Eavesdropping was a deplorable habit. Or so Akari’s mother used to say. And it didn’t help when her target was a dangerous Mystic who could kill her with a flick of his wrist.

  Still, Akari couldn’t help resist. He was talking about her, after all.

  She crept barefoot through the halls of Kenzo Trengsen’s fortress, passing dark wooden pillars that stretched from floor to ceiling. Iron brackets jutted from the walls between them with paper lanterns on their hooks. And yes, those lanterns held actual fire. Not just orange mana crystals that looked like flames. North Shoken loved its traditions.

  Akari paused at a junction where two corridors met. A one-way portal split the air in front of her, and she used that to glance around the corner.

  Two Masters stood guard at the far end of the hall—a man and a woman. The man looked like Dysho Sanati, one of Kenzo’s students. Akari didn’t recognize the woman, but she must be another one of Kenzo’s retainers.

  “Hey.” Glim appeared beside Akari in her new three-dimensional form. As always, her blue body and clothing were semi-transparent, and her feet floated a few inches off the ground. “If I didn’t know better . . .”

  “Yeah,” Akari cut in. “I’m getting into trouble.”

  “And you didn’t invite me?”

  “Figured you’d show up sooner or later.”

  The mana spirit grinned at that. “What’s the mission?”

  Akari gestured around the corner with her chin. “See that door with the two guards?”

  Glim floated a few paces to her left, making no effort to act inconspicuous.

  “Hey!” Akari snapped. “You wanna get caught?

  “Relax.” Glim waved a dismissive blue hand. “Only you can see me.” She hesitated, glancing back at Akari with wide eyes. “Isn’t that Kenzo’s apartment?”

  “Yep. We’re gonna spy on him.”

  “You sure that’s a good idea? He’s a Mystic. There’s like a ninety-nine percent chance he’ll catch us.”

  She shrugged. “He’s Kalden’s dad. Not like he’s gonna kill us.”

  Glim considered that, then nodded. “So why are we spying on your boyfriend’s dad?”

  “Kalden’s in there now.” Akari tapped the side of her head. “And our soulbond just went dark two minutes ago. Three guesses what they’re talking about.”

  Glim examined the door. “That keyhole looks pretty wide. How about I disable the wards, then you slip a spacetime Missile through it?”

  “Sounds good.” She’d already been planning to go through the keyhole, but the wards were the tricky part. “Will the guards see my Missile?”

  “Please,” Glim “Look who you’re talking to.”

  Akari nodded, then Glim zipped down the hall like a fairy, leaving a trail of blue sparks in her wake. She’d always transformed into a Missile before, but that restriction had died with Elend, along with the mirror rule. Glim never explained why. Said she wouldn’t speak ill of the dead.

  “Okay.” The mana spirit flew back in a streak of bright blue light. “Wards are down. Do your thing!”

  Akari peered around the corner and cycled mana to her glasses, activating the zoom function on her lenses. The door filled her vision—lacquered wood with golden sigils carved into its dark surface. Another zoom brought the keyhole itself into focus.

  Then she opened her right hand and launched a golden spacetime Missile, thin as a single hair. Her mana threaded the keyhole and bloomed into a portal on the other side of the door, wide enough for her to step through. This stunt would have been impossible as an Artisan. As a Master, it was like flossing her teeth.

  Akari took a breath, then crossed the threshold into Kenzo’s private apartments.

  The space was larger than she’d expected, with high ceilings supported by thick wooden beams. Dark panels covered the walls, decorated with thin carvings of waves and storm clouds.

  “What are your plans for Miss Zeller?” the Mystic’s deep voice echoed from a nearby sitting room.

  Akari tip-toed across the polished wooden floor toward the sound. Glim hovered in the air beside her, shrouding them in a bubble of dream mana.

  Still, she hoped Kenzo wasn’t paying too much attention. No way Glim’s technique would hold up against a thorough inspection.

