Page 162 of Taste of Thorns

“You’re not going anywhere on your own,” Beaufort says, moving to block my path.

I throw my hands up in the air. “Then can we do that thing the Empress does?”

“Displacement?” Thorne says and I nod. “It’s forbidden for any shadow weaver who hasn’t yet graduated the academy to displace.”

I look at him, with my hands on my hips. He knows me by now; does he seriously think I’m someone who follows the rules? Plus, wasn’t he the one who helped me in the maze trial, breaking one hell of a rule?

“Not going to happen,” Beaufort says, “you’ve skirted the line close enough. The Empress–”

“Your mother!”

“–is minded not to punish you. But trust me, her mind can change as quickly as the wind if she’s given enough reason.”

“Then I am going on Blaze,” I say, trying to push past Beaufort.

“No need. I’ll take you, Kitten,” Dray says, stepping towards me and holding out his hand.

“Dray,” Beaufort warns.

“Who gives a fuck, Beau? Plus, I’ve always wanted to do it.”

“Do you actually know how?” I ask, wondering what the consequences of this could be if it goes wrong – because I don’t fancy being split in two.

“’Course.” He winks. “I’ve done it countless times.”

“Haveyou?” I ask Beaufort.

He huffs, then reluctantly confesses, “On a few occasions.”

“Then we’re doing it now.”

I take Dray’s hand. He winks again. The air around us rustles and in the next moment, I’m no longer standing in Fox’s classroom, I’m on the shore of the large black lake, its turbulent waters stretching out before me. Beaufort and Thorne both appear simultaneously beside us.

“Can you see him?” I ask, scanning my eyes around the shore and then, because I see nothing, searching across the lake’s surface.

“No,” Thorne says.

I cup my hands around my mouth and call his name, yelling it into the abyss. My voice echoes off across the lake but I receive no answer in return.

“Shit,” I mutter, trying to feel for that magic inside. If it no longer feels as hollow, then maybe I am right and Fox is nearby? Only it feels just the same, just as empty.

I shake my head, tears bubbling in my eyes. “He’s not here either. He’s gone. He’s really gone.”

“What’s that?” Dray says, pointing along the shoreline, where something shimmers in the air.

I squint at it for a fraction of a second, before racing towards it, the others chasing after me.

“Briony, stop!” Beaufort calls. “It may not be safe.”

I ignore him and keep on running and the three shadow weavers are forced to follow me.

Cold sand kicks up as I run, flicking into my eyes and stinging at my exposed skin. My feet sink as the sand sucks at my shoes; but I drive my legs hard, panting by the time I come to a halt in front of the apparition Dray had spotted.

It’s a tear in the air. Red and shimmering. Just like the one in the cave.

I stare at it in disbelief, walking around it. I reach out to touch it, but Beaufort snatches my arm away with his shadows.

“Don’t touch it,” he warns.