Hands still shaking from our near brush with death, I untuck the paper messager bird folded away in my collar, letting it fly free to orbit by my ear. I clamp down on my fluctuating emotions with my Domain. My voice is steady as I hail our communications expert. “Rakesh? Can you get me a line to Ozana?”

“I’ll relay your message,” he replies almost instantly in crisp, professional tones that do little to hide his exhaustion.

“May I speak with her?”

A pause. “You sound troubled. What’s wrong? Complications healing the [Premier]?”

Oh. Rakesh doesn’t know yet.

I glance around the smoldering rubble. Lazy spirals of gray-black smoke drift upward into the sky. Coughing, I shuffle my feet and scratch the back of my head, embarrassed to admit that we ran into problems again. “Turns out it was a trap.”

“Are you all right?” Rakesh hisses.

I let out an awkward chuckle. “Yeah, yeah. We’re fine. Tell you more once we’ve got a lead. Right now I need to talk with Ozana.”

“I can’t leave you without oversight for one minute,” Rakesh grumbles. “I might be able to hold two birds close together. My Skill lets me communicate to each of you simultaneously now that it’s ranked up, but I can’t connect you two directly. Maybe after I gain further mastery and empower it with more mana.”

“Contact her. Now.

He seems to pick up on my urgency and opens up a new connection without any further commentary. Seconds later, I hear Ozana’s charming voice answering Rakesh’s harried tones. She sounds faint and far away, but soon her voice is coming through loud and clear.

“This better be important, Rakesh,” she snaps. “I’m up to my eyeballs in—”

“We almost died,” I cut in.

“What did you do this time?” Ozana yells. I’ve never heard her sound so frazzled. “Don’t you like peace and quiet once in a while?”

I ignore her slight against my dignity. Honestly, it’s too close to the truth for comfort. My fists clench in rage over the situation. “To make matters worse, now someone’s stealing my things. You tracked down Saphora through her scrying channels before. Can you do it again?”

“Checking,” Ozana sighs.

A moment of silence passes. “Well? Can you tell me if she’s tapped into them again?” I ask, pacing back and forth in front of the smoking building.

“Patience. Takes time,” Ozana grumbles.

I let her work, studying our bleak surroundings in the meantime. Staring at the damage from the explosion makes my head hurt. Fallen edifices. Cracked foundations. Stained glass windows blown out everywhere. All that jade ruined. It’s a travesty, really.

“We’ve set up alerts. No alarms so far,” Ozana’s voice says, coming through clearly from the paper bird that Rakesh must be holding near my own paired bird.

“Sure? Someone hijacked my golems. I can’t sense who it is, not from here.”

“Wait. That’s what’s got you so worked up?” Ozana snickers loudly, making me wince and move my ear away from the folded paper. “You forget that you gave the twins the control wards, didn’t you?”

“Oh. The Linas were moving them all this time?” I ask in a strangled voice.

“Yep,” Ozana drawls, dragging out the word.

My cheeks burn. “Why?”

“Because I told them to, Nuri. Someone has to display your work, since you’re hopeless at self-promotion.”

Dumbstruck, I stand unmoving, staring at the paper bird in front of me. What could have prompted her to—wait. Did she say that she was going to display my work? “Ozana? Are you showing my actions on the scrying golems?”

“Naturally. With a banner message that the Orpheus has eyes everywhere. Those who can afford our services will understand the implications,” Ozana replies smugly.

When I burst out in a strangled, incoherent protest, she laughs. No matter how much I complain, she keeps laughing at me until I’m chuckling along, though my heart’s not in it.

“And I thought we were friends,” I grumble. “You’re using me as an advertisement while I’m fighting for my life.”

“Think of the kickbacks,” Ozana says sweetly. “Besides the profit-sharing, you’re about to be famous.”

“Shameless! I’m not sure whether to feel indignant or impressed by your savvy.”

“You’ll thank me later.”

“If I live that long. Saphora’s lackeys will put a target on my back,”I say, rolling my eyes.

“Hate to interrupt, but I’m getting a priority code again. Back in a moment, you two,” our overworked [Researcher] says, butting into the conversation.