  Akari ducked behind a potted plant—some kind of miniature tree with twisted branches and tiny leaves. From there, she had a clear view into the sitting room beyond.

  Kenzo Trengsen sat in a high-backed wooden chair as if it were a throne. He looked like an older, sterner version of Kalden, with long black hair and a matching beard. He wore a sleeveless black tunic to reveal the dark Veilcord that spiraled around his muscular arms.

  Akari still didn’t know much about Veilcords, but they were supposedly the strongest weapons in the world. Each one was unique, advancing with their wielders, enhancing their aspects, and giving Masters the power to kill Mystics.

  In other words, she wanted one as soon as possible.

  Kalden paced back and forth in front of his father’s chair. A fire burned in the nearby hearth, and snow clung to the glass windows, pale white against the black sky.

  “I love her,” Kalden said.

  “Yes,” Kenzo replied. “I’m sure you do. But what are your plans for her? Marriage?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “I can name several reasons,” his father said.

  Glim stiffened, and her eyes went comically round. “He did just say that!”

  “Quiet,” Akari snapped.

  A short silence followed as water trickled from a nearby fountain. “I’ll listen to your objections,” Kalden said. “But I’ve given this a great deal of thought. More than you, I’d imagine.”

  Akari melted a little at that. Kalden wasn’t just in love because of some chemical cocktail in his brain. He’d actually run all the numbers, and he wasn’t scared of a challenge. That sounded less romantic, but romance was overrated. Numbers didn’t lie.

  Kenzo narrowed his eyes, looking skeptical. “And you believe Miss Zeller is a worthy match for you?”

  Kalden stopped pacing and rounded on his father. “Is that a joke? She defeated several of Espiria’s top Grandmasters. Then she held her own against a Mystic.”

  “Yes, but were those truly her achievements? She wields a powerful aspect, but she owes that power to her parents.”

  “Did you invent your aspect?” Kalden asked with feigned curiosity. “Did you become a Master at seventeen?”

  “I was twenty-two,” Kenzo replied. “I designed my techniques without a quantum computer, and I cultivated my mana without an Aeon soul. Speaking of which, Miss Zeller didn’t earn that second soul herself. The Solidors needed a spacetime artist, and Elend Darklight needed a ticket to the Mystic realm.”

  “You could make the exact same arguments about me,” Kalden said. “A victory is a victory, and there’s no such thing as a fair fight. Why should advancement be different?”

  Akari’s thoughts exactly.

  “Because neither of you can stand alone.” Kenzo said in a calm voice. “She acts without thinking. You think without acting.”

  “We balance each other,” Kalden retorted. “And we’ve both improved over the years.”

  “Have you?” The Mystic’s voice cut through the room like a blade. “This soulbond has become a crutch. You don’t improve your weaknesses. You compensate.. You share thoughts and techniques at the expense of your individuality. You boast of your achievements in Espiria. But what if your enemies separated you tomorrow? What if this soulbond vanished? Could you stand against your true peers in North Shoken?”

  “We’ve been separated before,” Kalden said. “Watch Koreldon University’s qualifying rounds and see for yourself.”

  “I have. I watched Miss Zeller scrape together a mediocre team without your help. I also watched that team crumble within five minutes.”

  “And Akari defeated all four of them. At the same time.”

  Kenzo raised his chin. “You think that’s a point in her favor? Miss Zeller solves problems with brute force, but brute force won’t scale into the Mystic realm. Do you know why?”

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  Kalden let out a long breath through his nose, but it didn’t ease the tension in his jaw. “Because personal power has its limits. Rise high enough, and your enemies stop making mistakes.”

  “Yes. Ours is just one clan in the Great Concord. We will need allies in order to defeat our true enemy. Specifically, allies from the other Great Clans. You need a wife who can help you navigate this society. Someone who speaks the language and understands the subtleties of the culture. Miss Zeller will create . . . incidents.”

