by Lisa McMann
He could get used to this solitary way of living. He could even find it in his heart to forgive Thisbe if she had a good enough reason for abandoning him. But the more days that passed, the more Dev got a feeling that something bad was coming again. Dread was his primary emotion. It was the only thing he could count on.
The fact that the Revinir hadn’t roared in weeks was of growing concern. What did it mean? Had something happened to her? Or was she doing it on purpose to hide her whereabouts? She was the most devious creature Dev had ever known, so of course he had to imagine the worst. “What is the worst thing she could do?” Dev wondered aloud. “And where is she? How in the world is anyone going to be able to stop her?” With that familiar feeling of dread, Dev realized the future of this land might really be up to him and Drock. It gave him nightmares.
That night he dreamed of the most horrible thing he could ever imagine—the Revinir returning and capturing him, then imprisoning him in the castle dungeon and torturing him to the edge of his life. The nightmare was so powerful it made him sweat and cry out and fall off the sofa.
He knew he wasn’t safe here. He wasn’t safe anywhere. He may as well give himself up rather than live with this fear all the time. Maybe the soldiers in the catacombs would take him back and let him work there quietly. He knew how to use the elevator entrance in Dragonsmarche—he’d seen the soldiers do it. Could he just slip down there in the middle of the night? At least the Revinir and her mind-controlled dragons couldn’t get to him down there.
In the morning, Dev dressed in his long skirt and a jacket and packed up his few extra pieces of clothing. He cooked and ate a fish and filled his canteen and an old wineskin he’d unearthed with water. Then he returned to the library and stared out the east window in the direction of the crater lake and tried to talk himself into setting out for the one place Drock had warned him not to return to.
But his lead feet wouldn’t walk. His soul had attached to the library, and his heart to the land. He wasn’t going anywhere.
It was a decision he would soon come to regret.
Growing Restless
Over time, Thisbe and Fifer naturally fell into a practice they’d begun in their childhood, meeting up with Seth on the lawn after a long day and taking a walk along the shore to the lagoon. Seth was busy today, which was fine, because Fifer and Thisbe were ready for a break from the constant activity of the past weeks and hoping for a little quiet twin time. They were still trying to navigate the changes each of them had experienced since they’d been torn apart. And trying to patch up the broken parts. They’d grown closer during these weeks together. That was comforting after all they’d gone through.
“How is your team coming together?” Fifer asked.
“Better than I expected,” said Thisbe. “Everybody’s making progress. Maiven is picking up techniques from Florence and vice versa. Those two have become best friends. And the others are the strongest I’ve seen them.” She paused. “I think we’re almost ready.” Thisbe felt a flicker of sadness at the thought of leaving, but at the same time she was more than eager to go.
But Fifer felt a wave of panic. Almost ready? What did that mean for her? But she remained quiet. Maybe Thisbe would sense that it wasn’t quite the right time for Artimé to step in. But Maiven and the children and ghost dragons had unselfishly left their chaotic land to help Artimé. Fifer felt like she couldn’t refuse to do the same whenever they felt like it was the right time to go.
Thisbe went on. “It’s been monumentally helpful being here and training. The others learning magic was something I never imagined they could do, so that’s been great. And we’re all stocked up on components and learning how to make a few too. I think we have everything we need. The new message spell and the obliterate components, among everything else. Thanks for letting us use your lawn to practice everything.”
Fifer laughed. “It’s not my lawn, but you’re welcome.” They strayed to the water’s edge, feeling the cool waves splash their feet. “Florence told me that the remake of the obliterate spell turned out to be even more powerful than the one Alex used years ago. That seems a bit scary.”
“Yeah, it was pretty shocking to see how destructive it is,” Thisbe admitted. “Even for me.” She patted her interior vest pocket, to which she’d added a flap and button to keep its contents extra protected. “I’m hoping we never need to use them.”