While I’m waiting for the next unsettling bit of bad news—and it’s always bad news, lately—I turn to watch my friends at work. Nearby, Casella is debriefing a small crew of [Inquisitors] on what happened inside.

One of their coworkers runs up, joining the group, and salutes. “Perimeter secure, Sir.”

“You’re certain? No room for complacency after that blast,” Casella replies, frowning with all the subtlety of a thundercloud.

“Scanned thrice. I’m sure.”

“No chance of further traps?” I ask, edging closer to the intense discussion. Two of the men I don’t recognize shoot me a look that tells me exactly how they feel about me interfering in official [Inquisitor] business, but the man who was inside with Casella nods respectfully.

“Thanks for the save, young man,” the slim, gray-haired man with a weathered face says softly, clasping his hands and inclining his head.

“Anytime,” I answer distractedly, peering at Casella in surprise. He’s normally in absolute control of his emotions, but right now they’re fluctuating like a flickering candle on a windy day.

“We don’t have time to waste,” Casella snaps. His eyes flash as he glares at each of his subordinates in turn. “Find out how we overlooked the hidden charges. Who planted them? Did we skip any safety checks? Then connect with Mbukhe and track down Saphora. Go!”

Orders handed out, the [Inquisitors] disperse and get to work. I wait until they’re not only out of sight, but beyond the range of my [Arcane Domain], before I turn to Casella and frown. “It doesn’t sit well with me that they missed the trap. They’re too good for that.”

“What’s actually on your mind? You’re leaving accusations unspoken,” Casella mutters.

“Yeah,” I admit. “Something doesn’t add up. I’m worried that Saphora had inside help. Is it possible she bribed an [Inquisitor]?”

Casella simply shrugs. “Of course she had inside help. How else would she get out?”

I frown. “I thought you vetted your men? How did she get to them?”

Casella chuckles wryly. “I do. I know them all, which is why I’m able to control the exact information that leaks.”

Realization hits me like a runaway freight cart. Perfect control isn’t realistic, but shaping narratives is easier than I thought. “Ah. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Don’t trouble yourself over a traitor in our midst, Nuri. I have everything under control,” Casella assures me with a grim smile that’s all teeth and no mirth. “Now, let’s get to work.”

I cough into my fist to cover up my embarrassment. “Right. I’ll leave the investigation in your capable hands.”

Now that I don’t have to worry about either a security leak or a hijacker, I switch back to my teammate and best friend to see what’s going on with his moment of epiphany.

Lionel is sitting cross-legged on a cracked piece of rubble that looks like it used to be part of the floor. It’s canted up at an angle now. Eyes closed, he’s scowling in fierce concentration, locked in on his advancement. Mana howls around him, a maelstrom of power that I’m itching to observe and analyze with my Domain.

I force myself to focus. We don’t have time for me to get sidetracked right now. I say that way too often. We really need a vacation when this is all over. I’ll float on a river somewhere and indulge my hobbies. It will be fun, I tell myself.

Instead of studying how the energy of the heavens coalesces around Lionel, trying to tease out secrets not meant for mortal ken, I keep a close watch on how his grade is evolving. Advancing to the next rank is an exciting moment for all of us, but I’ve never had the opportunity to observe it through my Domain. Most of my personal progress came before I received the Skill or happened when I wasn’t well-situated to observe. I wonder if it’s like my Class merger?

Watching it all unfold is mesmerizing. The exact runes involved are unfamiliar to me, but they’re still bound by the same general rules; the formations contain new patterns of information and exciting details, but nothing that overthrows what we’ve already uncovered. That reinforces for me that there’s a language and intentionality to the laws governing the universe around us.

I hum to myself while I watch, considering how to quantify Lionel’s growth. He’s still a ways off from reaching the next Threshold, but he’s surging forward within his current division with undeniable momentum, taking the final step to the upper reaches of his rank.

