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“My name is Calypso.” Her hair was lit from below, dark green strands moving in the water all around her, covering her face except for her eyes that flashed yellow.

“You know, Harlow Daygon, there was a time I might have granted your wish, if the price was right. However, I am a wishing well no more. For years now, I have been the well of death ...”

I grimaced, doing my best to not freak out.

“If I’d known about your rebranding campaign, I probably wouldn’t have stuck my head in here. Someone steered me seriously wrong.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Ah, so someone tricked you into coming to see me? Diabolical. And proof to my point that Dwimmers and humans alike are terrible. I was tricked into this well, too, you know.”

“So you get it, then. We’re a lot alike, you and me.”

I knew it was a misstep as soon as I said it.

“Alike?” Her laughter sent an icy finger of dread down my spine. “Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?” She moved closer and I could see the grief and madness swirling in her eyes as the waters around us began to churn and bubble.

“I’m sorry. I –”

“Someone must pay for the wrongs done to me. And unfortunately for you, you’re the only one here. Goodbye, Harlow Daygon.”

The rune that had kept me alive so far fizzled away, and suddenly, the air in my lungs was gone.

The panic was instant as I kicked and twisted and tried to scream. All that did was fill my mouth and lungs with water to hasten my demise. I caught her gaze as she looked on. A hint of melancholy in those strange eyes.

“Please,” I mouthed, my lungs burning even as my eyes began to blur.

But she didn’t move.

This was it. I’d played the game without a net ... Rolled the dice one too many times. And now I would pay the ultimate price.

My biggest regret?

That Opie would pay a steep price, too.

I love you, kiddo. And I’m so sorry.

My limbs stopped working. My vision went dark. Then, all of a sudden, I was in motion, like a rocket was driving me from the bottom of the well to the top. I struggled to open my eyes just as I broke through the surface, gagging and choking as I did.

Someone was in the water, splashing toward me, hands on my face. “Harlow!”

Typhon.

He turned me on my side and sent a sharp blow between my shoulder blades. A hot gush of water spewed from my lungs, and I sucked in a rattling breath. It was agony, but also bone-deep relief.

He clutched me tight to his chest, like I was something precious, for just an instant before he pulled back to stare down at me. I sucked in lungs full of cool night air, my pulse racing. Was that fear in his eyes?

For me?

Not possible. But I didn’t have time to think on it as he snaked a muscular arm around my waist and dragged us both from the well.

As soon as my feet hit solid ground, the yelling started. Typhon released me and stepped back as Doyenne Storm and Doyenne Parunah closed in on us, hollering over one another to be heard. Nikita was a few yards away, cheeks chalk white.

She was probably terrified I would tell on her, but who would believe me over Nikita? She was a teacher, and I was a student with a bad reputation.

No one would believe she set me up. Not even Typhon, and I knew it.

As my pulse slowed from the recent near-death experience and my brain reengaged, a whole other fear set in.

“Where is Opie?” I demanded, turning a circle as I looked for her. She stood behind Doyenne Parunah, pale and clearly shaken. She was okay.

“Why?” Typhon ignored my question, a muscle in his jaw ticking, his scar standing out in bold relief as he glared at me. “This place has been hidden from students for decades for a reason ... Ophelia was sure you were dead and came in screaming for help. Why would you do this, Harlow?”

I tried to conjure a plausible-sounding story but came up empty. I was too heartsick and exhausted for more lies.

“I thought ... I could wish us away from here.”

Opie’s gasp cut through me like a blade.

“I don’t understand,” Opie cut in, moving to stare up at me, shaking her head in confusion. “You know I love it here. Why would you do that to me?”

I swallowed past the knot in my throat and reached for her, but she pulled away. If I wasn’t already wet and freezing, her expression would’ve chilled me to the bone.

“Because nothing is as it seems, Opie. This place will suck your soul dry. The only reason they took you here is because they want to control me. They will use you to get what they want, and then when they don’t need you anymore, they will toss you aside and forget all about you.”

I didn’t know who flinched harder, me or her.

“I don’t know why you’re making all this stuff up about Neverthorn, but I will never forgive you for this.

” Opie’s eyes were full of tears, and she swiped at them furiously.

“No one likes you here, so you want to leave. You don’t care that I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my whole life.

My friends were right about you, you don’t belong here. I hate you.”

She spun and ran as the words hung in the air between us.

“You and me both, kid,” I whispered. “You and me both.”