Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1)(97)

Alfie’s hand traveled to his chest where the dragon should have been. But it was with the thief. He’d finally cornered the person they needed, but he’d let Finn’s magic fade from his face, and he had no way of getting himself and this woman out of the prison.

Alfie dropped his hand from his face. “Listen.” She cowered on the ground, knees under her chin and arms wrapped around herself. “I need you to come with me. Out of the Clock Tower.”

She shook her head vigorously. Why would she want to stay here?

“You’re not allowed to tell me no.” There was so much steel in his voice that he almost didn’t recognize it. “You owe me, owe this kingdom. And I need your help. If you help me, you’ll save countless lives.” She stopped shaking her head at that. “You can consider it penance for what you’ve done. Do you understand?” When she still looked too stunned to respond, Alfie added, “Whether you do or don’t, you’re coming with me, so you may as well nod.”

She nodded. Alfie could see symbols carved into her scarred wrists. Written spellwork to stifle the magic within her. Alfie wondered how many times those markings had been redone. How many times the same wounds were reopened and drawn. The magic could have been written in ink, Alfie knew. It needn’t be carved into the skin so painfully. He chided himself for that moment of sympathy. He wouldn’t allow himself to feel sorry for this girl.

He still had no idea how he would get them out. All his plans had included using the vanishing cloak and Finn’s propio. But she was gone. He didn’t even know if she was safe. Or alive.

Then a wedge of pain splintered his body, hot and searing. Alfie cried out, gripping the wall as another boom blasted beneath his feet—the sound of steel clattering against stone. The sound of trouble.





31


The Great Escape


Spots of light dotted Alfie’s vision as he groaned in pain.

Agony tore through him in three waves that left his legs shaking. Why was this happening? He wasn’t using the dragon, yet the pain rippled through him as if he were calling on Sombra’s magic over and over again. Had he used it one too many times and now could it sap the life from him whenever it pleased?

Even from within this isolated cell, the prison had suddenly boomed with sound around him. He could hear people shouting in commotion, the pounding of too many feet. If it wasn’t absolutely absurd, Alfie would think that all the prisoners had been released from their cells.

Whatever it was, he had a feeling that it had to do with Finn. He turned back to the prisoner, forcing himself to stand tall as a cold sweat seeped down his forehead. The prisoner still stared up at him in fear, but beneath that was a flash of concern as her eyes raked over him, silently asking what was wrong with him. He scowled at her. She was supposed to be heartless, she wasn’t supposed to look at him with worry. Whatever worry she had, he did not want it.

“We are leaving,” Alfie said, his voice coming out weaker than he wanted. When the prisoner didn’t move he leveled her with a glare. “Now.” She got to her feet and tentatively stood behind him, but where was Finn?

He couldn’t leave without her.

That thought gave rise to others, and he quieted them, telling himself that he had to find her because she had the dragon; without it his plan would fall apart. Yes, that was why he must go after her.

Alfie turned back to Xiomara. “We are going to search for someone before we leave.” Alfie opened the door and craned his neck about. There was no one in the hall aside from the guard he’d knocked out, who still lay stiff on the ground down the hall. “Follow me and do not try to run,” he said, his voice unrecognizably tight.

Alfie stepped out the door only to collide with a body he could not see. He skidded sideways.

“Prince.” Her voice came with a bout of heavy breathing, as if she’d just run up a mountain. Then she appeared, her hand pulling the hood off her head. When her eyes met his they were wide with fear, but beneath that there was something else—relief.

At the sight of her Alfie was drawn forward, as if the world had tilted on its axis to deliver him to her. He didn’t know which of them moved first, but in the space of a breath he was opening his arms and she was stepping into them.

“You’re all right,” he said. Her curly hair tickled his nose.

“That’s a matter of opinion,” she quipped, her face hidden, tucked under his chin. He could feel her breath against his neck.

Could she tell that it was her voice he’d clung to only moments before when he faced what he feared most? Her voice calling him a fool and telling him to trust himself, to find the line and choose to stay behind it.

Did she know that she was already in his head? He couldn’t help but wonder, was he in her head too?

Finn pulled from his embrace with a jerk, as if remembering herself. “We’ve got to go!”

He looked at her, his eyes clinging to the worried set of her mouth, then her bleeding wrists. Her face was a shade too pale. “Finn, what happened?”

She squinted up at him. “You let my magic fade already? How has no one caught you?” Finn looked behind him and took a large step backward. “Is that her? Void girl?”

“Her magic is bound. She can’t hurt us,” he said hurriedly. “What happened to you? Why did you set off the fireworks early? I was . . .”