The actual process is surprisingly simple. Every bit of Lionel, inside and out, is soaked with mana that builds up over time, strengthening his bones and blood, core and channels. His metaphysical self undergoes the same effect of mana-infusion. No, it’s not quite an infusion, I think as I peer closer. It’s more like building scaffolding, or perhaps layering multiple thin sheets of material to create a laminate. Only, the layers are pure mana, not some inferior material that erodes or breaks.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Now that I’m looking at jumping up a division within Silver more closely, I’m struck by the similarities to the way I once reinforced Melina’s grand time dilation Skill, [In the Blink of an Eye]. It’s building a support structure, multiplying the mana channels, and deepening the connections on a conceptual level. If I could approximate the process for a Skill, as difficult as it was, then perhaps I could one day artificially boost my teammates to an entirely new tier. Could we all reach the Second Threshold, stepping into Gold, within a year instead of taking a decade-plus? We definitely embody the dedicated pursuit of mastery required, but time isn’t on our side.

Lionel’s core expands like a balloon, or a bubble of air in glass when I’m blowing into the end of a blowpipe, strengthening the metaphysical lining as mana sinks into every square inch. It glows with power, obscuring my view of the runes involved. I push closer, bringing the weight of [Arcane Domain: My Eyes Shall Pierce the Veil] to bear, and regain sight of what’s happening in his inner world.

The furious rotation slows, reaching equilibrium. Eventually, the expanded core folds in on itself—not collapsing, but condensing into a more compact and solid version of its previous existence. The glow of power grows richer, more nuanced. Striations of various colors glimmer in the light.

As the pearlescent glow fades, something catches my eye. I look beyond, peering into Lionel’s interior world and Viewing his greatest Skill, [Runic Restoration]. While the structure itself doesn’t look any different from before, there are several dozen new connections that I didn’t notice previously, each faintly pulsing with a trickle of mana.

I’m a bit envious of Lionel’s sudden progress, since I’m anxious to advance, but my overwhelming reaction is satisfaction and joy for my friend. He’s earned it. If I’m right, he’ll find the Skill easier to activate now, not to mention more mana-efficient due to less leakage when initializing the ability. In terms of complexity and grade, the Skill looks to be on par with my [Sanctuary of Glass], which is the highest-ranking and potentially most powerful of my abilities.

Until now, Lionel hasn’t been able to access even a fraction of his [Restoration] Skill’s power. With this breakthrough into the peak of silver, he might boost the effective output of the Skill forward by twenty or thirty percent.

“Nuri? Are you seeing this?”

Rakesh’s incredulous voice washes over me, breaking me out of my excited observations. Guilt hits me as I realize I’m not writing down any notes, so I fumble with my notebook and jot down a few key thoughts as I answer Rakesh.

“Uhh. Nope. What’s up?”

“After Ozana showed off the way you saved everyone, the [Inquisitors] picked up an increase in chatter about you. Among the various murmurings and speculations of the masses, most of which they summarily discarded, they discovered a notice from acquaintances of yours.”

I blink a few times, trying to translate Rakesh-speak into normal words. “They’re spying on Gilead citizens?”

“Essentially, but it’s more elegant than that,” Rakesh replies, sounding a bit peeved. “But that’s not the point! They picked up on a publication that’s making the rounds among the nobility, and it’s only a matter of time before it filters down to everyone else. There’s a message for you. And Nuri? You’re not going to like it.”

=+=

Back at the Orpheus, my hands clutch a fresh page of expensive vellum plucked from a bulletin board in the Capitol building. How it ended up there without me noticing is perplexing, but it’s a good reminder that I’m not at the top of the power structure. Not yet.

My fingers dig into my palms as I read the prepared statement written by Shiphrah and Rashad. My heart sinks. They must hate me now.

I never wanted it to come to this.

I reread the statement more slowly, searing each hurtful word into my memory.

> House Chizoba condemns the malicious accusations against [Lady] Saphora in the strongest possible terms. Our ancient and noble lineage is not so fragile that we must defend ourselves against every misguided miscreant or misconception, but the personal affront brought against us cannot stand. Not only is our family’s good name besmirched, but the vicious attack is akin to emotional vandalism. The heinous charges of sedition and duplicitous, ill-gotten gain levied against [Lady Saphora] demand a response.

>

> As the joint-heirs and elder members of Chizoba, we, Shiphrah and Rashad, seek to set the record straight regarding our dear niece, the honorable [Lady] Saphora. She has devoted her life to the betterment of not only Gilead, but also of the world at large. For years, she’s made every effort to travel throughout Densmore, dispensing healing to all in need. Her commitment to charity is evident to all who know her at the Menders, where she volunteers her time when she’s home from her missions of mercy.

