Page 35 of The Eighth Isle

Magic in the air, leaking from Mama Si’s skin—I was sure unintentionally. It took her a good few minutes to get it under control, and I told her what Reeva had told me, what I’d seen with my own eyes without her having to even ask. I figured it would save me time.

She absorbed my every word as if it was the most important thing she’d ever hear, and maybe it was. When I was done, barely a minute later as I wrapped it up quickly, she kept shaking her head, lips opening and closing but she couldn’t say anything at all.

“So…” I sighed. “Maybe it’s true. Maybe the stars know. Maybe we’re all as good as dead anyway. It doesn’t matter.”

I was still going to make my way to the Eighth Isle on that boat, all by myself, and I was going to try to find Grey. I was going to die there, I knew that, but maybe I’d at least get to see him one more time before I did. Just to see his face that I missed so much my memories of him had already become a blur.

“Of course, it’s true. The witches know stars,” Mama Si whispered. “Why hasn’t Reeva spoken about this to anyone yet? Do the sirens know?”

I shook my head. “She doesn’t think it will matter.” It was my best guess.

Mama Si wanted to argue. I could see it in her eyes.

In the end, she lowered her head and said, “No, it does not.”

My heart weighed a thousand more pounds when I made it to my feet. I’d known that this would happen before I left the Evernight castle this morning. I’d known nobody would help me—of course not. But I’d felt it as an obligation to try to do my best, and now that I had, I could move on.

Truth be told, I was relieved to have gotten it out of the way, and I couldn’t wait to get there already.

“Where are you going?” Mama Si asked when I turned for the door, her voice small. Defeated.

“I’m going to Grey.”

Laughter. “She’ll kill you.”

“I know.” I opened the door.

“Close the damn door, Fall Doll!”

I turned to her. “You don’t get to order me around anymore.” I was not her doll no matter what she called me.

But then she waved her hand, and her magic sprung to life so fast it was impossible to even see it coming. The handle slipped from my fingers and the door slammed shut the next second, making me jump back.

“Youwantto get killed, is that it?!” she demanded, and once more she was the same woman she had been on that boat when she offered me in the ritual. The woman she’d become after Shadow bit me and she no longer needed to keep manipulating me with her lies.

“Iwantto go to Grey,” I said through gritted teeth.

“You’re going to your death!” she said, slamming both hands on the desk.

“And what the hell do you suggest I do?” I strode back to her, screaming so much my throat hurt, but who cared? “I’m notgoing to cower back and wait for her to come kill us—I’d rather choose my own fucking time!”

More laughter. “Ialmosttook you for smart—almost! You’ve seen her yourself and you dare call me a coward for not rushing to die?!”

“Yes, damn it—yes!” I shouted. “I am calling you a coward because you are so paralyzed by your fucking fear that you refuse to lift a finger totryto save yourself.”To try tohelp me.

Such a ridiculous concept.

My eyes closed and it occurred to me how useless all of this was, but it also felt great to be screaming my guts out at her. It felt great to let all of that out, to say what I thought without holding back.

“You love him,” Mama Si then said, and we were both breathing heavily.

“I do.” And that was going to be enough. “Think of me whatever you want. I’m still going.”

Once more, I turned for the door.

“She’ll kiiiill you!” Mama Si sang.

Again, “I know.”

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