Arcana (39 page)

It was the longest speech the little fox had given me, and my mind struggled to muddle through its meaning. “The king’s cruelty toward his own
daughter
. . . surely that wasn’t a common thing?”

He is king because he shows no mercy—even to those of his own blood. You have always seen Sylvania as a utopia, a place where arcana thrives without fear of recrimination from mortals. But it is bound by its own set of laws, its own customs—ones that will seem harsh to you.

A utopia. I think of the many stories I heard of Sylvania growing up, of the way I so desperately wanted to see it for myself, to see unicorns and dragons and all the mythical creatures in the flesh. In the fox’s words, I hear my mother. She said as much in one of her entries:
And yet, the rules of English society pale in comparison to those of Sylvania.
I cradle my head in my hands. I was so sure she was leading me to escape to her realm, but now . . .

“Then what am I to do?” I ask—though whether I am asking my mother or the fox at my side, I cannot say.

Your mother left that memory as a means of communicating exactly what hardships you may face in Sylvania, but it still stands as a possible refuge should this mortal realm prove ruinous for you. The queen, your grandmother, would welcome you.

I force myself to my feet, swaying as nausea and the stabbing pain in my abdomen nearly knock me down again.

“Then Mama did intend for me to cross over?” I press my hand to my forehead as if to keep my poor brain from escaping. I have never been so confused, nor so indecisive. I think of the carriage driver, lying witness to what I had done. He may not have understood how the explosion came about, but he will find Lord Blackburn’s body and remember that I walked away unscathed. Imprisonment is likely my only other option.

I will lead you to the gateway. You must choose whether you will cross.

I can only sigh in resignation at this unhelpful response. “Lead on, then,” I say, and open the door for the fox. After securing my reticule to my wrist, I limp down the stairs like an old woman, avoiding eye contact with the few people already in the pub so soon after sunrise. Since no one so much as glances our way, I can only assume the fox is visible only to me in the same way that we were hidden from the Sylvani in the other realm.

I make it to the back of the inn before I lose the contents of my stomach. I lean against the rough wooden beams like a drunken wastrel. The fox waits patiently, sympathy clear in its large eyes. Breathing hard, I continue a short ways down the road, far enough not to have to worry about any of the kind inn staff finding me. When the inn is far enough in the distance, we leave the road and walk laboriously to the top of a small hill. With my face tilted up to the sun, I close my eyes. The sun penetrates my skin, its healing light chasing away some of the pain until I can almost breathe normally.

Lord Blackburn must have done more damage than I’d thought, and tingles of apprehension race through me.

It is not far now
. The fox lopes away, and I follow at a much slower pace.

We stay close to the Great North Road, just as the map showed—not far from Lord Blackburn’s wreck of a carriage. When the rock formation once again looms before me, just as in my vision, the fox stops. I glance back at the inn, still within sight. I cannot believe how close I’ve been this whole time.

Only your blood will open the gate.

I step forward and touch the rock, the surface rough and cool against my palm. A thrum of energy seems to awaken the longer I touch it. My reticule still dangles from my wrist, and from within it, I withdraw the dagger Lord Thornewood gave me. A sad smile touches my lips as I see my reflection in the blade. I’m sure drawing my own blood wasn’t what he had in mind.

I press the tip of the dagger to my wrist. A single bead of blood wells up before running down my skin onto the rock.

Above me, the gateway awakens. Energy cascades over the rock like water, while the air under the bridge shimmers. Still, it isn’t enough. I know more blood is required. My family’s faces rise up in my mind to torture me one by one. Can I really do this?

The soft sound of a boot on grass alerts me to someone’s approach. I turn, my heart racing in my chest.

“Hello, Katherine,” Lord Blackburn says. His clothes are rumpled and torn, his hair standing up in patches. But it’s the look on his face that really clues one in on the fact he is unhinged.

“Lord Blackburn,” I say, the realization that he is truly alive and standing dawns on me slowly. “But how—”

“How did I survive?” He holds up the accursed ring. “You gave me the power.”

I nearly sink to my knees in defeat. “The ring had the power to heal you?”