>

> Our greatest sorrow in this debacle is our hand in perpetuating the atrocities committed against Gilead. Nuri Shahi, a young man at the center of this storm, sought our aid in restoring his metaphysical system. We offered help immediately and without reserve. How has he repaid our kindness? With hurtful lies, horrific bullying against the sacred order of the Menders, and an invasion that violates the sovereignty of the Gilead city-state. Our kind-hearted treatment, which was given free of charge under most spurious misrepresentation of his situation and intentions, is now a source of bitterness and gall.

I groan as I read the rest of the declaration that demands reparations and includes an impassioned call to action. With a heavy sigh, I set it to the side. What a mess.

“I want to go back to glass. This is too stressful,” I say, hunching my shoulders in misery.

My choices on the way here have all been in the service of helping my friends. So how did I end up in such a strange circumstance, accused of manipulation and collusion with the bad guys? I really liked the siblings I met.

Rakesh reads a copy to the team in his finest narrator voice while I continue to wallow. The more I hear, the worse I feel. Guilt doesn’t need to be accurate. Blame still wields a wicked whip even if I’m not truly culpable.

“They should be ashamed of themselves for defending that monster. She needs to die,” Lionel says, his lips thinning in disapproval.

“Lio! They’re family. They love her. What do you want them to do?” Avelina asks. Dismay makes her voice crack.

He snorts. “What do I want them to do? Ava! It’s obvious. Not defend that witch!”

“I’d defend my sister if someone accused her of doing something wrong. I’ll bet they just don’t know the truth,” Avelina insists. She crosses her arms and glares at Lionel.

Still basking in the afterglow of his advancement, Lionel stands tall and doesn’t back down. “How come you’re defending them instead of Nuri? Don’t you want to clear his name? They can’t live in an illusion their entire lives, not when it affects us.”

“Let’s get back on track. Focus on finding Saphora and bringing her to justice instead of engaging in debate or character assassination,” I tell the team, hoping that they’ll leave off squabbling and pay attention to what matters.

Rakesh clears his throat. “Ah. It’s a bit late for letting bygones be bygones, Nuri. Ozana and I have already petitioned the court of public opinion on your behalf.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We’re not chasing down the culprit. That’s a job for the [Inquisitors]. So she and I fought back in the only way we know how.”

A mounting tension headache rises as I try to decipher his meaning. “What did you do?”

He lifts his hands, eyes wide, and splutters in protest. “All I did was suggest that we let people see the truth for themselves! It was only a passing comment.”

I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose. “I can think of a thousand ways that might go wrong. What did Ozana do?”

“She retaliated by releasing recordings from the scrying systems,” Rakesh says at last.

“Of Saphora in action?” Melina clarifies.

Rakesh nods, looking for all the world like a cornered beast. He won’t meet my eyes. “In a manner of speaking. Ozana broadcasted all of Saphora’s meetings with her co-conspirators. She’s likely sending out more examples as we speak. She wants to prove that Saphora was not only one of the main architects of the rebellion, but that she has a nasty streak and is guilty of many other crimes.”

“Truly, a terrifying enemy. Ozana has proved a most useful ally, however,” Casella murmurs. He’s been listening in on the conversation, but until now he’s kept his peace.

“Glad she’s on our side,” I agree.

“Even so. They’ll probably claim it’s a fake. They love their niece,” Melina points out.

An itch in the back of my mind won’t go away as I consider her words. “Huh. Maybe we overlooked the obvious. I’ll bet they love her enough to shelter her.”

Casella springs into action before I can even finish speaking. He calls instructions into one of the birds Rakesh loaned him, calling for his partner to meet him at the Chizoba estates. Apparently, he thinks my suspicions seem to ring with truth.

Next to me, Mikko gasps and jumps to his feet. “Nuri! Sometimes you’re smarter than you look, bro.”

I roll my eyes. “Thanks. I think.”

“No, seriously. We never saw her flee. We only assumed she got out of Gilead because that’s what she was trying to do when we caught her in the Rift below the city. I’ll bet she’s been hiding in plain sight. She’s probably still there, tucked away in her aunt and uncle’s house!”

