The first glimmer of hope I had seen since I arrived at Evermore. Dorian, of all people, was right. There was only one wayto fix this. I had to get my score up before Verrine put the pieces together.
I was ready to die.
I needed to move. I shoved off the bed, crossed the dorm in three steps, and grabbed the edge of the wooden desk just to feel something solid. That’s when I noticed it. Rosaline’s side of the room was untouched. Her blankets were folded in perfect, crisp lines like the bed hadn’t been slept in. “Where’s Rosaline?”
Ruby looked up from her bed, already dressed down for the night, fingers idly combing through her curls. She blinked, like I had said something strange. “Hm?”
I turned to face her fully. “I haven’t seen her all day. Have you?”
She tilted her head, considering. “Probably in prep with the other Ascended Upper Sixth.”
The words landed wrong. I frowned. “Prep?”
“The Upper Sixth who are Ascended do extra training before graduation,” she said, like this was obvious, like it was something everyone knew.
“Extra training?”
“Yeah. They’re probably all hands on deck right now,” she added, flipping to her side. “I heard in the paper they’re preparing groups to go after the Archangels.”
“What do you mean?”
Ruby yawned, like it wasn’t worth getting worked up about. “They’re still missing, and it’s not good. The two High Councils mediate to rule the Afterlives, made up of the Archangels, and the Archdaemons. Without the Archangels, decisions become…skewed.” She rolled onto her stomach. “If Rosaline’s gone a lot, it’s probably part of that. They’re trying everything to locate them.”
A chill ran over my arms. I’d heard the Archangels mentioned in passing, and still assumed them to be religiousfigures, like the saints. But people,students,were sent to find them?
“Do they go missing a lot?” I asked.
“Don’t think so.” Ruby shrugged, looking down at her slate again. “But they’re probably just deep in some kind of investigation. I wouldn’t worry. The Archs are all-powerful beings. Nothing bad couldactuallyhappen to them.”
I let the thought slip away. There were bigger problems at hand. My mind was already turning ahead, whirring like the gears of a clock wound too tight. I stared at the slate, the unmoving number. No rescue was coming, no miracle.
“We have to go.” My voice was thin, hoarse. “Dorian and I.”
Ruby looked up, blinking. “What?”
“I’m done trying to raise my score. It’s useless. We have to get the Arcana Deck back.” The words left my lips before I could second-guess them, before doubt could set its claws into my chest. “It’s the only way.”
Saying it aloud gave me purpose. I didn’t know if it was bravery or madness, but it was something to hold on to. It was the first bit of control over my life I’d felt since the accident. This was the first time I’d chosen to fight back. And I was going to fight for my freedom with every last breath I had.
Because if all ofthisis what Evermore defined as exceptional, I had never been more glad to be profoundly average.
She exhaled slowly, setting her slate aside. The dim light caught the dark sheen of her curls as she tilted her head, studying me. “You’re serious. You’re going to listen to Dorian?”
“Of course I’m serious.”
She was quiet for a long moment. Outside, the wind howled, pressing against the old stained-glass windows. They shuddered, casting restless shadows across the walls. The academy was watching.
Then, Ruby’s lips curled. “Only the dead can enter the afterlives, remember. You’ll die.Literallydie.”
“I’ll die if I don’t.”
A long pause. Then, finally she sighed. “This is reckless.”
“I have to go tonight,” I insisted. I’ve wasted too much time already. I’m sure Verrine is starting to connect the dots.”
Ruby leaned back on her elbows, exhaling. “And how do you know Dante still has the cards?”
“I don’t,” I admitted. “But if he does, and if he used them to get into Elsewhere, then there’s a way to get them back.” I hesitated. “And a way to fix this.”