Page 128 of Shadows of Perl

The day whirls by and I can hardly focus. By the time the inn empties of visitors, I’ve eased back into my seat outside Quell’s room. The island is ours again. Ours, and Beaulah’s team of Draguns’. My eyes are heavy and yet my mind won’t stop. I need to think. But I can’t think without rest. I rattle a fist on the door. I hope she’s calmed. I’ll tie her down to keep her in this room, if I must, in order to steal a nap. I knock again, but there’s no response. She could be asleep. With a cursory glance around, I pull on the chill of dark magic in the air and cloak, slipping through the door. Once I’m inside, it’s completely dark.

I pull back the covers but there’s no sign of Quell. The trace on her is also silent. My heart knocks into my ribs. If I’ve lost her or if someone’s hurt—

Creak.

The noise is coming from outside, on the balcony. Over the ledge, a floor below, Quell lowers herself using a makeshift rope. I’m halfway over the rail as she disappears inside the room. By the time I make it there and peer through the window, the room swells with a cloud of shadows. When the haze clears, a dark figure darts out the door. I force my way inside and a biting cold is in the air. I look around, expecting to see bodies. There are two beds, a Dragun in each, and neither moves.

I touch one and he is still warm. To my relief, he’s blinking at the ceiling, frozen in shock. His hands are purple, as if they’ve been badly bruised.

“I can’t…My magic…It won’t…” He gapes in horror. The other Dragun is in bad shape, too.

“Stay here,” I tell them both, and rush out the door. She is using toushana to bruise their hands so badly it stops their ability to access magic. If we use magic selfishly, to hurt people, then we’re no better than Darkbearers.

The hall is empty. I try the next door, listening before slipping between its seams. There are two Draguns in this room as well, scantily clad and in the same bed. She wails at the sight of her hands. I’m too late.

“Did you see who did this?” I ask. How big of a hole has Quell dug for herself?

“It was dark.”

“The room went cold as ice.”

I still may be able to fix this if I can find her before she harms anyone else. I have them stay put before returning to the hall. A head of wavy hair darts around a corner and I’m on her tail. She dashes inside a room. By the time I enter, there’s a Dragun wide awake in bed, holding the covers to himself. Water runs in the bathroom.

“Dragunheart, sir.” He swallows. “What—um—what brings you here so late?” His gaze darts to the wardrobe, then to his clothes, and to the dagger all the way across the room. I move slowly in that direction, shadows spooling in my fist. I reach for the handle and the door flies open. Quell bursts out of the cabinet, but she’s startled by the magic in my hands. And it gives me the moment I need. I tackle her, and her toushana fizzles out as I wrestle her arms behind her back, one after the other.

“I am not the enemy! Look around.”

“How many rooms have you visited?” I ask, pinning her wrists together.

“Not enough.”

“Quell, you have to stop this.” It isn’t right!

“I’ve shown mercy.” She wriggles an arm free, then lassoes it around my neck with monstrous strength. And suddenly she’s behind me, tightening her grip on my neck. “They’ve done terrible things for that woman. We both know it.” She seethes, tightening her hold on me. This is not about their magic. This is not about the Sphere. This is about hurting anyone even remotely connected to Beaulah.

“You’re not thinking clearly. Your magic, it’s too riled up. And this isn’t our plan. Quell, please.” I tug at her arms around my neck, which are making it hard for me to breathe.

“I’ve never been clearer in my entire life.”

I slam myself backward into the cabinet, and her grip loosens enough for me to twist in her hold and grab her firmly by the wrists. “You’re ruining everything.”

A hungry look rages in those honey-brown eyes.

“Please, you have to trust me.”

Her jaw hardens. But her body relaxes against me, and I let her arms down.

“Get back to the room,” I whisper. “I’ll clean this all up. Somehow I’ll fix it.”

“I don’t need you to cover for me, Jordan.” She pushes me off her and paces the full length of the room, stopping at the bed beside the Dragun, who watches her with wide eyes.

“I need you to help me,” she says.

The Dragun fumbles in his covers behind her.

“That is helping you!”

She shakes her head.