Eve of Destruction

Prologue

They were waiting for her when she stepped out the front door: three dark-coated men with wide-brimmed hats, their greasy faces veiled in shadow. Two of them already had their guns pointed at her, and the third idly flipped a serrated knife between his hands. They hadn’t said anything. They probably assumed their aura of quiet menace would be enough to intimidate her.

It was time to prove them wrong.

Which one of you did it? Evelyn DeShane growled. Which one of you cowards killed her?

They didn’t move; they didn’t even twitch. The three Dusties continued their silent stare-down, and Eve balled her hands into fists. A year ago—by the Goddess, a few months ago—and she would have frozen in terror at the mere sight of Industrialist thugs all the way out here on the east coast. They were a plague infecting western Arkadia, and the magi caste had thought them contained.

But now the disease had spread all the way to her doorstep, and it was up to her to burn it out. They believed she was a helpless little girl, a pampered aristocrat with no capacity to defend herself. They, like all Dusties, sorely underestimated the power of the Fane.

Then I guess I’ll just kill all of you, Eve hissed. May the Goddess grant you the mercy I shall not.

She flicked her wrists, and her palms exploded in orange-white flame. The Dusties wouldn’t expect a second-year academy student to wield raw energy like this; they weren’t prepared for the power she could unleash. The Flensing might destroy her when she was finished, but as long as she could burn the smug looks from their soot-stained faces, it would all be worth it.

Eve extended her hands toward the Dusties. The flames flickered hungrily, yearning to lash out and devour everything in front of them. The power of the Fane coursed through her, its energies brimming at her fingertips—

But nothing happened.

The spell died in a puff of harmless smoke, and the magic retreated back into the Fane. The Dusties, goading stares and all, vanished into the shadows.

And Eve was once again alone. Her hands trembled as she held them up to her face, the cold rain beading on her pale skin. Her dress was already soaked through, and her shoes had sunk into the muck.

She sighed and closed her eyes. She saw the Dusties everywhere she went now. Today they were the trio of shrubs in the front lawn; yesterday they’d been the fence posts out in the backyard. And in her dreams, they were everywhere…but always just out of reach.

A growing part of her wished they really would just stride up to the front door, armed or otherwise. At least she would get a chance to finally see them; at least she would be able to look into the eyes of the men who had taken the last of her family away from her. But she knew that would never happen. They had killed her mother and disappeared, and they wouldn’t be coming back.

Eve finally opened her eyes when she heard horses drawing a carriage up to the front gate. A familiar male voice thanked the driver, and her heart sank as the rage inside her drained away. She just wanted to be alone. Why did he always insist on following her wherever she went?

I looked for you at the cemetery, Zach Lagrand said as he sloshed his way across the old cobblestone walkway. How long have you been here?

She tossed him a cold glare. What do you want?

I don’t want anything, he said, raising his hands defensively. I just thought I should check on you.

Well, you checked.

Zach stood there in merciful silence. She could tell he was debating whether or not he should lean forward and share his umbrella, but he knew full well she could weave a spell to block out the rain if she wanted to.

Eventually he sighed and rubbed a hand across his mouth. I saw your train ticket.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. You were digging through my things?

No, but I do have a house key, you know, he reminded her. His voice remained soft, which for some reason bothered her more than if he’d been yelling. I saw it on the table yesterday.

And now you’re here to convince me not to go.

Zach grimaced. It’s crazy, Eve. You can’t just leave school like this, not in the middle of a semester. There’s no way it’s what your mom would have wanted.

"It’s exactly what she wanted. You read the note."

He rolled his eyes. That scrap could mean almost anything. We’ve been over this. It’s meaningless gibberish.

"It is not gibberish!" Eve snapped. It came out harsher than she intended, and she quickly spun back around to glare at the front door. Anything to get away from his damnable blue eyes.

As the days had gone by, her anger had become a tough and resilient shield against the pain. First she’d been mad at herself for not being here when it happened, and then later she’d been furious at Zach for the same reason. Eventually she’d just blamed it all on her mother. How could Tara DeShane, a powerful mage, fall before a handful of Dusty thugs?

The welling of tears surged into a river, and suddenly Zach was reaching out to catch her. It was a repeat of the first moment she’d come home and found the body…and almost every day since. Eve had promised herself that today would be different, but it never was. And it never would be.

If you’re going to go, he whispered into her ear once the worst of the sobbing had subsided, at least wait a while. Give yourself time to settle and make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.