  Akari clenched her hands into fists. She wanted to say politics didn’t matter—that personal power could fill the gaps—but the math was against her. Two mana artists were better than one, especially if the North Shokenese were as strong as everyone said.

  “You say you love Miss Zeller.” Kenzo leaned back in his chair, resting his elbows on the sides. “Why?”

  Akari held her breath, but Kalden didn’t answer right away. He turned toward the windows, watching the snow fall against the glass. His reflection showed nothing—just a blank mask.

  “I don’t need to justify myself,” he said. “I’ll defer to you in political matters, but—”

  “This politics,” Kenzo said. “Haven’t you been listening? A good match could secure an alliance. Miss Zeller and the rest of your team are already loyal. We gain nothing from such a marriage.”

  Kalden rubbed at his temple. “Then why don’t get married, Father?”

  “I have. Five months ago, I married Lin of Clan Shirin—better known as the Ivory Fox.” He gestured to their surroundings. “This was her fortress.”

  Kalden glanced around the room as if seeing it for the first time. “You do realize Mother is still alive, don’t you?”

  “Of course. But she won’t stay that way for much longer. Not if we refuse to take action. Regardless, Lin Shirin is dead.”

  “I’m sorry,” Kalden said after a short pause. “What happened to her?”

  “A Twilight Veil.” I don’t know who ordered it, but I have my suspicions.”

  Akari had never heard that term before, but Kalden clearly had. Either that, or he hid is ignorance well.

  “So I ask you again,” Kenzo said. “Why do you love Miss Zeller? You’ve already dodged the question once.”

  “I’m not dodging the question. I’m giving it the care it deserves.”

  Kenzo narrowed his eyes, unimpressed. “I’m happy to speculate for you in the meantime. Miss Zeller was there since the beginning of your journey. She represented rebellion and freedom. Qualities you admired but couldn’t manifest. She relied on you in difficult times. This made you feel valued and capable. But how long will this feeling last? Will her antics still be endearing in five years? Or ?”

  “She won’t make the same mistakes in five years,” Kalden said. “Akari’s always learning. Always improving herself.” His words came faster now, and his voice cut as sharp as his father’s. “She’s passionate and driven. She makes me want to be the best version of myself. More importantly, we understand each other, and we share the same goals. Our soulbond has only strengthened that connection.”

  “Good.” Kenzo sounded genuinely satisfied, as if they’d just made a deal. “If Miss Zeller truly shares your goals, then she’ll understand what must be done. Feelings fade. Alliances endure.”

  The floorboards groaned as the Mystc stood with an air of finality. “A week from now, Miss Zeller will join you in the Shadow Garden as a retainer of Clan Trengsen. But your wife should be a member of a Great Clan. Someone Corded, like Tori Raizen or Makori Rasha.”

  “Retainers can still be Corded,” Kalden said. “Two of yours are standing outside.”

  “Miss Zeller is Stormborn to her core. The blades of the Shadow Garden won’t accept her. She’ll die if she attempts the trial.”

  Akari’s stomach dropped. She didn’t care whether Kenzo liked her, but was he right about that last point? She couldn’t earn her own Veilcord in the Shadow Garden?

  Why spend half a year in that place with nothing to show for it?

  But it must have been true, because Kalden had no retort. Almost like he’d known this all along.

  “Fine,” Kalden said. “I’ve listened to your concerns, but I have no intention of marrying for politics. I also don’t need your approval to—”

  “Think it over,” Kenzo interrupted. “And speak with Miss Zeller about your long-term goals. That’s all I ask.”

  Akari fought down a surge of emotions and slumped back against the nearest wall.

  Golden mana surrounded her in an instant, opening a portal back to the room she shared with Kalden. It was smaller than Kenzo’s apartment, more like a hotel suite. Two master-sized beds dominated the room, while a writing desk sat beneath the wide glass window.

  “Screw him,” Glim said as she followed Akari through the portal.

  “No.” Akari shook her head, feeling suddenly cold. “He’s right.”

  “What? You’re gonna let that guy push you around?”

