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“If I buy it, I want you to come with me.”

“For an entire month?” She shook her head. There was no way. How many witches would die in that time? Even one was too many. “If you help me rescue Seraphine, I promise to go with you—but only for a week.”

“Two weeks,” he pressed, turning his attention to her and folding his arms over his chest, like that was his final offer.

Just then, someone rapped on the door.

They both froze.

“It’s me,” said Verity from the other side.

Rising to her feet, Rune shot Alex a look that said,We can talk about this later, and opened the door.

While Verity scrubbed the blood off her door and Alex mopped the floor, Rune picked up the pieces of her broken vial. Dropping the glass shards into a wastebasket, she glanced over at her childhood friend.

Alexander Sharpe was one of only two people in the world she could trust without a second thought. Imagining him in Caelis, so far away, filled her with a sadness so deep, she wanted to sink to the floor and cry.

What would she do without him?

WHEN RUNE RETURNED TOWintersea House, a telegram was waiting for her.

Expecting it to be a reminder for the Creeds’ masked ball tomorrow night, she opened it intending to skim and set it aside when she noticed the sender had included their address:Old Town. It was an industrial part of the capital, full of tradespeople and day laborers and other working-class families.

None of her friends lived there.

Curious, she turned her full attention on the message.

MISS RUNE WINTERS

WINTERSEA HOUSE

I APOLOGIZE FOR MOVING SO QUICKLY LAST NIGHT. IF YOU’RE NOT PUT OFF BY ME YET, I MAY HAVE A SOLUTION TO YOUR PREDICAMENT REGARDING THE LUMINARIES DINNER.

GIDEON

A solution?

Verity’s warnings clanged through Rune as she remembered how close she’d come to letting Gideon kiss her. How much further would he have gone if she’d let him?

With past suitors, Rune had always drawn a line at kissing. She never, under any circumstances, went further than that. Having this rule made her feel like she was still in control. Like she couldn’t totally lose herself, no matter how desperate things got.

This is a second chance to find out where they’re holding Seraphine,she told herself, silently apologizing to Verity.I have to take it.

She dictated her response to Lizbeth, who took it to the telegraph office.

GIDEON SHARPE

113 PRUDENCE ST, OLD TOWN

I’M INTRIGUED. TELL ME MORE.

RUNE

P.S. IF ANYONE NEEDS TO APOLOGIZE FOR LAST NIGHT, IT’S THE PERSON WHO RUINED YOUR JACKET.

A reply arrived in the afternoon.

IT WILL BE EASIER TO SHOW YOU. ARE YOU FREE TOMORROW AT 10 A.M.? IF SO, MEET ME AT THIS ADDRESS.