Page 53 of A Touch of Madness

We brought her to the Guild, to the witches who know how to heal those drained by magic’s toll. They swarmed around her like crows, assessing, tending, murmuring incantations I barely cared to understand. I stayed beside her, refusing to leave. Rebecca and Nicole never left either.

And when she finally opened her eyes, when I saw her look at me, alive and whole, I knew—there is nothing I wouldn’t do for Sylvie Rosenthal.

Which is why I’m here now.

Not because I care about Lara. Not because I hold any deep desire to redeem what’s left of her. If it were up to me, Sylvie and I would leave this all behind. Let the remnants of Solstice fade into nothing while we forge something untouched by war. But she won’t rest until she has her sister back.

So I do this for her.

Because if she loses Lara, she’ll never forgive herself. And if I lose her, there will be nothing left of me.

The red lanterns of The Crimson Veil cast a low, flickering glow over the polished mahogany tables, illuminating the gathered faces in slow, rhythmic pulses of crimson and gold. The scent of clove smoke and aged whiskey thickens the air, curling between whispered conversations. It’s quieter than usual tonight. Not empty, but subdued. As if the city itself understands the fragile space between the war that was won and the war still to come.

I grip the glass in my hand but don’t drink. Too much of my restraint is needed elsewhere. Across from me, Dorian lounges in the booth, one arm draped carelessly along the back, though the sharp edge of his golden gaze betrays his casual posture. He’s been restless since the ambush, though he’d rather be gutted than admit it.

To my right, Nicole and Rebecca sit, their usual ease absent. Their drinks remain untouched, the spiced wine dark and glimmering beneath the dim light.

We are all waiting.

For something. For nothing. For the inevitable next step.

And Sylvie?—

She isn’t here.

The thought tightens something in my chest, though I force it back, burying it beneath reason. She wanted to come. Of course she did—it’s Sylvie. But after collapsing from magical depletion, the Guild’s elders made the decision she refused to make for herself. She isn’t allowed to leave until she recovers.

For the first time in weeks, she isn’t at my side. Instead, she’s confined to a sterile room in the Guild’s medical wing, kept under constant watch. When we told her we were coming here to meet, she was stubborn—as always. She demanded to come, and for the first time, no one was on her side about it.

She should be resting, not worrying about what comes next. But I know her too well. She’s restless. Frustrated.

She wants action.

She wants her sister back.

She wants to fix everything herself.

And she can’t.

Dorian is the first to break the silence. He rolls his glass between his fingers, watching the amber liquid swirl before speaking. “If we’re going to do this, we need to be smart about it.” His voice is low, calm, but there’s an edge beneath it—one that mirrors my own thoughts. “Staking her out is the only way. We can’t afford another ambush, not yet, not after we’re all depleted from the last attack. We watch her, learn her routine, find the moment she’s weakest. Then we take her.”

Nicole nods, her dark eyes sharp with understanding. “Lara’s not the same person anymore. If we need her for the ritual, she isn’t going to come willingly.”

Rebecca sighs, rubbing her temples. “We have to be careful. We don’t know how much of her humanity is left.” She shakes her head. “I’m willing to bet there isn’t much, based on her actions toward Sylvie.”

I glance between them before shifting my gaze back to Dorian. “You’ll take the day shifts while I’m at Blackthorne. I’ll relieve you at night.”

Dorian smirks, though there’s no humor in it. “Giving me the easy job, are we?”

“You get to sleep through the best part,” I reply dryly, finishing off my drink and placing the glass back on the table. “We start tonight. The sooner we learn her schedule, the sooner we make our move.”

“What about Nicole and me?” Rebecca asks, and I look between the two of them, knowing what Sylvie would and wouldn’t want.

“The two of you need to focus on your classes. I know you want to help Sylvie, and you can, but stay on top of your studies and when you have free time over the next few days you can let me know. We will bring you in.”

Nicole exhales sharply, as if she’s been holding in her breath. She meets my eyes, something serious settling into her expression. “And once we know her schedule enough to successfully take her?”

The words hang in the air, but no one breaks the lingering silence. The truth is, none of us know what will happen next. Not yet—but we’ll figure it out.

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