Mara stares at me for a beat. My naivete thinks she will rescue me, but the second her hands move, I curse myself for hoping. Her fingers morph into thin, sharp claws. In one sweep, she scratches my cheek, and something warm trickles down my neck. I bring my hand to the cut. By Death, it stings.
“Please, Mara.” I back off. “Please let me go.”
She cocks her head, examining my face. Is she considering my request? Is Mara even in there? Her eyebrows twitch, and her claws retract. Gods, let Mara be back. Bring her to her senses. Free me of this madness.
Right as I allow myself a breath, her knifelike claws slash across my chest. The shock dulls the pain that blooms beneath my skin.
I’m on the ground. She boxes me in, readying herself to strike again.
I cannot die tonight. If I die, Olivia’s death will be yet another headline. She’ll be forgotten, left to rot while her murderer runs free. I kick Mara as hard as I can. For Olivia. She stumbles backward, and I scramble to my feet.
Then I run.
I run until my lungs are on fire. I run until my breath starts to falter. I run until my legs slam against the cold soil. I run until darkness is all I can see. And when it swallows me, I tell myself at least I tried.
A mage bond is sacred, a promise to value the other mage’s life above one’s own.
Double bonds remain until both mages die.
Mages who share a class of magic can only double bond. Double bonds between different classes are only allowed among Firstline mages.
Note:In order to heal a mage from a different class of magic, an Aspieri is required to bond with them through a single or double bond. Aspieri are allowed to single bond only under dire circumstances.
KALI TELAM, THIRD FOUNDER OF GORHAIL,ON BONDS AND SACRIFICE
ten | sylas
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1939
Excessive. The Grand House’s display of power is excessive.
After my second hearing this morning, they shoved me into a car flanked by two High Guards, each holding an Arkani-made box, one with Railesza and one with Raiku. Had they asked nicely, Raiku wouldn’t have sent two guards to the hospital and Railesza wouldn’t have choked a third one to sleep.
I suppose this is what they mean when they say Aspieri are volatile. They want to be able to control us without consequences.
For these minor inconveniences, I was sent to the Riverview Correctional Facility for Wayward Mages, and Raiku and Railesza were takenaway in boxes. Judging by how yesterday went, I might as well make myself at home. After the High Guards tried to take me away by force, we ended up sitting in Rhodes’s office with Paltro, arguing about the incredulity of the accusation. Normally, high treason bears the death penalty, but with the Imortalis around my neck, the Grand House took a whole night to decide that they needed more time to deliver an appropriate punishment. As of this morning, theystillneeded more time.
As I sit on the floor, staring at the bare white walls, I wonder who has enough pull with DOTS to accuse me of crimes I haven’t even committed. Save for the metal bars, I would’ve thought this to be an asylum. Prison would’ve been better.
This place is supposed to rehabilitate “misguided” mages, but the truth is more sinister. It houses the worst of the Mortemagi, mostly summoners and puppeteers, well versed in the arts of blood magic. The former raise the dead, and the latter become the dead. The majority worship Grimm, furthering his cause of what he called “magical freedom,” at the expense of those unlucky enough to be their sacrifice. Rogue Mortemagi used to be executed before, but the Grand House’s most recent ruling offered them a chance at rehabilitation. Pity they don’t afford unregistered crossmages the same understanding. In this world, a proven murderer is less dangerous than a mage who can dual wield.
Beau’s been dead for more than a day now, and instead of pooling resources to find his body, they’ve assigned six Firstline officers to guard me as I “rehabilitate.” To top it off, they went out of their way to assign me Firstline Arkani and Mortemagi.
“Archyr,” one of them calls out, his hands working open the lock. Earlier this morning, he threw a platter of food at me like I was some animal. I want more than anything to slam my fist into his jaw. “Someone’s here to see you.”
“I didn’t know I was allowed visitors.” I smile, but the Mortemagi isn’t amused. I’m hoping it’s Lyria or Gryff so I can ask them about my aspiers. Maybe the Grand House has a heart after all and will spare them.
“Probably allowing you a last goodbye with your disgusting snakes,” spits the Mortemagi. Haal, grant me freedom so I can send him to the seventh circle of the Underworld.
Paltro appears in the doorway then, his usual black coat traded for a gray one. He wears a plaid flat cap and round, black sunglasses. “Mr. Archyr, please come with me,” he says.
Immediately, the Mortemagi stops him. “We have orders to keep the criminal in this ward.”
Paltro lowers his glasses and looks the young man up and down. “Percy,” he reads off the Mortemagi’s name tag. “The Principal Grand Master has ordered his immediate release.”
The Mortemagi scoffs. “PGM Parrish would never sign off on an Aspieri’s release.”
PGM Parrish’s sister was the Deathbringer, I want to remind him. But due to pressure from purists around the Ten Provinces, shehasbeen harsher toward Aspieri lately.