Page 40 of Swords of Soul and Shadow
“No,” Niels said at the same time Fely reminded her, “The King took it with him.”
Hallie moved away a couple paces. She only had a theory, no concrete guess, but…
“Hallie,” Niels prompted, “I know that look. What was that?”
It’d been too long for him to still know her that well. She fought not to scowl as she pointed to the bricks breaking up the monotonous stone, blending in and multiplying further down the corridor. “It’s the Zuprium.”
Niels frowned. “I don’t think I understand.”
Neither did she. All she knew was that the Yalvs had done something to make sure that those with ‘sparking magic’ couldn’t harm them. Clearly, they hadn’t planned for their own magic to be turned against them with the Cerls and Ben. It was the only explanation Hallie could conjure.
“When the First Earthers landed, all their fancy technology went dark,” Hallie explained.
“Yeah, it was a new planet. They didn’t realize the laws of nature would be different here.” Niels’ breathing was still labored.
That was the story some believed. Hallie knew better.
“Not exactly,” Fely said, clearly following the same train of thought.
Hallie squinted up ahead, trying to make out anything waiting for them in the darkness. Dim light sifted through and reflected dully off the Zuprium bricks ahead, and it had to be coming from somewhere—maybe a gap in the stone. It couldn’tbe coming from their fireball; the light playing on the bricks shone the color of gray mist, whereas the light from their orb was a soft gold.
With careful feet and a hand along the wall, she walked toward it.
“What do you mean, not exactly?” Niels asked as both he and Fely’s footsteps scuffled along behind her.
Hallie blew a strand of hair out of her face. “To the Yalvs, our technology was destructive. They used Zuprium to subdue the electricity…or, as they called it, ‘sparking magic.’ The slow disappearance of the Yalvs from our side of the world reduced the potency of their wards. However, on Tasava, the wards are still intact.”
Niels was silent for a beat, save for the clop of his boots on the metal floor. “And you learned this all from a book?”
“No.”
Another few beats of silence. “So…you learned it in a lecture?”
Hallie didn’t like thinking back to theEudora Jaydemission. Every time she did, she felt the pain in her hand all over again, saw Ebba crumple, heard Kase’s unhinged pounding on the Gate Temple door.
“We must turn around,” Fely insisted from behind.
“I think we’re almost out of here,” Hallie said, putting as much confidence in her voice as she could. The light was growing brighter, the gray of a murky dawn. She didn’t know if the Passage somehow manipulated time, but she was surprised she hadn’t fallen over from exhaustion if she had indeed been up the entire night. Adrenaline was a funny thing.
“Hallie…” Niels prompted.
“Not now. We’re so—”
“Hallie.”
Hallie chanced a quick glare over her shoulder; instead of Niels, she found Fely. The woman’s breathing was labored, and sweat beaded on her brow.
Niels wasn’t trying to stop her; he was telling her to wait. Hallie slowed. “Sorry.”
Fely took deep breaths and lowered herself to the floor. “Something is wrong. I just don’t—” She cut herself off with a gasp. “We have to goback.”
Hallie doubled back and knelt beside her. The bandage was spotted with browning blood, but it wasn’t soaked. “Does anything hurt? Is it your head?”
Fely shook her head, grimacing. “No.”
She didn’t really know what else to ask. Jack had been the one who knew all that stuff. She looked at Niels. “Stay with her. I’ll check ahead, and then we’ll turn back.”
She didn’t even believe herself that time.