Fifer agreed. Then, to get a better sense of Thisbe’s thoughts on timing, she ventured a few questions. “I was wondering, now that we’ve got the majority of the dissenters back on good behavior, if you’d like Florence to start training our Artiméan team in any specific way. What would be most helpful? And… um, what sort of timeline are we looking at?”
“Hmm,” Thisbe said, sensing something in Fifer’s question and throwing a curious glance her way. “I guess Florence’s usual training would be best, along with more combat training.”
“Kaylee could help with that,” said Fifer. She kept her eyes down, but she could feel her shoulders tensing.
Thisbe nodded, but she didn’t take her measured gaze off Fifer. “I’ve been turning this over and over in my head, and I’m still not sure how we’re going to take the Revinir down. Or… when would be the best time for you to come to our aid. Rohan and Maiven and I have been discussing it. We haven’t come to any hard conclusions yet, but we absolutely don’t want to go at her half-prepared. We want the full force all at once. It’s the only way to beat her.”
“Oh, okay,” Fifer said, feeling a bit of relief.
“I’m not convinced that’ll be anytime in the next few weeks. But once we’re ready, it’ll have to be go time.”
Fifer blew out a silent breath. “Got it. We’ll… get ourselves prepared.”
Thisbe paused, then laughed. “We sound so old, planning attacks like this.”
Fifer glanced at her sister. “I think we were forced to grow up fast. Just like our brothers.”
Thisbe stopped laughing. She stepped over a rock along the shore. “Do you still miss him?”
“Who? Alex?”
“Yeah.”
“I do,” Fifer said. “A lot. We really got to be friends there at the end.”
Thisbe was quiet for a moment. “I’m glad for you.”
A pang of sorrow pierced through Fifer’s chest. “Thanks. But I’m sad for you. You must still be really conflicted about it.”
Thisbe took in a sharp breath. “I am. I’m not sure I’ll ever get past my weird feelings about everything. It was…” She blew out the breath. “Good grief, it was so hard.”
“Because…?”
“Because…” Tears sprang to Thisbe’s eyes. “Because I don’t know how to grieve for someone I didn’t… really… like.”
“Oh, Thisbe,” said Fifer, turning to her.
“I… have so much guilt about it. And I’m jealous of you, in a strange way. Not because I want to hurt like you’re hurting—obviously no one wants that. But because I guess I wanted to have the thing that came before the hurt. The love that caused the pain.” She was quiet for a moment. “I don’t have that. And I feel terrible about it. Like I missed out on something that I’ll never be able to get back.”
Fifer didn’t know what to say. “I don’t think there’s a rule about how to grieve, Thisbe,” she said gently. “I just remember something Florence told me once, that all feelings are valid, no matter what they are. Whether they seem appropriate or not, you have a right to feel them. Knowing that has made it easier for me.”
Thisbe wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “That’s good advice,” she said. “I’m struggling through it. It’ll be manageable, I think. Eventually.”
Fifer took Thisbe’s hand, and they walked together like they’d done so many times as children. But this time, a spark of energy pulsed between them. Thisbe’s confession had made Fifer feel closer than ever to her. It was such a relief to have her sister confide in her again.
Soon they reached the jungle and continue
d along the sea to the lagoon. After a while Fifer asked, “What’s it like holding hands with Rohan?”
Thisbe kept her gaze on the sand. “It’s… nice. Warm. He was there when Sky and I found Alex’s grave. He’s been really… I don’t know. I feel like he’s a part of my soul that had been missing my whole life. We’re so connected. So close. I can’t really imagine life without him.”
The words stung Fifer in a way she hadn’t expected. She tried to swallow the jealousy she felt. Did Thisbe mean that she was closer with Rohan than with her? And if so, why did that bother Fifer so much after all the healing they’d worked hard to do?
Thisbe glanced at Fifer and saw her expression. She hastened to explain. “When I was all alone in the catacombs, Rohan and I went through so much together. You know? Our lives will never be the same after what we experienced. Maybe a little like how you and Alex bonded. Or you and Seth when you were searching for me. Or… Dev, even.” She grimaced.