He sneers at me. “Are you devastated, my love? If it brings you comfort, you did succeed, but not for long.” He steps forward and grabs hold of my arm. “Come, there’s an inn nearby where we can hire a coach. Despite your best efforts, we will be continuing on our journey.”

With my hands curled into tight fists, more blood from my self-inflicted wound falls upon the rock. A steady hum begins, and an indistinct doorway faintly shimmers.

Lord Blackburn stills. His expression is perplexed at first but rapidly moves to excitement. “I don’t believe it,” he says. “This is the gateway, isn’t it? The portal to the Sylvani realm.” He looks at me with manic excitement shining in his eyes. “I knew having you for my own would be life-altering for me, but I never imagined you’d lead me to the portal.”

Not only have I failed to free my family and myself from this monster, but I have led him to more of my kind. The fox catches my eye, then, still undetected by Lord Blackburn, and I think of the display of power I saw there. I almost smile when I think of Lord Blackburn facing my grandfather’s awesome ability.

He touches the rock reverently. “I have only to step through this doorway, and all the wonders of the Sylvani realm will be before me.”

“And you plan to go there alone? I wish you good luck then, for you are mad.”

“The Order of the Eternal Sun stands behind me on this. I have only to inform them I’ve found the gateway, and I will have their assistance. As you have seen for yourself, you and your kind are weak when it comes to those like me. And if you, who are only half-Sylvani, can provide such a burst of power, imagine what those beyond this portal can do.”

An ice cold sensation washes over me. As he has been my only threat, I have forgotten there are others like him. “I’ll never let you through.”

“And how will you stop me? Your stores of energy must be nearly depleted. In truth, I had no idea you had the power to not only resist my energy drain, but also to cause such a massive explosion. Had it not been for the residual power left in my system, I never would have survived. As it happens, my driver was not so lucky.”

I suck in my breath in disbelief. “He was breathing when I left.”

“Was he? Impressive, that. Well, he was very much dead when I found him.”

The guilt flays my insides until I clutch my abdomen in much the same way I did earlier. I killed an innocent man. I didn’t even stay long enough to be sure he would recover. A sob catches in my throat.

Lord Blackburn tilts his head in mock sympathy. “How terrible to take a human life. I can’t imagine the shame you must feel.”

I shake my head as tears fill my eyes. Never before have I used arcana to harm someone. My pain is so all-consuming I don’t even pull away when Lord Blackburn’s fingers wrap around my arm.

“With so much energy expended,” he says into my ear, “I doubt you have much left. So tell me, Katherine, this portal requires your blood to open, yes? Then we must be sure to feed it plenty.”

My eyes snap to his. A cruel darkness swirls in their depths, but I will not give in. I shove him as hard as I can and hold my dagger at the ready.

He sneers at me, the slash across his face I gave him earlier red and jagged in the sunlight. “You won’t have the chance to use that this time.”

“Perhaps not,” I say, “but you cannot expect me to stand here docilely and let you bleed me dry.”

A determined look replaces his sneer, and I balance on the balls of my feet, prepared to leap out of his path. He charges me, but without my full energy, I’m as slow as any human and hampered by the full skirts of my dress. I yelp as his hand grabs my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh like talons. He grasps hold of my hand holding the dagger and squeezes until I fear the bones of my fingers may break. The dagger falls to ground. He pulls me close, and I struggle so violently his fingernails draw blood from my arms.

The thunder of horse hooves causes us both to jump. Though I stand in full view of the road, I cannot trust my eyes. Surely the man riding toward us is not who I think it is.

But I’d know that devastatingly tall, muscular frame anywhere.

Lord Thornewood.

Riding with him is Tavi, the man who had brought him news at Thornewood.

His eyes waste no time in seeking me out. The dark anger there blazes when he takes in the scene. He jumps down from his horse and stalks over to us, every muscle in his face tight. Tavi dismounts as well and takes hold of both horses. I take advantage of Lord Blackburn’s momentary distraction and wrench away from his grasp. I run to Lord Thornewood and with a gentle touch, he pulls me close to his side. Only then does he seem to relax—marginally.

“Katherine,” he says, his voice rough, “thank God I found you. Are you well?”

“Well enough,” I say truthfully.

