Page 126 of Forged in Flame and Shadow

My panic spikes, my mind filling with images of my brother lying pale and lifeless in the fields around Bastion—just another person to bury. Am I destined to have everyone in my family stolen from me?

“We have to go help them,” I say, fighting to keep my voice quiet and even.

“We don’t have the codex yet,” Eryx grunts.

“I know that,” I snap. It’s the whole reason why we’re here, and it makes no sense to abandon the search as long asourpresence remains undetected. But I also can’t bear the thought of losing the only family I have.

I turn toward Leon, a desperate plan forming.

“Leon, will you go help them?”

His face twists in surprise. “And leave you here? That’s not happening.”

“Please,” I beg. “With your terrial power, you could wipe out half those clerics in minutes. Then our side would have the advantage again.”

“My priority is keeping you safe, Ana,” he says, his gray eyes blazing with determination. “Not the Hand. Not even my own soldiers. You’reit.”

And the way he says that last line makes me feel like he means so much more. But I won’t relent.

“I savedyourbrother, now you have to do the same for me,” I demand.

Leon’s eyes darken, and I suspect he’s dangerously close to shutting himself off from me, disappearing into the role of warrior and soldier. If he does, it won’t matter what I say—none of my appeals will reach him.

“That wasn’t our deal,” he says.

“Then do it because it’s safer for us all,” I say quickly. “Hyllus was supposed to relay the signal to Harman if we needed a diversion to get out of here. If they’re both preoccupied, they can’t do that, and we might end up trapped even if we do find the codex.”

Leon’s clearly torn, and he glances at his soldiers, a question in his eyes.

“I swear we’ll keep her safe, captain,” Eryx says.

Alastor nods. “Go, quickly.”

“Alright,” Leon looks back down at me, and I see a flash of fear on his face. “I’ll put the acolytes in as deep a trance as I can before I go, but it won’t last long. You need to be fast.”

“See you on the other side,” I say with a smile I hope tells him it’s going to be okay.

Leon gives me one last, longing look, then slips from the room.

As soon as he’s gone, we resume the search. But I’m conscious of how slowly we’re having to move, picking through piles of books without making any loud noises. I don’t risk looking out the window again. I’ve done what I can to help Harman and the others, and I can’t afford to be distracted.

In a fit of frustration, I summon my orbital magic, pulling an entire row of books off a high shelf and bringing them down to spin around me.

“Watch out,” Alastor whispers furiously as he ducks a heavy tome. I ignore him, focused on how fast I can read the books’ covers like this, rotating through them just slowly enough to catch the first few words of their titles.

I abandon that batch and reach for another. This time, I’m only three books in when I see the telltale letters.

The Codex of Atolus.

It’s bound in thick brown leather, a braided cord tied around it.

“It’s here,” I hiss in triumph—and disbelief—as I grab it from the air. “It was just…here. In among the others. It can’t be that easy, can it?”

Alastor takes the book from my hands, cautiously flicking through it—checking for hidden protections or traps, I assume. “This is it,” he confirms.

“Would Caledon really leave something so precious stacked on a random shelf like that?” Eryx says suspiciously.

Alastor shrugs. “Harman said he found what he wanted already. Maybe this isn’t so precious to him anymore.”

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