She turned to me and I wanted to melt into the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” she asked. Her icy voice shot through me.
“Well…um…we didn’t want it to become…you know.” I made a vague gesture, but she stayed silent. “Become like null shields and Curare. Where everyone knows about it and can use it.” Weak excuse. I stifled a groan.
She waited. At least she didn’t point out the obvious. If I had told her, we wouldn’t be here.
“If you believed me about Devlen…” I clung to a slippery surface. Finally I let go. “All right, I admit it. I made another terrible mistake. At least I’m good at something!”
“You should be proud,” she said.
“No more fake fights,” Ulrick said. “Are you going to surrender or do we need to force you?”
“Such choices. I’ll go with the forced option. I have my pride.” She slid her feet into a fighting stance.
Tricky shook his head. “She’s too dangerous. Kill her now and be done with it.”
The four men shared a look.
“Now’s a good time to spring your surprise,” I said to Zitora.
“What surprise?” she asked.
Not good. “Your backup plan.”
“Sorry, Opal.”
Why didn’t she pretend to have backup? Her pointed gaze said it all. I would have to be her backup.
The men advanced on her. She looked tiny and fragile in comparison to the muscular men. Devlen moved to help her, but froze, ensnared by Tricky’s magic.
Tricky smiled. “You’re next, traitor.”
I kept still to avoid being trapped like Devlen. Zitora defended herself, but, without magic, four proved to be too many for her. She didn’t last long. Three held her. Tricky gestured at me and the switchblade flew from my hand and into his.
Genuine panic flashed in her eyes. I kept expecting a miracle or an army to break through the door, but Tricky drew his arm back to strike.
“Wait!” I screamed, gaining everyone’s attention. “Don’t kill her. I’ll siphon her powers. I promise.”
“I’d rather die,” she said. The truth.
“I’ll do it and I’ll even promise to drain the rest of the Master Magicians and Yelena.”
“No.” She bucked and thrashed, but they held tight.
Ulrick laughed. “Almost, Opal. You almost had us. We would have to remove the null shield for your plan to work, giving Zitora access to her power.”
“It would only be for a spilt second,” I said.
“But then you wouldn’t go through with it,” Ulrick reasoned. “Tricky.”
He stabbed her in the stomach with the switchblade.
He buried it up to the hilt.
He twisted the knife.
Blood spurted out.
The world faded. Sound disappeared. Color drained. Blackness crept into the edges of my vision.
The glass in my hands burned my fingers, seared my palms as magic potential sizzled along my arms. One thought slammed into me. Break the null shield and Zitora can heal herself.
Anchored by my blood, their magic resisted my efforts.
Break the null shield and Zitora can heal herself.
Her face paled to ghost white. Red liquid puddled around her. I clamped down on an hysterical giggle. Died from blood loss. Killed by blood magic.
Not enough blood. Too much blood. Blood transfusions. Blood protection. My blood. Everything connected to blood.
My heart choked and coughed in my chest as the answer hit me. My blood.
I used my glass magic on the men. Instead of reaching for their power and drawing it into the orb, I reclaimed my magic. My blood in their skin linked us. Our magic intertwined. They collapsed to the floor in agony as the power flowed from them and into me. But I couldn’t hold all the magic inside me. As soon as I relaxed, it would return to them. I would have to purge it. All of it, including my own magic.
I didn’t hesitate. I had been willing to give my life. My magic was an easier price to pay. Diamonds filled the orb, ringing out with a clear and steady sound. They rained onto the floor. A hailstorm of diamonds.
I closed my eyes, gathered the last of our powers and purged it. A searing pain shattered me, reducing me to tiny shards like crushed sea glass.
After a few more pings sounded, I opened my eyes. I lay on the ground surrounded by diamonds. My last thought dwelled on the beautiful sparkles.
Much prettier than slitting my own throat.
My world ceased to exist.
I expected peace. I expected to float free—unconnected and unconcerned. Unfortunately, the unexpected and annoying chatter of voices kept intruding on my peaceful afterlife.
I peered through a slit in my eyelids. My entire family sat or stood around the room. They talked. They argued. My mother interrogated Kade. By the poor guy’s panicked expression, I knew her questions had to be of a personal nature. Mara whispered to Leif. Ahir and my father discussed glass.
No Zitora or Janco. I hoped their absence was due to anything other than death. I closed my eyes, letting the voices flow over me. Though pleased to be alive, I had no energy for the inevitable questions. In my mind, I calculated how many travel days my parents needed to arrive in Hubal, assuming I remained in the town. Nine days on horseback at the minimum, and Kade would need ten.
Too tired to muster any energy to be concerned over the length of my sleep, I dozed. The next time the voices interrupted, I remained awake long enough to tally a list of woes. My muscles ached and my head throbbed.
Later Kade’s voice roused me enough to open my eyes all the way. He sat on the edge of my bed, holding my hand. His other fingers stroked my cheek. Deep lines of concern creased his haggard face. “…eat or you’ll wither away.”
My heavy eyelids drifted shut.
“Come on, Opal,” he pleaded. “Don’t leave me.”
I struggled to meet his gaze. I’d caused so much trouble. “Zitora?”
“She’s fine,” he rushed to assure me.
“Janco?”
“A pain in the ass, but otherwise fine.”
“Did I…die?”
“No. Just utter and complete exhaustion. But you will if you don’t start eating solid food. Yelena can’t sustain you forever.”
“Yelena?”
“She came as soon as she heard the news.”
She shouldn’t be here. She had more important things to do. “What happened—”
“I’m not telling you any more unless you eat.” Kade reached for a bowl on the table next to my bed. “Your mother’s soup.” He waved the spoon under my nose. “It’s your favorite.”
“You’re mean.” But I let him feed me because I was unable to move my arms. The simple act of swallowing exhausted me. I would have to ask my questions the next time I woke.
Each time I opened my eyes, Kade fed me and answered a few questions. I only “roused” for Kade because I didn’t have the strength to deal with anyone else.
“You were unconscious for twelve days. You’re in a room at the Dolomite Inn. The owner has given us all rooms and the use of the kitchen while we’re here,” Kade explained for a full bowl of soup.
“Once she recovered from her injuries, Zitora contacted the Council. After Yelena helped you, she switched both Devlen and Ulrick and Tama and Akako back to their rightful bodies,” Kade said for a bowl of creamy chowder.
“Ulrick, Tricky and the others have been arrested. Janco tracked down Aubin. The Council will decide their fate,” Kade offered for soup and a slice of bread.
“The Council is awarding you a commendation for your help in exposing Akako’s illicit deeds and the blood magic,” he said for soup and apple butter smeared on toast.
“The Council has voted to let you keep all the diamonds. You won’t have to worry about money anymore. You can languish on a beach and surf for the rest of your life,” he said for half a bowl of beef stew.
A full serving of stew netted me permission to stand up and move around. Finally ready to face them, I asked about the rest of my family.