Page 148 of Shadows of Perl

“This changes everything,” I say. We’re no longer just protecting magic for the sake of magic.

My brother stiffens at my back.

“You understand that, don’t you?”

He hesitates, and I turn as best I can in the saddle so he can look me in the eye. “Quell’s life is tethered to the Sphere now. If it empties, she—” But I cannot say it. I will not say it. Ever again.

“I know!” To be so close to the revenge he’s long hungered for, just to have it snatched away.

“I’m sorry, Yagrin.” I hope he knows how much I mean it. I hate how long it took me to see the Order for what it is. “I wanted to see the look on Beaulah’s face when she realized her plan would not work. And this was truly the end.”

“But she’s won again,” Yagrin spits, and his words stoke a flame that’s already burning in me.

“Not yet.”

We risk riding closer. Duncan’s and Marionne’s forces are everywhere. As the haze around the Sphere begins to clear, I pull back on the reins, careful to stay unseen. Beaulah leads Quell from Darragh’s body toward the looming Sphere, where Draguns appear to be waiting.

“She is going to make Quell drain the Sphere,” I say.

“Won’t that kill her?” my brother asks.

“She must have a plan to put the magic in something.”

“But what?”

I don’t know. I need to get closer.

“Let me at her,” he says.

“No.” The last thing I need is my brother dying.

“I’ll distract her. You get Quell out of here. We can meet up somewhere safe.”

“The Tavern? The one near Chateau Soleil.”

I let Yagrin down and he disappears into the haze. I hear the commotion near the Sphere before I’m close to it. I kick in my heels and the horse trots. Darkness is a thick fog at the heart of the fighting. But the closer I get, the clearer I can see that the top of the glassy orb is empty. Black matter seeps from the hole at its base. The magical innards blow away in a fine mist, evaporating.

“Easy,” I say to my mount. I swallow as I approach. It feels like eyes are following me through the shadows. When I find Quell, my heart stops. Beaulah has her in her grip. She holds Quell with one hand and cradles a pulsing red stone in the other.

“Go on,” she urges. “Make it bleed faster.”

Quell doesn’t respond. Something about the way she staggers forward doesn’t seem like her. I feel for her emotions inside my chest, but there’s nothing there. She is calm, or half-dead already. I have to act fast.

“Beaulah Mavis Perl,” I say. “By order of the Dragunhead and the Prestigious Order of Highest Mysteries, you are under arrest for dereliction of duty, Uniform Code of Dragun Justice, article four, and conspiracy to commit treason, article seven.”

“I don’t see a pendant around your neck.” She smiles darkly and strokes my pendant gem. “It’s grown nicely, thanks to this one here.” Quell meets my eyes, and I finally can feel her again. Panic. Fear.

“I think I’ll put it on my mantel when I’m finished.”

“Do you agree to come peacefully?”

Beaulah’s smug expression melts into a glare.

“Get off that horse and face me like the man you pretend to be.”

I tighten my grip on Daring’s reins.

“As I thought. Still the coward.”