Eve gripped onto his shoulders and pushed him away. She could barely see his face through the tears despite her best efforts to wipe them away. Like what?

Like…I don’t know, but you shouldn’t do this out of grief. You need time. Let yourself have it.

She shook her head. They didn’t touch anything, Zach. Do you have any idea how much our collection of Heuvo statuettes is worth? Or the books in her office, or the baubles locked in Dad’s den? They didn’t touch any of it—not one screlling thing. They didn’t even take her purse!

I know, but… He sighed in frustration. That could mean almost anything. It could have been a random Dusty hate attack. The papers have been filled with those lately.

Then why did they take the book? Eve countered. Why would they have ignored an entire house of valuables and taken that one thing? They killed her for it, Zach. And I’m going to find out who and why.

He sighed and lowered his eyes. We still don’t know if they’re the ones who took it. The police weren’t convinced. If you just give them some time, maybe they’ll—

The police don’t give a damn about us and you know it! Eve growled. They don’t care about the magi-caste anymore. I wouldn’t be surprised if half of them were Dusties at this point.

It won’t be any better in Vaschberg, Zach warned. Actually, it will be a lot worse. It isn’t safe for magi there—or anywhere else out west, for that matter.

It wasn’t safe for mom here, either, Eve pointed out. I don’t need the police. I just need to find the man mom talked about in her letter. She said that he’ll know what to do, and that’s good enough for me.

He had an over-protective glint in his eyes, the same one that had driven her crazy time and time again over the years. But she couldn’t really fault him for it. It was what made him Zach…and it was one of the biggest reasons they were friends. Besides, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, he was probably right. Traveling to Vaschberg was going to be dangerous, and Eve was betting a lot on a single scrap of paper.

But she had to do something. If she didn’t, no one else would.

Gregori Danev, Zach said eventually. That was the name, right?

Eve nodded. That’s who I’m going to Vaschberg to find.

All by yourself?

That’s right, she insisted. I’m not a helpless little girl anymore. I’m a mage.

He made a face—the same one he always made when he was about to give in but didn’t like it. She’d seen it a lot over the years, and it always made her feel a little guilty. Especially this time.

Being a mage will just make you a target, he murmured, especially if you advertise it.

I know that, she replied tartly. I can take care of myself.

What about the rest of the semester?

I already contacted the headmaster. I have to do this, Zach. And I have to do it now.

He stared at her for a moment longer, but then his eyes finally softened. I had a feeling you’d say that.

Eve raised an eyebrow. But you came here anyway?

I figured it was worth a try. He smiled and reached into his pocket. Inside was another train ticket. But I am going with you.

Zach…

You’re not arguing this, he said flatly. I haven’t found work around here yet anyway, and I have at least another few months before the army ships me off again.

Eve tried her best to glare at him, to hold firm and insist he not do anything so foolish. But her heart wasn’t in it, and finally she just sighed and leaned forward to hug him. His umbrella dropped to the ground, and he wrapped his arms around her back. It was the same embrace that had calmed her ten years ago when her father had died. It was the same embrace she had grown to depend on since she was a child, and one she had desperately missed in the last two years.

Thank you, she whispered.

Come on. Let’s go inside.

Chapter One

One drake, the charlatan proclaimed. Just one drake for an authentic Sunoan necklace. Straight from Vayrise, it is! You want one for your sweetheart, son? Make her neck as pretty as her eyes.

Uh, no, thank you, Zach said as politely as he could manage while still pushing through the veritable wall of other shills. He clamped his hand over his wallet for good measure, and he noticed that Eve was clutching onto her purse with both hands.

They really need to make this illegal, she muttered once they’d finally made it through. Half the lines in there are because of these kreel.

It seems to get worse every year. He glanced back over his shoulder to check if anyone was following them. So far the people seemed more concerned with escaping the swindlers than paying attention to him and Eve. Let’s just try and get to the exit.

In any practical sense, Radbury Station had no right being as busy or as large as it was. Zach’s parents had lived out here some twenty years ago before the tracks had been laid, and at the time Radbury had barely been more than a poor fishing village. But for some reason the station itself had become the major junction of every rail entering or leaving the north-eastern coast, and at this point the collection of ramshackle cabins had been replaced with chintzy coin stores and street-side peddlers.

He’d traveled through a dozen similar towns overseas in Esharia during his tour there, but Radbury was the worst of them all. He couldn’t put his finger on why, exactly, though part of it was undoubtedly because he had no desire to be here. The smell certainly didn’t help, either.

