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Bartos shook his head, his pale face drawn and angry. “Maybe. I didn’t even know it waspossibleto get past the eastern mountains.”

“Unless you’re a stormwitch,” Zaf said proudly.

“Unless you’re a stormwitch,” Bartos agreed, rubbing his forehead. “But as we’ve discovered, apparently there are many things I was never told.”

“I doubt soldiers of the Vale would have risked their lives to cross Estar and the eastern mountains unless the queen had ordered them to,” said Noro thoughtfully.

“Maybe she wants to use the Star Lands witches just like she’s used us,” Zaf muttered.

The part of Thorn that was still herself ached to hear the pain in Zaf’s voice.

But the webbed part of her was cold and felt nothing, and spun her mind quickly.

“Take us with you to find Ari,” she said to Quicksilver. “We can help.”

When Quicksilver did not reply, Thorn pressed on. “Who better to help you track down soldiers from the Vale than actual people from the Vale?”

Bartos cleared his throat. “I do know how these soldiers will cover their tracks. The tricks they’ll use to stay hidden.” He tugged his jacket straight and squared his skinny shoulders. “Having me on their trail can only help you, Madame Quicksilver.”

Sly Boots snorted.

Quicksilver, straight-faced, elbowed him in the ribs.

Thorn saw her opportunity.

“But if we help you find Ari,” she said, “then both of you have to come back with us to the Vale. You may not be able to work magic anymore, but youknowabout magic, and Ari—”

“Ari’s monsters are dead too,” said Quicksilver flatly. “If you’re hoping he can help you instead of me—”

“Well, so we’ll have two witch minds helping us, then. You can give the queen and her advisers ideas. Solutions they may not have thought about.”

Quicksilver frowned. “Perhaps.”

Thorn hesitated. The dark web inside her curled like a grin. “Maybe you can bring along some of your witch students—”

“Absolutely not.” Quicksilver’s eyes flashed. “Grown witches who volunteer to come with us, fine. But not my students.”

Anger stirred in Thorn’s pulse points—her wrists, her neck, the cage of her heart.But young magic tastes so much nicer,whispered a voice inside her.

Thorn bit the inside of her mouth. A tiny fear skipped up her throat and then was gone.

Quicksilver glanced at Sly Boots. He nodded, and Quicksilver’s posture relaxed, and Thorn swallowed a smile, because she had won.

“All right, Thorn,” Quicksilver said briskly. “Help me find Ari, and we’ll come back with you to the Vale, assess the situation, see what we can do. Which,” she added, with a stern look, “may not be anything. You understand that.”

“I understand,” said Thorn, “and thank you.”

As she clasped hands with Quicksilver, Thorn felt Noro’s eyes upon her face. She avoided looking at him. What did she care if he looked at her? He could look all he wanted to look.There was nothing wrong with her. The hot angry web coating her bones wasclarifyingher. It made her mind move faster and sharper. Her muscles felt stronger, more agile.

She liked this bold new Thorn, who made deals with witches and didn’t take no for an answer.

This Thorn who was so much better than the Thorn she used to be.

.27.

The Question in the Dark

The Break was a jagged country of rises and valleys, and craters smashed into its walls like the footprints of mountains, and long snaking canyons, and forests of rocks, sharp and knobby as a growing boy’s knees.