“Has he hurt you?” he asks. I hesitate, and his jaw muscle twitches as he takes in both Lord Blackburn’s slashed cheek and the bruises on my throat.

Before I can answer, his hand snaps forward and yanks Lord Blackburn by the cravat until they are eye to eye.

“Unhand me at once,” Lord Blackburn says. Despite his tone, his face is contorted in fear. He struggles against Lord Thornewood’s hold as uselessly as I struggled against his in the carriage.

“I warned you what would happen if you touched her,” Lord Thornewood says, every muscle in his body taut.

“None of this involves you, Thornewood.”

“It does when you steal my betrothed away like a thief in the night.”

Lord Blackburn scoffs, but his expression is wary. “You expect me to believe that? Neither Katherine nor her grandmother said a word.”

“I’ve only just returned from her father’s house. Imagine our surprise when we came to London and found her missing.”

“You spoke to Papa?” I ask, my voice high-pitched with incredulity.

His face softens as he looks at me. “Did I not tell you I would do so? I am a man of my word, after all.”

Lord Blackburn takes advantage of Lord Thornewood’s momentary distraction and shoves him away. He draws himself up to his full height, which is unfortunately a head shorter than Lord Thornewood. “Well your
betrothed
and I are eloping.” He turns to me and narrows his eyes. “Isn’t that right, Katherine?”

My heart pounds loudly in my ears. I open my mouth to pronounce the truth but am interrupted.

“Only because she was forced,” Lord Thornewood says, his voice deeper with anger.

I close my eyes and whisper a quick prayer of thanks. Penelope must have contacted him after all.

“This changes nothing,” Lord Blackburn says in a hiss, his eyes burning on mine. “You
will
do this.”

“I will never open the gateway for you.”

Lord Thornewood’s gaze shifts to the rocks behind us. I can see his quick mind putting the pieces together. “The gateway . . . to the Sylvani?” he asks, and the absence of fear or disgust in his eyes brings a rush of relief.

“My mother’s realm lies beyond these rocks,” I say.

“If you refuse,” Lord Blackburn says, “then Lucy will pay the price instead.”

Lord Thornewood takes a menacing step forward. “You dare threaten her?”

Lord Blackburn smirks. “It is Katherine who is the dangerous one here. She let out a blast of energy so powerful it destroyed my carriage and killed the driver. She—”

“The driver may have been injured,” Lord Thornewood interrupts, “but he was very much alive last I saw him.”

I jerk in surprise. How could I have let myself be taken in by Lord Blackburn yet again? My relief that the driver still lived is nearly palpable.

“What does it matter?” Lord Blackburn demands. “Her power is so monstrous that she nearly succeeded in killing the both of us!”

I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. “He gave me little choice. He is a member of a brotherhood that can pose a danger to my family and me.”

“I know what you are,” Lord Thornewood says to Lord Blackburn, his eyes narrowed dangerously, “and I know Katherine. In truth, I’m sorry she didn’t succeed.”

My gaze jumps to Lord Thornewood’s.

“I am well aware of this . . . Order of the Eternal Sun,” Lord Thornewood says with a look of disgust. When Lord Blackburn shoots him a look of surprise, he smiles darkly. “My man of business here has been making inquiries on my behalf. I knew there was something wrong about you, I just didn’t know what. You hid your involvement well, but not well enough for a man of Tavi’s talents. So talented, in fact, that he was able to track you. But what we have not been able to determine is whether you are one of the monstrous beings who drains the energy from your victims.”

Lord Blackburn pales, no doubt disturbed by how much information Lord Thornewood has uncovered.

“Then you must have also discovered that I am not without my own abilities,” Lord Blackburn says. “She and I have an agreement. I want what was promised to me.”

“What was
promised
to you was I’d ruin you if you ever pursued Katherine again. I mean to make good on my word.”

Lord Blackburn laughs humorlessly. “Ruin? Why should I fear ruin from a dead man?”

His statement hovers in the air, igniting the tension like the strike of a match.

Lord Blackburn pulls a pistol from beneath his jacket and aims it straight at Lord Thornewood’s chest. Tavi drops the reins of the horses to come to his employer’s aid, but I know he will never make it in time.