’

  ‘We’ll have Emerré Albier for a few days before she dies. Maybe the sorcerers can learn something from her while she’s here.’ he smiled nastily. ‘I think we’ll find our lack of understanding of shadow magic is more due to their unwillingness to cooperate, rather than some intrinsic difficulty in studying it.’

  ‘Yes...yes...’ Loic repeated as he considered that. ‘I’ll arrange it at once.’

  ‘And that woman keeps coming down here to look at the prisoner.’

  ‘What of it? She captured him, she might be useful.’

  ‘Dulère’s free and back from Dartham and he’s looking for the wizard.’

  ‘The Belcanese ruling family aren’t going down easy...’

  ‘It won’t matter soon. I have four candles, and you’ll be sending me the best mages in the city. It’ll be over soon.’

  ‘For someone, anyway...’ Loic muttered darkly.

  CHAPTER 114

  29 Odref 1353

  Emerré dreamt.

  Nineteen had been a good age. She’d thought eighteen hadn’t been too bad. She’d been prepared, expecting it. And that was the point.

  As the grip of the shadow magic tightened she stopped minding so much. She came back for shorter periods, it took longer to remember, to regain the use of her body. And when she finally let go she was ready, almost happy. The shadow magic was addictive. From the first moment she used it, unwittingly as a child, her fate was sealed. She couldn’t stop. There was no reason to stop. That place that held the souls of every living thing, mixed up together like some dark ocean, an ocean of spirits, appearing and disappearing as people died and were born. But not quite. That wasn’t quite it. Perhaps it was more like the night sky, and every soul made up a piece of that darkness, impossible to tell apart until you were there and flying through it.

  It was impossible to describe.

  It was overwhelming, chaotic, beautiful, dangerous.

  It was hard to remember who she was when she let go of her body. She was everybody, nobody. That dark place dragged her along, nothing was hidden from her. It was euphoric.

  When she first used her power she didn’t go too far. She stayed limited to her geographic surroundings. It wasn’t until later, when she ventured further from her body, from safety, that she realized geography didn’t matter in the least. Someone on the other side of the world was as easy to reach as the person next to her. But first she strayed accidentally into the hearts of the people around her, and when she came back she couldn’t look at them the same way. And if they’d noticed, they couldn’t look at her the same either. Once she got stronger she realized she could change those hearts, if she wanted. Emerré had never done that. In that dark place, forgetting herself, right and wrong didn’t play into the decision. For her there had never seemed much point. But if she’d wanted, she could. Everything was hers. The world gained a depth and colour it hadn’t had before. And lost something too. A body seemed so constraining. But if she let go, she’d disappear. Dissipate into that whirlpool of everyone, all the pieces of her scattered and gone. Dead.