Page 149 of Balance

“You’re lucky,” Miles continued. “You’ve communicated with Mu, right?”

At my slow nod, he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. His voice was heavy with the weight of unmet expectations. “I’ve never been able to connect with Tu. You’re already further than me—”

“That’s not true,” I broke in. Miles would not put himself down—not on my watch. “You know a lot more about this world than me.”

“That’s just general knowledge,” Miles answered, shooting me a short frown, then looked away.

“Is it dangerous?” I asked again, grabbing his hands. I pushed into his line of vision, looking up at him. “Will you be okay?”

He swallowed and nodded. “Of course.”

And even though he didn’t sound confident at all, I had to let him go. It wasn’t my place to run his life—and I knew his feelings more than anyone.

This was something he had to do for himself.

“Then do it.” There was no harm in trying; we had the potion already, thanks to Kathleen. But was there anything else he needed?

“You won’t have to give up a pound of flesh?” I clarified, peeking at Miles. The man was currently staring at me, wide-eyed and open-mouthed—his fish-like expression would forever live in my memories. “Or something equally gnarly?”

“No!” Miles moved from me, pressing his hand to his heart, skin ashen. “What in the world did you…” His words trailed off, and he shook his head. “Never mind, I don’t even want to know.”

He didn’t want to know what?

“Lord, your lot are vicious creatures…” he muttered under his breath. “And you look so innocent too.”

“What?” I asked, somewhat offended. What in the world was he talking about?

But he left me staring after him as he moved back to his bag, and when he spoke next, it was in an almost whisper. “Bianca,” he said, turning his face toward me slightly. “Thanks.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Miles

Tu

The moon was already rising by the time I finished casting the circle. I made sure that, first, Bianca had been set up with food and a fire to keep her warm while I focused on my work.

This was unfamiliar territory—and there was no knowing how long this would take. Ideally, though, I’d just take the potion and move on with my life without much hassle.

Hopefully.

Or I might be thrown into the darkness and struggle to find my way back. That, of course, would be entirely inconvenient, and possibly terrifying for Bianca.

But thingsprobablywouldn’t come to that.

“What’s that?” Bianca sat cross-legged on the outside of the circle, hands folded in her lap. She tilted her head, attention on the ground at my knees.

“Runes,” I replied, writing the last symbol in the dirt with my finger. Even without fully accessing my abilities, the earth still responded to me, and the ground hummed under my skin with the promise of unwielded power.

Were runes really necessary? Probably not. But every little bit would help.

“What’s next?” she asked. Her frame was taunt, and her eyes gleamed with excitement—she was clearly expecting something dramatic to happen.

I hated to be the bearer of bad news, but witchcraft rarely worked that way.

“I just take the potion,” I told her, pulling out the jar. I moved it once, watching the precious liquid squirt. “Then… it should work?”

That was the plan.