Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1)(85)

He unfurled the parchment, laid it flat on the stone ground. At the top of the page Luka had scribbled three lines of messages.

Everything all right?

Alfie?

You had better respond or I will go to Paloma this maldito second.

Alfie could hear the words in Luka’s voice and wanted to laugh, but instead what rose in his throat was another wet cough. Blood splattered the parchment.

“Shit,” he cursed. Luka would see this and think the worst, which wasn’t far from the truth. Alfie quickly scrawled a note.

We’re fine, hurt but fine. Don’t worry.

Those last two words seemed absurd as he wrote them. With the parchment flecked with blood, worry would be the only thing on Luka’s mind. But Alfie pushed that thought away; he needed to know if Finn was thinking of the same tattoo that he was. Maybe she would know more?

“Here.” He handed her the black-feathered quill from his bag. “Draw it. Please.”

Finn crouched beside him and on the lower corner of the parchment she drew the exact tattoo that the dark magic had shown him, from the black eyes to the froth pooling in the bull’s curled lips. As she used the quill, its black feather began to whiten at the tip with the release of the ink.

“Yes,” he said, his voice hushed. “That’s it. Do you know anything about it?”

“I don’t know a thing, but the mobster who blocked my propio had it on her arm.”

Alfie’s mind spun. What could this mean? Was this some sort of organization that was unhappy with the royal family? Those involved had confessed that it was just a group of nobles, but if a mobster was involved, then it must be more than just nobles. He wanted so badly to know more. To call upon the magic and demand that it tell him everything.

The dragon seemed to hear and it warmed on his chest, pulsing as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

“Prince.” Finn was staring at him, her eyes flickering between him and the dragon. “Don’t.”

“I just,” Alfie said, stopping before his voice broke. “I just want the truth.”

“We all want the truth, but is it worth your maldito life?” she said, and he looked away from her, the answer sitting sour on his tongue.

“I don’t like this,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Then we finally agree on something,” he said.

Finn looked at the dragon for a long moment, then nodded to herself as if she’d decided on something. She outstretched her hand. “Give it here.”

“Give you what?”

“You know what.” Finn motioned to his neck.

“Qué? No.”

“The thing’s clearly deadly and you’re too easily tempted into using it. If you wear it the whole time you’re going to die. You’re all shaky.” When he didn’t budge she gestured at the ground. “Look at your maldito shadow if you don’t believe me!”

Even when he’d caught a deadly flu as a child and the fever had left his blood boiling, his shadow had never gotten this pale. It looked like a mere outline now, the shadow of a shadow. She was right, the dragon was drawing too much on him and he kept calling upon it by accident. But still, it was too important to be out of his sight.

“Finn, this is a dangerous thing—”

“I’m a dangerous thing,” she said, insistent. “Prince, you brought me with you to help, so let me help! We’ve got to break out this prisoner fast if we want to stop Ignacio from turning this whole maldito city to dust! If you keep letting that magic sap you dry, you won’t last long enough to even get to the prisoner.”

Everything she was saying made sense. The night before when he’d gone to bed, he’d taken the necklace off and kept it at his bedside. Being separated from it made him feel better immediately, as if he weren’t as connected to it. He was sure he couldn’t call upon it unless it was on his person, and since he was the one who could turn his magic black, he felt certain that he was the only one who could command it. He should just give it to her. If she carried it, he wouldn’t accidentally call upon the magic anymore. He was entrusting her with his life, whether he liked it or not. He should be able to let her hold it for a little while, shouldn’t he?

“Very well,” he said, surrendering. Alfie slowly pulled the necklace off his neck and handed it to her. When the dragon fell into her palm he felt a strange sap on his energy, as if a piece of himself was pulled away from his body. He swallowed thickly. The Englassen book had been right; he’d truly bound himself to this magic, body and soul.

With a wary look, Finn pulled the chain over her head, letting the dragon fall against her chest.

Even though she couldn’t turn her magic black to call upon the dragon the way he could, Alfie hoped that while it was in her possession it would, somehow, protect her from harm. That it would listen to her if she needed help. That they could both make it out of this prison alive.

“Finn,” he said. “Just be careful.”

Finn looked down at the dragon on her chest, as if daring it to try something. “I’ll be fine, Prince.” She extended a hand down to him. “Now get up.”

Alfie took her hand and let her pull him up. She quickly reapplied the disguise.

“We let this guard take you wherever he wants, you stay there while I set the distraction, then I’ll come back for you and we’ll head to the prisoner. Then we’ll set it off, get the prisoner, and get the hell out of here,” she said.