Page 50 of House of Embers
“Is there anything we can do to help?”
Kerrigan didn’t know how exactly they could possibly help, being that they were on the other side of the dimension and all. But she was sure there was more she could learn, and maybe that would fix it. “Could you ask Cleora to meet me at the next full moon? I still need to learn energy magic.”
Danae nodded. “Of course. Be safe in the meantime.”
Kerrigan hugged her again. “You too.”
They said their goodbyes, and Kerrigan wrenched them off the plane. Fordham was pale, bending over his legs as he breathed heavily.
“This is too much for you,” she noted.
“No, I can keep going.”
She shook her head. “Absolutely not. You would never let me continue if I were doubled over, panting on the ground.”
He glanced up at her. “I think I actually have done that many times.”
“Well, yes, fair, but this is different. Spirit magic can burn you out.”
It was a testament to how shitty he must have felt that he didn’t argue with her. “As you say.”
“Good,” she said with relief.
“You don’t even seem winded.”
“No, I feel fine. I must have pulled more spirit magic or something.”
Fordham shot her a skeptical look as if he had some other idea for her increased ability in spirit magic, but instead he said, “Who are you going to reach out to first?”
The list was long: Alura, Audria, Noda, Zina to start. Checking in with Clover and Hadrian too. If she felt this good, then she might be able to get through everyone tonight. But of everyone, she felt like Audria made the most sense. Yes, her friends had concerns about Audria working with the Society, but she had been Kerrigan’s first friend in Bryonica. She’d fought for Kerrigan tooth and nail everystep of the way. She’d fought by her side in the arena against the Red Masks. Maybe she was surviving in Draco Mountain, but Kerrigan felt certain she was just biding her time.
“Audria,” she finally said.
Fordham nodded. “I thought you might say that.”
“You don’t think I’m crazy for trusting her?”
“No,” he said at once. “We’ve gone into battle with her on more than one occasion.”
“We were with Roake too,” she said, reminding him of the male who had betrayed them.
“It’s your call.”
“Audria,” she said.
Kerrigan reached for her spirit magic. Dreamwalking could be done in two different ways—either Kerrigan could walk into someone else’s dream, or she could pull them into hers. The former was much more dangerous, the latter much more difficult. The only time she’d successfully done the latter was with Fordham, when she had been in the holy waters in Bryonica. She’d had endless power then and used it to find him when he’d been trying to break his curse.
She touched her magic again to get an assessment of her depth, but it honestly didn’t feel any different. It was surprising because by now, she’d normally feel low. She could step into Audria’s dream to assess where she was in all this, but she’d lack control. Or she could just go for the harder option.
“Pull me back out if it looks like I’m flagging,” she told Fordham.
Fordham frowned. “Be careful.”
“Best I can.”
Then she reached down and found that place where Audria resided—the signature of her magic that smelled like Bryonican sunflowers and the holy waters of Draíocht. The summer girl who had been her friend so long. Then Kerrigan threw for it across what she was certain would be a great distance: Audria safely back in her rooms in the mountain.
Except the throw didn’t feel that long, and her brow furrowed at the short cast. Had she done something wrong?
