falling inches from Bastian’s feet. I don’t usually yell at women, but I roared at her, told her to take off her damn gloves. And then I’d apologized, blaming my nerves, which were firing like a plug plunged into water.
The last time I felt this way, like my body was buried inside an ant farm, was in the well. I focus on that as I climb the circles.
Focus on how I defeated the siren.
When we reach Fifth, I expel a tight breath. “Cadence, get farther away,” I order, forgoing any pleases.
She nods, her skin moon-white in the wisps of fog curling around her body, and backs up, flashlight splashing the carpet of snow underneath her boots. She’s been pale since the tavern. She got even paler after she stepped out of the kitchen with Nolwenn. When I asked her what was wrong, she passed off her anxiety as dread, dread for the battle she still had to wage, dread for what might happen when we lock our leaves into the clock.
Yes, it’s crossed my mind that it might set forth a bunch of bad things. I said as much to Adrien on our way to the De Morel manor. It made him so skittish he suggested holding off until Cadence got her piece. And we almost did, but then I looked at the ring and told him that I, at least, needed to lock my piece in.
In case . . .
When we rang the doorbell, Rainier had seemed about ready to spring out of his wheelchair and clobber me. But Adrien stepped between us and explained our discovery. That had quieted the old man, who confessed to not knowing about the cradles. Although a liar, his gaping-fish mouth told me he really had no clue about the dihuner’s role in the hunt.
Lost in thought, I don’t realize Cadence has fallen into step beside me. I stop so suddenly that she halts, too.
“Do you have a death wish? Get away from me,” I growl.
At first, she looks offended. Then her eyes flare with anger. “Fine.” She stalks off toward the library.
I don’t care if I piss her off right now. I need her to be safe.
As I start up again, I sweep the obscurity around me to map out everyone else’s locations. Thankfully, they’re all satisfactorily social distancing. When we reach the library, Cadence is fitting the key into the lock. Her hands shake, which makes it jangle. Soon, though, she has the door open and the lights on.
Bastian treads closer to Cadence and leans his weight into the great door to widen the opening.
“Six fifty-two,” Alma announces.
“One minute to go,” Gaëlle whispers, her light brown skin as ashen as the foggy air.
She slips through first, then Adrien. Before I follow them, I say to the others, “You guys stay out here.”
“What?” Cadence’s eyebrows jolt up. “No! Don’t be ridiculous.”
“We don’t know what’s about to happen,” I say.
“I’ve been with you guys during every curse. I don’t see how this is any more dangerous.”
“We were contending with one leaf at a time. There are three now. When we put them in, hell could rain down upon us.” I want to go over to her and touch her, but until I’ve gotten rid of the golden, palm-sized frond, I barely dare breathe in her direction. “Please, I can’t see you get hurt.” Just the thought sends a sawing pain through my chest.
“He’s right, Cadence.” Adrien’s blistered forehead pleats. “Wait for us out here with Alma and Bastian.”
Cadence’s eyes widen. “I want to be there. I want to—”
“Six fifty-four,” Alma announces.
“We have to go,” Adrien says. “Come on, Slate.”
I set my teeth. “I won’t go anywhere until Cadence swears she’ll stay out here.”
I shift my gaze to Bastian, and he nods in silent understanding. He may be skinny, but he’s bigger than Cadence, so he can hold her back if she tries anything.
“Fine!” Anger rolls off her like the mist forever cloaking this damn town. “Fine!” She lurches away from the door and whirls on her heels, the beam of her flashlight zigzagging over the white expanse.
“We’ll take care of her,” Alma adds, already running after her.
Bastian stares at me as I finally walk past him. His lips press together, Adam’s apple bobbing and bobbing. I sense he wants to say something, but either he’s not sure what, or fear’s got his tongue.
“It’ll be fine, little bro. All will be fine.” Maybe if I say it enough, I’ll start believing it.
He releases the