Page 63 of Fateless

“Oh, Sparrow. I’m almost disappointed.”

Opening my eyes, I jerked my head up to find I was somewhere else.

I was back in the cistern, on the stone platform where I’d first seen the Circle. Where, so long ago, it seemed, Vahn had cut open Jeran’s throat and released the Deathless King into the world. The altar was gone; in its place around me was a circle of painted red runes surrounded by candles and various items. Looking closer, I saw with horror that all the items had been mine, once; the knickknacks and small treasures I had collected during my years with the guild. All taken from my room and brought here. The runes they sat on glimmered wetly in the flickering candlelight; I had a horrible suspicion of what had been used to paint them.

Vahn stood just outside the circle of runes, shaking his head as he looked at me.

“You would think you would learn,” he said. “Once you’re asleep, your mind is vulnerable, and your dreams are open. I just need an instant to establish a connection. One moment of unconsciousness to bring you here. Demon Hour is so inconvenient, is it not?” He smiled at me without humor. “Nothing to do but rest, wait, and sleep until it’s over.”

I backed away from him but hit an invisible wall at the edge of the circle, preventing me from going any farther. “What is this?” I whispered.

“Quite impressive, don’t you think?” Vahn stepped around the circle to face me. “I have scoured countless forbidden tomes—dozens of lost, half-burned books from the old kingdom—to figure out this spell. It would have been easier if I had your blood, but you did leave all your possessions behind when you fled the city. It was enough to bring you here.”

“Vahn.” I clenched my fists, searching in vain for a way out. The air between us shimmered, indicating the barrier surrounding the circle. “What do you want from me?” I asked in weary desperation. “Why these mind games? You were never this sadistic when we were in Kovass.”

“I want an answer from you.” Vahn narrowed his eyes. “I told you to return to Kovass, and yet you are still going in the wrong direction. This is your final chance to make the right decision, Sparrow. The king grows impatient. Are you going to return to Kovass, or are you going to make me drag you home myself?”

Anger flared. “I’m not going back, Vahn,” I spat at him, and his eyes grew even colder. “I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. Raithe wouldn’t let me go, and besides, I stopped listening to you the second you decided to kill Jeran.”

“Jeran.” The Guildmaster of Kovass shook his head. “That boy was just the beginning. I regret that I had to sacrifice a member of the guild, but I would do it again to bring the king back. And now it seems you have found yourself a new guild, hm? A new little family to cling to.” Vahn crossed his arms, his gazesuddenly hard. “The kahjai won’t let you go, you say. Well, what if there was no kahjai to hide behind? What if you were alone once more? How quickly would you return home then?”

A chill spread through my body. “Leave them alone, Vahn,” I growled. “They have nothing to do with this. Besides, you can’t hope to stand against Raithe. He’d cut you down in a heartbeat as soon as he saw you.”

“Yes,” Vahn agreed, which did nothing to ease my alarm. “He would cutmedown. But what about you? The Fateless whom he is duty-bound to protect? How far would he go to keep her safe?”

“What are you talking about?”

The circle of runes around me flared, bathing the chamber in red light. Vahn closed his eyes, raising his arms as the light snapped and flashed, throwing eerie shadows over the walls and floor. “I will be taking this consciousness for a little while,” he murmured, making my stomach crawl with dread. “You stay there, and don’t try to stop it. It will be less painful that way.”

“What?” I whispered, but my eyes opened, and I was suddenly awake.

I was back in the tent, still hearing the murmur of Halek’s and Kysa’s voices a few steps away. It seemed only a second or two had passed since I had dozed off. Quickly, I tried to raise my head to warn Raithe and the others that Vahn was still there, still after me.

I couldn’t move.

I told you, Sparrow. Vahn’s voice echoed in my head, turning my blood to ice.I will be taking over for a bit. Don’t try to fight this—it’s better to accept what is coming.

No!I tried to make myself move, to shout a warning, anything. My body remained still, uncompliant. Vahn sighed.

It’s useless to resist, he said, and my eyes closed, plunging me into darkness.But this will be over soon, and then you will have no choice but to come home.

My hand moved on its own, sliding down to my waist. I didn’t know what was happening until I felt my fingers curl around the hilt of the dagger at my belt.

Oh no. Vahn, stop it. Please, don’t do this.

This is for your own good, Sparrow. My eyes opened, though my head remained down, my face hidden by my hood. I lifted my gaze just enough to see Raithe, sitting a few paces across from me with his arms crossed. His attention was drawn to the discussion between Halek and Kysa, as Halek had given up on Triple Fang and was now trying to explain a card game to the completely disinterested insect rider. My fingers tightened on the dagger, and I felt myself tense to lunge.

No. Vahn, stop. Please not him. Don’t do this.Raithe, look at me.Raithe!

“Raithe!”

My voice left my mouth in a strangled shout, and Raithe’s attention jerked to me, just as I sprang at him and drove the dagger toward his heart.

He grabbed my wrist, stopping the blade from plunging into his chest, but the momentum drove us both through the wall of the tent and outside. Instantly, I felt the blazing heat of Demon Hour sear through my clothes. Raithe hit the ground on his back, his fingers still locked around my wrist. I straddled him, baringmy teeth in a vicious smile as I tried to shove the blade toward his throat.

“Sparrow!” Raithe’s other arm shot out and braced against my chest, keeping me from leaning my full weight onto the knife. His pale eyes, alarmed and beseeching, locked with mine. “What are you doing?”

“Sorry, kahjai,” I heard my voice say through gritted teeth. My other hand gripped my own wrist, pushing down and adding its weight to the blade angled toward Raithe’s neck. “But you have to die. You are in the way, and the king has plans for the Fateless.”

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