Page 162 of Silvercloak

Auria frowned at her wand as though it had betrayed her.

“I’m immune to magic,” Saffron murmured.

It was once again true, now that Levan was dead.

Dead.The word, hard and unyielding as stone, sent a peal of loss through her. A physical whip-crack, straight to her well. She had little magic left after holding time still, but what dregs remained glittered from the fresh wave of hurt.

“It’s how I was able to receive the loyalty brand without actually being bound by it,” she added. “Being branded is hell, by the way.”

Her attempt to break through Auria’s walls failed, and her oldfriend took a step closer to her, hatred convulsing all over her face as she drew her blisblade.

Rasso growled and leapt through the air toward Auria.

“No!” Saff yelled. “Leave her.”

But Rasso did not listen. Moments before his jaws closed around Auria’s throat, Saff gasped out a desperate, tremulous, “Sen praegelos.”

The world froze for the second time that night. If it weren’t for the pain of losing her uncle, for the pain of killing Levan, for the pain of Aspar dying in Auria’s arms, she likely would not have the magical strength left to hold it.

Startled, Rasso landed on all fours, glancing curiously back at Saffron.

“Don’t hurt her,” Saff whispered to the fallowwolf, trying her very damnedest not to pass out.

If she passed out, thepraegeloswould lapse, and it would be over.

With every ounce of mental strength she had left, she weighed her options.

There was no getting out of this situation without temporarily incapacitating Auria, and if she did that, she’d have an even harder time proving to the Silvercloaks that she’d been on their side all along. She’d be arrested and tossed in Duncarzus until the end of time. Aspar and Levan would stay dead, and Saff’s life would be effectively over.

There was a chance, of course, that Nissa would recover well enough to testify in Saffron’s favor. But there was an equal chance she wouldn’t.

Detective Jebat had known that Aspar hadsomeoneundercover, just not who. But Saffron had no idea whether Levan had left Jebat alive.

Still dazed, Saffron could’ve sworn she felt the weight of her parents’ gaze from beyond an imperceptible veil. Their love and judgment, their silent pleas. But what were they pleadingfor? Would they want her to do this—to sacrifice her life and freedom in the name of banishing this great evil? Or would they want her to save herself?

She could always flee. Levan’s wand couldportariher anywhere on the continent, but as Levan had said, the Silvercloaks were becoming far more proficient at tracing these things. Even if she exiled herself to another country, everywhere but Mersina and Nomaden had extradition agreements with Vallin, and the chances of her successfully transporting that far in her weakened state were slim.

If she fled, sooner or later she would be caught. Auria would stop at nothing to bring her in—as far as she was concerned, both Tiernan’s and Aspar’s blood was on Saff’s hands.

Thepraegeloscharm shimmered and faltered around her as she considered her final option.

Timeweaving.

She had Lyrian’s wand, the hourglass, and Rasso. She might be able to unwind this disastrous night, but how far back could she get without all the ascenite she’d been bolstered by in the mansion?

For this not to be so ruinous, she needed Aspar to survive, but Aspar had already been struck by the time Saff and Levan had made it to the shack. In any case, placing herself in the middle of the brutal skirmish to try and block a spell fired at the captain would just as likely result in her own death.

Could she go back even further?

To before the night even began, before the kingpin ordered her uncle’s death?

Likely not. She vividly remembered the lung squeezing sensation from the last time she’d weaved, the fierce fighting for breath, the way it had become harder and harder to keep her wand on the hourglass. In Lyrian’s office, she’d been surrounded by ascenite from all angles. Here she could rely only on her own well of magic—which was running dangerously low.

Desperation mounted as she realized there was no way out of this … unless she made theotherdecision.

Unless she didn’t betray Levan.

Unless she went back to before she killed him.

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