“I never wanted to kiss any of them,” Fifer blurted out. She glanced sideways. “You kiss him on the lips, right? What is that like?”
“Yes, a few times.” Thisbe could feel the heat rising to her face as she remembered her first awkward kiss with Rohan when they were sitting together in the tunnel between their crypts. “It’s softer than you’d expect. It’s… nice. I like it.”
Fifer didn’t even like hugging all that much, and she couldn’t imagine kissing anyone. It didn’t sound nice at all. “So what about Dev? Do you like him?”
“I… not like that, but yes. Don’t you?”
“Sure, but, well, you know—it’s Dev. He’s not exactly trustworthy.”
Thisbe nodded, but she realized that her impression of Dev had changed slightly over time. “He’s gotten easier to be friends with,” she said. “And now I just feel so bad for the way we left him. He’s the one reason why I think we need to go back to Grimere sooner rather than later. I have to find him.”
Fifer stiffened. “Remember, you can’t let those feelings get in the way of your plan to be prepared. Don’t go back too soon just because of Dev.”
“I know. I know.”
“Where do you think he is?”
“Back in the catacombs, probably. Doing all the work by himself. Ugh, I’m a terrible person.”
Fifer made a face. “The catacombs? That’s the last place I’d want to go.”
“I don’t feel like I have a choice. We need to find him. He really sacrificed everything for us to escape. We owe him—and so do you. Without him, our team wouldn’t have been here to help you. I just hope…” Thisbe didn’t continue.
“Hope what?” asked Fifer.
A platyprot in a tree nearby called out, “Hope what? Hope what? Hope what?” and exploded into giggles. Startled and a bit annoyed, Thisbe guided Fifer away from the creature before she answered so it wouldn’t continue mimicking everything they were saying. She frowned and looked at her arms. Her scales were standing up, probably from being surprised by the birdlike creature. She smoothed them down and finished her thought. “I hope he’s not dead.”
Fifer gave Thisbe a solemn look. “Me too. We’ll… you know. We’ll find him together whenever you’re ready.” She cringed. “I’m committing to that.”
Thisbe noticed Fifer’s expression and bit her lip. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you a little more about that. Are you sure you’re able to leave Artimé so soon after taking over? You have a huge new job here, and I was wondering if maybe you feel like you should stay here.”
“Thisbe,” said Fifer. “I want to help.”
“I mean,” said Thisbe, “obviously I want you to help us too. But you have to tell me if the timing is wrong. Seth and Ibrahim and Clementi are all on board to help me. Some others, too.” She paused, then continued more gently. “Don’t make me count on you if it’s not possible. We’ll figure it out.”
“Seth and Ibrahim and Clementi?” said Fifer, her voice hollow. She’d been so busy as head mage that she hadn’t heard about her Artiméan friends officially joining Thisbe’s brigade. It made her feel a bit strange. Like maybe she wasn’t part of that group of friends anymore now that she wore this robe.
“I’m serious, Fifer,” said Thisbe. “As much as I need you, I want to let you off the hook. You have a lot going on.”
Fifer studied the ships in the lagoon, unsure how to feel. “Well, thanks. That’s nice of you to be thinking about that, and I understand the predicament I’m putting you in if you can’t count on me when you need me. I’ve been thinking hard about this situation too. Things here are pretty far from settled. But they are smoothing out.”
Thisbe stopped to look at Fifer. “You are more important than anything. Let me know soon. It’ll be okay either way.”
Fifer smiled. “Thanks.” She felt a wave of relief flood her. Just knowing what Thisbe expected made everything seem more manageable. And to have a way out… it allowed her to take a few easy breaths before things got difficult again. The pressure was off to go with Thisbe, but now it was on Fifer to make the decision. In Fifer’s limited experience, sometimes life was easier if someone made the decision for you.
They kept walking around the curve of the lagoon, both a little on edge about what the future held. “Have you uncovered anything good from the journals?” Fifer asked after a while.
