Quenti felt the fear traveling down her spine, ice cold and sharp.

“You saw that, right?” Lili asked, voice thin. She slumped against the nearby tree and stared up at the barrier. Her skin was pallid again.

Quenti could feel the drain on her own powers. She could only imagine what Lili was feeling after all the healing and mind-walking she had done. Absently, she fingered the tender and jagged scar that burned against her stomach.

“Something happened,” Elna said. “Something bad.” Her hands were outstretched as she pushed against the barrier with her magia.

A ripple of hot air traveled along the wall and brushed back a strand of Quenti’s hair, but the barrier remained unaffected.

Just a few minutes before, the air had shuddered and cracked. Quenti had let out a shout of glee as the wall of fire and air seemed ready to shatter. And then there was a flash of light so fast Quenti wasn’t sure she had really seen it. And then silence and stillness. The ripples had calmed, and the barrier had stilled, as if nothing had happened.

Groaning in frustration, Quenti pulled water from the small drainage ditch nearby. She threw it straight at the wall where Elna stood. With a hiss, it turned to steam, the barrier unperturbed by her attempt.

“Now what?” Quenti asked, slumping down next to Lili.

“We should head back. Someone might know what happened,” Elna said.

Defeat fell heavy on Quenti’s shoulders, but she pushed herself up from the ground. “I hate Cielo,” she spit out. “It smells like human waste.”

***

Something had shifted in the city. They were on the outskirts where the forest met the oldest buildings of Cielo. The painted rooftops here were faded and scarred here. The stone work forgotten, clogged with moss and dirt, even as people continued to live their lives.

On the way out, the streets had been almost empty as they slipped through alleys, but now they overflowed with activity.

“People look—excited,” Lili whispered.

“That’s not good for us,” Quenti said.

“Not good at all. Once we get back, we’ll have time to come up with a new plan. Adelmo always knows—”

“Elna!”

The mage’s steps faltered at the voice behind them.

She swiveled around, face shifting as she greeted the councilguards coming down the side street.

Quenti’s stomach clenched, and the blood drained from her face. Eight sets of eyes were focused on the three of them. She didn’t need Alara to tell her that two of the councilguards standing with flint cuffs on their wrists were fire mages, and the other six looked just as intimidating.

“Where have you been?” one guard asked. “Senye Cruz was asking about you.”

“I’ve been searching for the escaped bruyas. Same as everyone else.”

The guard smiled. “We’ve caught some. On the other side of the city.”

Quenti’s head swam. Beside her, Lili’s body went rigid, but to her credit, the other bruya didn’t make a sound.

“Senye Emaru thinks the rest will be scattered along the outskirts,” the councilguard continued.

“I’ve already been searching this area,” Elna said. “I’ve seen nothing yet.” The mage’s voice was exhausted, though Quenti couldn’t tell if it was genuine or part of her act.

She then caught the eye of one of the fire mages. His lips turned down in a frown.

“Who are they?”

“Who?” Elna turned, a confused look on her face. “Oh—I’m so sorry!”

Quenti looked back at the woman, unsure of what to do.

“Like I was saying, you need to head back to your rooms,” Elna said. “The councilguards and mages have things under control.”

“But we can help fight!” Lili shot back, catching on.

“You can help by staying out of anyone’s way. And not being seen,” Elna hissed the last part.

Quenti grabbed Lili by the arm. “Clearly we’re not wanted.”

As they turned, Quenti heard the fire mage speak and her shoulders tightened. “Don’t those two look a little old to be magites?”

“They’re from one the outskirt villages and were picked up later than most. They seemed a little slow, if you ask me,” Elna whispered. “Come on, I haven’t checked south of here.”

With that, the councilguards marched away, down the way the bruyas had just come. Quenti and Lili tried to keep their stride steady, even as Quenti’s heart stuttered in her chest.

They’d lost their own ally in the city. But even worse, one of their own had been caught.

A wave of panic hit the girl as she pictured Khuna’s gaunt face when they had first found her in the cells.

“The entrance to the tunnels isn’t far,” Lili said, squeezing Quenti’s arm. “We’ll know what’s happening soon.”

***

When they arrived at the meeting chamber entrance, the door was closed, but light leaked from underneath. Quenti paused, hand on the cold wood. She almost didn’t want to know who’d been caught. She didn’t know what she’d do if it was Khuna again.

Lili’s warm hand covered her own. Quenti felt the cool trickle of calming reassurance move down her arm and into her chest. And then Lili pushed open the door.

Quenti saw Zinita first, dagger unsheathed and poised as weary eyes watched them enter. Mitteo and Suri sat at the table, whispering between them. And then there was Khuna, pacing up and down the room.

The bruya looked up, eyes flicking from Lili to Quenti. There was a breath of space before she ran forward, pulling the taller girl into a tight embrace.

Quenti let herself be held for a moment. Khuna’s entire body trembled. She pushed the bruya back and placed a hand on either side of her face, looking into her eyes.

“We’re both okay.”

Khuna nodded.

Quenti pressed her lips against the other girl’s, ignoring the cracked dry skin and taste of dried salt.

“So, do we know what happened?” Zinita’s voice was cold and snapped Quenti out of her reverie.

She took stock of the bruyas and realization hit her. All groups were back, except one.

“Alara, Runeo, and Adelmo were caught,” Quenti said.

Lili let out a curse.

“Now what?” Zinita said.

“Now, we come up with a new plan,” Suri said, looking around at the others. “We still need to get you all out.”

“We aren’t leaving Runeo behind.” The anger in Zinita’s voice surprised Quenti.

“You may not have a choice. Breaking them out may have been an option before, but things are different now. You’ll get nowhere near where they’re holding them.”

“Right now,” Mitteo said, “we need to lie low. The entire city is looking for you—for us. El’dyo, it feels weird saying that.”

“So we sit around waiting and just hope no one finds us?” Quenti said.

“We wait and we plan,” Mitteo replied.

“I’m sick of planning. Our plans haven’t worked so far, anyway.”

“So, what would you suggest? A full frontal assault on the Haven?”

“We need to do something,” Quenti said.

“We need to stay here,” Mitteo said, more firmly.

“We can’t just wait around for something to happen.” Quenti grabbed the small dagger tucked into her belt. “I’m going. Anyone who wants to join can.”

“And what actually are we going to do?” Mitteo asked, exasperated. But Quenti saw even he was standing now.

“If the network can’t be bothered to come and help us, we’ll go to them.”