Night Spinner (Night Spinner #1) - Addie Thorley Page 0,56

summoning the night difficult—especially for someone so out of practice. But as soon as I flex my wrists, the ribbons of darkness wing from the forest like bats. As if they’d been waiting for me all this time.

I catch their smoky tails in my fists and slam them to the earth with a scream. Blackness swallows the grazing lands, and I bask in its seductive touch, caressing my face like an old friend.

Because I am a Night Spinner, I can still see everything perfectly. The dilapidated lean-to and spiderweb branches of the forest are simply gray and slightly fuzzy around the edges. But Ghoa can see nothing. It’s a darkness so complete, she’ll forget light ever existed.

“Enebish!” She stumbles back with her arms outstretched. “Don’t do this. I’m sorry. I feel awful for hurting your bird, but you purposely provoked me. We’re both at fault. Be reasonable, release the night, and we can find a healer together.”

I laugh because we are well beyond the point of reason. And we can’t “find a healer together” because no one can know I left Ikh Zuree. No one can know she lost control of her Kalima power.

Before Ghoa can flood the air with cold, I sweep my foot beneath her legs. As she crashes through the lean-to, I scoop up Orbai’s flailing body and sprint into the trees. Darkness lashes the sky as I run, swallowing even more of the grazing lands. The hollow in the center of my collarbone feels like a chasm: treacherous and jagged and deep. I cough with every breath. The tingling in my palms burns like a handful of hot coals and the stars pull at me, begging to dive and burn and destroy.

Gasping, I tamp down the need. The monster shoves back. My grip on the night wobbles and the darkness spreads even farther. The way my hands are buzzing, there’s a good chance the blackout has spread to all of Sagaan. Perhaps all of Ashkar.

And I’m secretly glad.

Cradling Orbai against my chest, I rush toward the city center. Toward the Ram’s Head Tavern. And Temujin.

Our only hope of sanctuary.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE TAVERN IS DARK AND SHUTTERED, BUT I THROW MYSELF at the door, praying at least one of the Shoniin keeps watch at all times.

When no one comes, I start yelling Temujin’s name at the top of my voice.

The door flies open with a thwack, and a boy at least a head taller than I am looms in the entry. “Are you trying to bring the imperial guards down on us?” he whisper-shouts.

“Help me,” I beg.

His gaze drops to the gaping wound at my neck where I cut out the moonstone, to Orbai mewling in my arms, and to the scarlet swirls of blood blooming through my tunic. He pales and takes a step back. “Whatever you’re mixed up in, we want no part of it. Who told you to come here?”

“Temujin! I’m one of you. Let me in.”

“I’ve never seen you before.” He places his hands on either side of the door frame, filling the entire space.

“I’m new.”

“Of course you are.” He scowls, and something about his close-set eyes, so brown they’re almost black, feels familiar.

“You’re Inkar’s brother! Her twin! I’ve been helping her train the children all week. Surely, she’s mentioned me?”

“The person she mentioned—”

“Is me!” I lighten the shadows around my face so he can see my scars, and wave my hand at the darkness hovering behind me, where a clear, golden morning should be.

He sucks in a breath and falls back. “Blazing skies!”

I dodge past him and hobble through the common room, which is much easier to navigate with the stools stacked atop the tables and not a customer in sight. “Where’s your infirmary? We need a healer and water and bandages and …” My voice trails off when I push into the hall and find it empty, along with every bedroom door I fling open. “What’s going on?” I demand. “Where is everyone? Isn’t this supposed to be your headquarters?”

“Wait here,” Inkar’s brother says. He slips into the dusty bedroom where I met with Temujin, and slams the door behind him.

“Where are you going?” I shriek. “What could you possibly do in there? We don’t have time to wait!” Orbai grows heavier every second, hanging like a dead weight in my arms. I try to follow the boy, but he bolted the door behind him. With a growl of frustration, I kick the knob. Pain zings through my bad leg, but I