Thisbe nodded. “Interesting stuff, personality-wise. I’m not sure how useful it is, though.” Her scales rose on her arms again, and this time she stopped walking and looked up anxiously, her eyes darting in different directions. “What is going on?” she muttered. “Now it’s happening when I’m just talking about her?”
Fifer frowned and looked up too, but there was nothing unusual—just some birds. “That must feel strange. Do the scales ever fall off?”
“Not so far.” Thisbe turned and peered into the jungle. “Does Panther or the scorpion ever come all the way out here? Sometimes other kinds of lurking danger make my scales stand up.”
“I don’t think so,” said Fifer. “Definitely not the scorpion. He hates the light.”
Thisbe didn’t detect anything in the jungle except the platyprot, which followed them and alighted on a nearby branch. But Thisbe’s scales told a different story. “Something’s off,” she said quietly. “Maybe we should go back.”
“Go back. Go back. Go back,” said the platyprot.
“Is it the platyprots that are causing your scales to do that?” Fifer studied her sister and grew worried. “Do you want me to call my falcons to take us home quickly?” she asked.
Thisbe snorted. “Seriously, Fife? The birds? What do you think?” But Thisbe’s laughter soon died in her throat, for there was a disturbance inside the jungle near the treetops. Then a large shadow passed over them.
The twin leaders looked up. And then Thisbe yelled, “Run!”
One False Move
The Revinir swooped down at the twins from her hiding spot above the jungle trees. Instinctively both girls tried to run into the jungle to make it harder for the dragon-woman to catch them. But the Revinir was too fast. She reached out with her powerful hind legs and clamped down on Thisbe and Fifer, hooking her curling talons around their arms and piercing holes into the backs of their vests and through Fifer’s robe. She rose with one in each claw, lifting them up into the air.
Thisbe twisted and squirmed and sent burning spears of lightning at the Revinir’s claws, working her way loose, and fell a heart-stopping distance into the water below.
“Thisbe!” Fifer cried, and tried to worm her way out of her robe and vest, but the claws had pierced through and she was stuck.
When Thisbe surfaced, the Revinir swooped down and snatched her up again, letting out a strange little scream as she grabbed her and dragged Fifer through the water too. This time the Revinir dug her talons in deeper and rose even higher. Thisbe cried out in pain, and bolts of fire shot from her eyes and fingertips, hitting the Revinir but doing no harm.
Fifer began flinging deadly spel
ls at the dragon-woman with her free hand, even though she knew that the Revinir didn’t seem to be affected by anything. Then Fifer screamed for her birds, who came flying in from the jungle and soared at the dragon-woman. But the birds were like flies to her. She batted them away with her front legs and her wings, killing several each time she swatted at them.
“Retreat!” Fifer ordered. “Get Simber!” Shimmer and the remaining birds retreated and flew toward the mansion as the Revinir soared away from it.
Seeing that her spells weren’t working against the dragon-woman, Thisbe quickly scribbled a help message on the new send spell and sent it to Florence. But before the girls could attempt to do anything else, the Revinir swooped low and signaled to the sea below her.
The surface erupted. Six red water dragons exploded from below, where they’d been lurking, hidden from view and waiting for their cue. They rose up, water spraying everywhere, and flanked the Revinir, snarling at Thisbe and Fifer. As darkness fell over the land of the seven islands, the Revinir and her mind-controlled dragons flew in formation to the west, heading for the world she ruled. As she went, she flipped the girls upside down and shook them. Components rained down into the sea. The girls tried to catch them and managed to save a few. Fifer saved more than Thisbe because she’d loaded up her vest and her robe. But there was nothing else they could do. They gave up fighting with magic. It wasn’t worth wasting the components they had left.
“Why can’t you leave us alone?” Thisbe shouted to the Revinir when she was upright again.
“Because I need you,” said the Revinir. “I can’t take over the land of the dragons without the black-eyed rulers on my side. Don’t you know that by now?”
“You think kidnapping us is going to bring us over to your side?” Thisbe asked.
“You’ll come around. There will be so many benefits for you. I’ll tell you about them in time.”