Lionel grips the hilt of his glass rapier. His words come out low and menacing. “Casella can’t have all the fun himself. Let’s end this miserable chapter.”

“Let’s leave this to the professionals,” Melina says, sliding between Lionel and the door.

His face twists into a scowl. “So they can throw her back in prison and she can get away with everything? Shatter that! We should have taken her out when we had the chance.”

Melina shakes her head. “Who knows what other tricks she has up her sleeve? I’m not willing to risk losing you to her petty revenge. Not again.”

That seems to take the wind out of Lionel’s sails. He flings himself in a chair. His scowl intensifies, but he puffs out his cheeks before letting the air out in a slow stream. His body goes entirely motionless, except for his right leg, which is bouncing up and down with pent-up energy.

“Fine. We’ll do it your way. But if she gets away again, I’m hiring an [Assassin] to finish the job once and for all.”

“I’ll pay for it myself,” Melina promises, her voice ice cold.

To pass the time, I direct one of my remaining scrying golems to tail Casella. It’s tough to keep up with the swift [Inquisitor], whose enchanted equipment propels him through the city at an incredible clip. I couldn’t keep up with his top speed even with my magic empowering me. In a few short minutes, he arrives at the familiar gardens where I merged my Class.

Mbukhe is already there, flanked by a squad of [Inquisitors]. They confer in low tones for a moment, but I can’t pick up their discussion through my golems. Something to improve for the future, I tell myself.

Wards around the manor house fuzz the scrying transmission, and I’m forced to drop the connection while our colleagues are inside. It’s nerve-wracking, not knowing what’s happening, but I have to remind myself that Casella and Mbukhe are consummate professionals. If Saphora is there, they’ll flush her out.

Time crawls by, agonizingly slow now that we can’t see or hear anything. Lionel’s antsy leg is infectious, and most of us are similarly bouncing up and down in our seats or drumming our fingers on the armrests of our chairs.

“Wait. I’m receiving a report.”

Rakesh’s words ignite an explosion of exclamations and excitement as we all leap up out of our seats and start talking at once. He waves frantically for silence as he listens. His brows knit together in concentration. He switches away to another paired bird, calling in another team of [Inquisitors], his voice terse.

“Well?” Lionel demands, his hands splayed wide. “What’s going on, Rakesh? Is she there or not?”

“Negative,” he snaps.

Lionel growls in frustration and steps forward, reaching for the paper birds, but Mikko intercepts him and pins his arms at his side.

“Don’t interrupt. Something’s up.”

Lionel squirms, then huffs and smacks his forehead ineffectually into Mikko’s shoulder. “Traitor,” he mutters, his voice muffled by Mikko’s shirt.

“House Chizoba is empty, but another team of [Inquisitors] picked up on movement just as Casella arrived,” Rakesh reports. His fingers are flying, writing notes in his book as he shifts his birds around and compares details.

“No doubt she was there. Tracking Skills engaged. They’re scouring the city for clues.”

I pump my fists in the air. If anyone can find out where that hag disappeared to, it will be our stalwart allies. They’re like bloodhounds, except they know how to sniff out the truth instead of prey. With the veteran duo on the case, we can breathe more easily.

“Lio! Good news,” Rakesh shouts suddenly. “A second team just called in. They caught sight of her. Escape vector confirmed.”

“Where?” Lionel and I demand at the same time. My heart is thudding in my chest, and suddenly the air in the room feels too hot, making my skin prickle.

“Sailing out of the bay,” Rakesh replies, and his voice trembles as he delivers the bad news. “They’ve got eyes on her now. They missed her. Fast sloop, heading out into open water. Ach! Looks like a [Wind Mage] on board is filling the sails with a [Howling Gale]. I don’t think they’ll catch her. Not without a boat that can match her speed.”

“So that’s it, then. She’s gone,” Lionel whispers. He twists free of Mikko’s grip. Shoulders slumped, lips trembling, glassy-eyed and panicking.

Not on my watch.

I clench my fists. “Lionel! Snap out of it. We’ve got our own boat, remember? Make for the harbor. Now! I’ve got a plan.”