Page 31 of The Stone Curse
“Prasan did that,” Orix said. “We know that.”
Patrick raised a brow. “On his own? Unlikely.”
“So you break the law?” Levi asked.
“Laws written by your kind, not mine.” He lifted his chin and despite being half a head shorter than Levi, managed to look down his nose at him. “Keep your witch if you must. But when he shows himself to be the traitor he is, do not come to us for aid.”
He strode toward the exit, minions in tow, and Ulrickson stepped back to let them pass.
Willowman groaned in my arms.
“We should get him to the infirmary,” Levi said.
“No…” Willowman whispered. “I need…Calista…”
“Calista?”
“His outer rim contact,” Orix said.
“Do you know where she lives?”
“I know the town. I can find out the rest.”
“Wait a second. You’re not intending to take him off academy grounds,” Ulrickson said.
I fixed him with a steely gaze. “Why not? Is he a prisoner?”
“No but?—”
“Are we?”
“No but you?—”
“Then we’re going. This witch is essential to the elite team, and if you want to stop us, then you’ll need to use force.”
“There’s no need for that,” Levi said. “Is there, Father?”
Ulrickson had the look of a cornered animal.
“They’ll be with me,” Orix said. “We have a funeral to attend in Arcadia, so as soon as Willowman is healed, we’ll head there. I’ll make sure to send a magigram to the academy to keep you updated.”
“You’re supposed to be training,” Ulrickson reminded us.
“We will,” Levi said. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“It isn’t safe out there.”
“It isn’t safe here, either,” Curi said. “But we’re safer if we stick together.”
Ulrickson ran a hand down his face. “Very well. But you’ll take precautions. Travel by secure warps that have been checked thoroughly by…” His gaze dropped to Willowman. Because he was our warp guy.
“Yarrow will help,” Orix said. “Please let me do what I do best.”
“What in the world is going on here?” Carter pushed past Ulrickson. “Willowman!” She rushed toward him. “What happened?”
Travani was close behind, her usually sleek hairstyle slightly disheveled. The lamplight caught her eyes, and for a moment they seemed to glow like amber, but then Carter was blocking her, the human’s face a mask of genuine concern.
“Oh goodness, what is this? Did the alchemists do this? They said they merely wanted to talk to him. Simply talk…”