  “Hell no. But everything he said is true.” Even now, a part of her itched to open her soulbond again. To feel reassurance from Kalden, and the flow of his battle mana in her head.

  But what if this proved Kenzo’s point? Could Akari even think for herself anymore, or did she need Kalden to think for her? Back at school, he’d literally seized control of her body to help her beat Trask on the first day of class. Not to mention how he’d helped her find her Master revelation.

  Could she have done those things on her own? Pushed herself even harder?

  She’d never know. Everyone needed help sometimes, but where was the line?

  Glim bit her lip, but didn’t contradict her. “What are you gonna do?”

  “Prove him wrong.” Akari grabbed her father’s old backpack and pulled out her jacket—a lightweight shell enhanced with heating sigils. Her hands moved on autopilot as she grabbed her hat and gloves from the side pocket.

  “How?” Glim pressed.

  Akari shrugged as she stepped into one of her fur-lined boots. “Join a Great Clan, get a Veilcord.” She rolled her eyes as she laced up the boots, jerking the strings tighter than necessary. “Wouldn’t wanna embarrass Kalden in public, would I?”

  Besides, she had plenty of other reasons to keep her distance from the Blade Lord. He talked about saving this planet, and was all sugar and rainbows on paper. But what stopped Kenzo from taking their enemy’s place once he was dead?

  Or what if Kalden’s father was the real enemy? Kenzo of Clan Trengen—six syllables, just like her dream. This army of Mystics could be another step in his plan. At the very least, it was a great way to keep Akari’s team busy.

  She couldn’t prove anything at this point. Still, why put all their eggs in one nest?

  Akari stepped over to the desk and examined the map of North Shoken. The nearest city was at least twenty miles away, but her portals would make quick work of that trip. From there, she could follow the highway east toward the province’s capital.

  Glim hovered over her shoulder. “Where are you going?”

  “Fenoka for starters. Then we’ll see.” Akari turned around to meet Glim’s eyes. “Wanna come?” Kalden had to enter the Shadow Garden and earn his Veilcord, and it made sense for Relia, Arturo, and Zukan to join him as retainers. But that didn’t mean Akari had to set off alone.

  Glim flashed an apologetic smile. “I would, but Relia and I can’t be too far apart.”

  Just like Akari and Kalden’s soulbond. It worked across a city, but not an entire continent.

  “Wait a second,” Akari said. “What about those times you stayed behind while Elend was away? I’m a Master now. Can’t I be your second mana battery?”

  “That’s true.” A wide grin split the mana spirit’s face, showing far too many of her bright blue teeth. “Two Glims. Two human hosts. One step closer to world domination!”

  “Not really in the mood for jokes,” Akari said.

  Glim winced. “Sorry—just trying to cheer you up. Everything’s so depressing since we lost Elend and Irina. Now the whole team’s falling apart.”

  Akari waved that away. “You coming with me, or not?”

  “Guarding the house was different.” Glim floated down to sit cross-legged on the nearest bed. “I needed special mana batteries made of Elend’s mana. And it was temporary.”

  “Temporary’s fine,” Akari said. “Didn’t plan on leaving forever.”

  The mana spirit tilted her head, considering. “I guess we could make a lightweight copy of me. But I’d need constant mana to keep myself running. And it wouldn’t have any dream techniques.”

  “Oh.” Akari tried to hide her disappointment. “What about your flashcard program? Or your memories? Can you help me learn Shokenese?”

  “Maybe,” Glim said. “No promises, though. I’ll be working with your senses and brainpower. But hey, at least you’ll still have my charming personality! Better than nothing, right?”

  Akari rolled her eyes, but she didn’t completely disagree. Her team had spent a week in North Shoken, but they’d barely left the safety of this building.

