Page 155 of Quicksilver

“I'm sorry, I...” Fuck, why was it so hard tobreathe?“I'm not sure I understand. So you design these tattoos yourselves? And someone inks them into your skin?”

Te Léna nodded. “Yes. We wait until the fifth anniversary to do it, because some marriages fail in the early years. Itcanhappen. We’re advised to be cautious and wait until we’re sure ofeach other before binding our skin. Yaz and I wanted to get our marks after just two years, but the elders said we should wait.”

My mind was racing, a million miles a minute. “So, they don’t just show up on their own? The marks? Like…out of the blue? Overnight? Or…while…y’know…you’re having sex with someone?”

Te Léna laughed brightly. “Of course not. Don’t be silly.” The edge of panic rising inside me settled just a little. But then Te Léna spoke again. “Once upon a time, that was the case. Back whentruemating bonds existed. Unions between true mates were blessed with marks from the Fates. That’s where the tradition of inking our hands originated from. But there’s no such thing as true mates anymore. When the gods left Yvelia, certain elements of our magic either died or waned over time. The God Swords, for example. They were very slowly cut off from the source of the magic they channeled. Our ability to form mating bonds also died out over thousands of years, until it disappeared altogether.”

“Right...” Oh, Gods, I needed to sit down. “So it’s just a tradition now. People cover their hands in runes…for luck.”

“I wouldn’t say wecoverourselves in them,”Te Lèna answered. “I knew a couple who decided on seven runes once. Seven is an auspicious number, after all. But there are those who considered that a little greedy.” From the tone of her voice, Te Lèna herself was amongst that number.

Seven?

Seven runes.

My mind scrambled to try and remember how many runes had marked my fingers. How many runes had interlocked on the back of my right hand. I had no idea, but there had been a lot of them. So,somany. “And what about script? You know. Writing?” I could only get a few words out at a time. “Do people...get that sometimes? Going around...their wrists?”

“Oh, no. Definitely not. You only see that kind of thing in storybooks,” Te Léna scoffed. “They called it a God Binding. A blessing from the gods themselves. They weren't real, of course. The most important couples in Yvelian history were said to have had them, but it was all romantic rubbish. Just something storytellers embellished to make their tales more tragic. Plus, they looked impressive in the illuminated books.”

I met her eyes, but I was looking right through her. “Tragic?”

“The lovers in those stories always suffered terribly. One of themalwaysdied. They were beautiful tales, but they ended with heartbreak.”

“Sounds...awful.” I tried to laugh but couldn’t find the breath for it.

Worry flitted across Te Léna's face at last. “Are you okay? You're looking a little pale.”

“Yes. Yeah, I'm fine. I...do you happen to know where Fisher is?”

“He asked me to tell you that he'd be waiting for you in his room.”

“Oh, great. Thanks. I think I might go and find him, actually. There's something I want to talk to him about.”

35

ORACLE

Onyx followedme out of the forge and trotted along beside me as I hurried through the halls of Cahlish. He scooted into the bedroom as soon as I threw open the door, leaping up onto the bed, where Fisher was sitting up against the pillows, shirtless, scanning the pages of a book.

He smiled when the little fox leaped into his lap and began licking his chin. Actuallysmiled.That smile faded when he turned his attention to me and saw the state I was in. “Fuck me, Little Osha. Did you get attacked on the way over here? You're sweating.”

I slammed the door closed behind me. “Why wouldn't you say my name? Before?” I panted.

“What?”

“Weeks and weeks I've been here now, and up until today, you refused to say my name. Why?”

He set down the book on the bed, gently removing Onyx from his lap as well. “I—I just—”

“I've just had a really interesting conversation with Te Léna. I was too sick to notice before, when she used to come and heal me after that run-in I had with that feeder, but she has these crazytattoos all over her hands.” I held up my own for effect. “She was telling me all about where they came from and why. And then!Then!Haha! Imagine my surprise when she told me aboutGod Bindings, Fisher!”

“Fuck,”he whispered.

“That's so funny. That's exactly whatIsaid!”

“Look—”

“Tell me why you wouldn't say my name,” I growled. My heart hammered like a piston in my chest. If I didn't sit down soon, I was going to fall down, but I wanted to hear him say it first. I wanted his fucking confession. “I know you can't lie to me, so come on. Tell me why.”