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Rune had told Gideon that buttercups were her favorite flower, and instead of picking some, hesewedthem for her. Had he stayed up all night doing so?

The humming in her throat turned to pounding.

Why did it have to beGideonwho knew how to speak to her soul?

It made her eyes prickle.

I can’t accept these.

She needed to give the flowers back.

Tomorrow,she thought.I’ll return them before I meet Verity.Because after tomorrow, who knew when she’d see him again?

Before rescuing Seraphine, she would put Gideon behind her for good, and with him, her role as Rune Winters. She’d play the shallow socialite no longer. The path she’d started on when Nan died was ending; the days of risking her life as the Crimson Moth were almost over.

Rune was headed down a new path. One that led to Caelis,and to Alex. To safety and joy. Rune was going to live the life Nan wanted for her. The one that was stolen from them both the day the Blood Guard dragged her away.

So, she laid the bouquet of silk flowers back in the box and closed the lid.

Tomorrow she would say goodbye to Gideon Sharpe—forever.

FIFTY-FOURRUNE

ARCANA: (n.) the deadliest category of spell.

Arcana Spells require blood taken from someone against their will in a quantity that often results in the donor’s death. Arcanas are not only deadly for the donor, they are corrosive to the soul of the witch who uses them. For this reason, they were outlawed by Queen Raine the Innocent. Types of Arcana Spells range from complex illusions sustained over long periods to forbidden acts like raising the dead back to life.

—FromRules of Magicby Queen Callidora the Valiant

THE NEXT MORNING, RUNEcould barely open her eyes as the sun beamed in through her window.

Get up,she thought, feeling more tired than she had in years. Like her limbs had turned to sand. Like her eyelids were made of stone.

Was this how Verity felt all the time?

You need to save Seraphine today.

And from the position of the sun, it was nearly midday.

Remembering the flowers Gideon made for her, and how she’d resolved to return them, Rune groaned and dragged herself from her bed. She dictated a quick telegram message to Lizbeth, asking Gideon if they could meet this afternoon.

His answer arrived an hour later, short and to the point.

MISS RUNE WINTERS

WINTERSEA HOUSE

MEET ME AT THE STUDIO. 2 O’CLOCK.

GIDEON

Two o’clock gave Rune plenty of time before convening with Verity an hour later.

After quickly putting food in her stomach, Rune went to collect what she needed for tonight: the stolen uniform, Gideon’s access coin, and her last vial of blood. During her meeting with Alex and Verity, she’d put the coin and the vial inside the pocket of the uniform, and left the uniform folded on her casting table.

But when she went to retrieve them, only the uniform was there.

The pockets were empty.