  She’d rather not face this dangerous land alone.

  ~~~

  Kalden raced through the lower halls of his father’s fortress, searching for Akari. She’d closed her end of the soulbond, but bits and pieces slipped through the cracks.

  The halls grew colder as he descended, wooden walls and paper lanterns giving way to harsh stone and burning torches. Kalden rounded a corner, and the hall opened into a wide entry chamber with high vaulted ceilings. Directly ahead, the massive doors stood closed against the winter night.

  Two guards stood before the gates, their tunics bearing the black blade of Clan Trengsen. A third man sat at a desk near the wall, maintaining the gate’s sigil grid.

  Akari stood in the center of the chamber, her backpack slung over one shoulder. “Just open it,” she told the guards. “Or I’ll do it myself.”

  “Apologies, Zeller-tono.” The man bowed over his desk. “But once you’re outside—”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Akari said. “I’m not coming back tonight.”

  The guard let out a long sigh, then he pressed his hand to the table. A second later, the heavy doors pivoted outward with a groan.

  Kalden slowed his pace as he crossed the threshold into the gatehouse. All three guards glanced toward him. Akari must have noticed, because she turned around to meet his eyes.

  “Just like that?” Kalden’s boots echoed against the stone floor as he closed the distance. “You’re leaving without saying goodbye?”

  Akari flashed a weak smile before stepping through the open doors. “I’d already be gone if I wanted to.”

  Kalden followed her through the doors, out of earshot of the guards. “You heard me talking with my father.”

  “Couldn’t resist,” she said. “Never liked secrets.”

  “Did you at least hear the part where I defended you?”

  She nodded. “I’m not pissed at you. I promise.”

  “But you’re still sneaking out of the fortress at midnight?”

  “I’m reckless, don’t you know?”

  Kalden glanced back inside. “Have you considered that my father is manipulating you? I mean, what are the odds you managed to eavesdrop on us without getting caught? What if he meant his words for you all along?”

  “Still doesn’t change anything,” Akari said. “I know you’re thinking the same thing.”

  Kalden didn’t bother denying that. “I could come with you.”

  “How often do the War Gardens open?” she asked. It sounded like a rhetorical question, but she clearly didn’t know the answer.

  “Once every three years,” he said.

  “Then you need to get your Veilcord now. So do I. I’m gonna be your equal, not your retainer.”

  He let out a long breath. “You’re already my equal, and I don’t want to enter the Shadow Garden without you.”

  “Trust me,” she said. “I’m doing this to make us stronger. Both of us.” She touched his chest, right over his Aeon soul.

  Kalden almost asked where she was going, but he already knew the answer. In her eyes, being his equal meant joining a Great Clan and earning her own Veilcord.

  “I get it.” He covered her hand with his own. “But shouldn’t we talk about this first? Do you really want to leave in the middle of the night?”

  Akari shook her head. “You don’t get it at all. Leaving’s the scariest thing I can think of right now. That’s why I have to go. That’s why it can’t wait till morning.”

  “,” Kalden’s father had said.

  In many ways, Kenzo was wrong. Kalden had brought this team together in the first place. He’d saved Akari from the martials on Arkala, and he’d recruited Zukan and Arturo during their school’s qualifying rounds.

  For all that, his father had made some valid points. Kalden only acted when his enemies backed him into a corner. He never would have chosen this course on his own. Why choose the less optimal path when they were stronger together?

  But of course, that was the point.

  Akari stepped closer, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. Her lips were soft and warm, and Kalden wrapped his arms around her small frame, pulling her closer. Barely a week had passed since he’d watched her die at the Palace Prime. Now, he couldn’t help but fear the worst.

  What if they never saw each other again after tonight?

  Akari broke away, pulling a few inches back. When she spoke again, her voice was a soft whisper against the howling wind. “I love you.”

  “You too.” Kalden kissed her again. Once on the lips, once on the forehead. “Be careful.”

  She turned around with visible reluctance. Several heartbeats passed, and he almost thought she would change her mind.

  Then she raised her hand and shot a golden Missile toward the distant mountain peak. A portal split the air, and she vanished into the night.

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