there wreaking all kinds of havoc and scheming all sorts of terrible things, the Lady Supreme was still more concerned with capturing Valaine and the rest of us, despite the fact that the Darklings had murdered her husband.
Her priorities were definitely skewed.
“What will she do with Derek?” Esme asked. We sat in a circle close to the shuttle, the grass occasionally brushing against me with its long, soft green blades.
“I’m not sure. But I think she might use him as leverage to force us to bring Valaine to her,” Sofia replied. “It’s why Thayen insisted that I take him… hostage.”
I was in awe of the boy—not only because of how astute and mature he was, but also how quickly he’d come up with this strategy. We didn’t have any reason or desire to put him in harm’s way, of course, but it still took courage for him to turn himself over to us—complete strangers—in order to help us... and maybe teach his mother a lesson.
“I’ll stay with you until she gives Derek back,” Thayen said, then smiled at Valaine. “And you’ll be nowhere on the list of demands, I promise.”
“You’re too kind, Thayen, but it’s Derek’s life that’s at stake now.” Valaine sighed. “Maybe it is time for me to surrender. None of you should be suffering over this.”
“Nonsense!” Thayen exclaimed. “I’m good leverage here!”
Sofia nodded in agreement. “I admit, I wasn’t all that comfortable with this, either. Until Derek managed to tell me he’d been taken, and my priorities changed. We have Thayen, so we have to, you know, use him,” she said and gave the kid an apologetic smile. “Sorry, kiddo.”
“It’s okay,” Thayen replied. “I want you to use me!”
Trev laughed, resting on his side. With one knee bent, he looked like he was lounging beneath the darkening evening sky without a care in the world. That wasn’t the case, of course. He understood, perhaps better than most, what was at stake here. “You’re phenomenal,” he said to Thayen. “I hope my children are as rambunctious and as intelligent as you are.” He looked at me next. “He’s right, you know. There’s no better leverage to get Derek out of there. The Lady Supreme will do anything to get her son back. She won’t even dare to bring Valaine into the conversation. Hell, she’ll hand Derek over with a big red bow if you offer Thayen in return.”
Valaine pulled up some of the grass from the center of our circle, creating a clear patch on the ground. She fumbled through her dress pockets until she produced a couple of polished, rounded gemstones and several small leather pouches filled with colored powders. Naturally, I was curious.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
She drew a circle in the moist dirt with her index finger, her lips moving as she whispered a spell and emptied the powder pouches into the circle’s line.
“Mazir,” Kalon said, his eyes following her every move. “She’s sending a message.” He reached into his pockets and revealed a similar kit. “All mazir practitioners carry this. It’s one of the first things you learn.”
Valaine placed one gemstone at the north point of the circle and one at the south. In the middle, she emptied the last of her powder pouches. “Danika, daughter of the Nasani, hear my call,” she said, her pitch dropping.
Shivers traveled down my spine as I watched the gemstones light up red from the inside. The powder in the middle started to shimmer, capturing scarlet reflections from the polished crystals.
“We have your son,” she continued, closing her eyes. “Give us Derek, and you will get Thayen back. You have one hour to respond. Malafitti!”
As soon as she said that word, the gemstones glowed brighter, and a flame erupted from the powder in the middle. It flashed for the briefest of moments, until nothing was left inside the circle except a black smudge in the hardened dirt.
Valaine took a deep breath and opened her eyes, first looking at Sofia, then at me. “It’s done. She’ll have heard the message by now. I had to let her know. I can’t imagine anything more awful for a mother than not knowing where her child is. For all her faults, the Lady Supreme doesn’t deserve such suffering.”
“You did the right thing,” Sofia replied.
“And now she’s got a choice,” Thayen added. “She leaves me here with you, or she gives you Derek.”
Ansel chuckled softly. “Aren’t you the least bit worried she’ll ditch you and hold on to Derek, instead?”
Thayen shook his