If they’re going to insist on hawking all this useless drek, they could at least offer gas masks, Zach grumbled as the two of them finally stepped out of the main building. Goddess, I’d settle for a thick towel to put over my face.

And you say I’m the prissy one, Eve chided, though her nose was wrinkled. She squinted out to the horizon and the double silos silhouetted against the crimson skyline. Each stack was busy spewing out a black cloud of Goddess-knew-what into the air. It’ll just get worse if Chaval wins the election. He’ll build those things all over the country.

Zach winced. He didn’t particularly care for Chaval’s politics, but the Industriliast Party leader was wildly popular out west. Publically disparaging him was a bad idea all around.

Maybe, but I think we should keep those observations private, he said softly.

She rolled her eyes. We aren’t in Vaschberg yet, you know. And I’m not afraid of his Dusty thugs.

You should be.

Eve stopped and looked over to him. You’re doing it again. You promised.

He opened his mouth to reply but stopped himself before anything came out. She’d been scolding him for days about his overprotectiveness. She kept saying he was acting like a tough guy, but this had nothing to do with being macho. They were both in danger here, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

You’d think with all these other shops there’d be a café or something around here, Eve said, glancing about the buildings surrounding the station. I think that might be a diner over there on the left a few blocks up.

It’s a little far, he pointed out. If we take too long we might miss the train. I’d rather not be stuck here all night.

Eve shrugged. I bet ours will be late. People complain all the time about these things running behind schedule. Come on, I’m hungry.

She walked ahead, he begrudgingly followed. He’d been expecting trouble for days now, ever since he’d first gotten home. The police thought the murder was a random shooting, but Eve had never believed that. At first she’d assumed it was a targeted attack by one of the Dusty gangs. They’d been assaulting magi out west for years now, and things had gotten so bad that even most of the temple priestesses out there had migrated east. Rumor had it that the gangs had been gaining strength out here now, too, and Zach had read in the papers that there’d even been shootings as far north as Selerius, the nation’s capital.

Once Eve realized that one of her mother’s books was missing, she’d started thinking it was more than just a hate crime. Zach wasn’t sure what he believed yet, but if the murder had been more than a random spat of violence—if the killers had targeted Tara DeShane intentionally—then they might come after Eve, too.

But nothing had happened while they were in Lushden. He hadn’t seen anyone lurking around the house or following them around town, and other than neighbors stopping by to express their condolences, the two of them had been left alone. Eventually he’d finally started to let his guard down, but the moment they’d pulled into Radbury Station a mental alarm had been ringing in his head.

And it was getting louder.

Do you know that man over there, by chance? Zach asked, gesturing with his head. The balding guy with the brown jacket and newspaper.

Eve frowned as she followed his eyes. You mean the guy under the streetlamp? I’ve never seen him before. Why?

Because he’s looked over at us about five times since we left the station.

Maybe he likes my dress, she muttered.

Zach frowned. It was probably nothing. It was almost certainly nothing, in fact. But that didn’t silence his mental alarm or make him feel any better. He eyed the stranger as they moved, trying to be as subtle about it as he could. The man didn’t look over at them again or even so much as flinch when they walked past, and Zach wondered briefly if he really was just being paranoid about the whole thing.

It was perhaps ten seconds later that he noticed a second man watching them from a bench just down the street near the café. He locked eyes with Zach for just an instant before smiling politely and then glancing away again. It was just the kind of thing a random stranger might do. A stranger…or a professional who didn’t want to blow his cover.

Drek, Zach swore, his stomach tightening. His mind flashed back to his last mission in the Kelpek border region when his unit was being stalked by rebels in the forest…

What’s wrong with you? Eve asked. You’re supposed to be the calm one—

We need to get out of here, he cut her off, instinctively patting the reassuring lump of his holster through his long jacket. The station had still been crowded despite the late hour, but at this point they were almost totally alone out here on the street. He assumed the Dusties—if they were Dusties—wouldn’t start shooting in the middle of a crowded station, but if they wanted Eve badly enough, they might settle for opening fire on a mostly empty street.

Eve stopped and jerked away when he put a hand on her wrist. Zach, I’m not going anywhere. If you want to go back to Lushden, you can. I’m not forcing you to come with me.

Zach pulled his eyes away from the second suspicious man and looked down at the girl he’d known since they were barely five years old. Other than growing out her mouse-brown hair and developing a few more curves, Eve hadn’t changed much in the two years they’d been apart, certainly not as much as he had. The legendary DeShane stubbornness was still there in her amber eyes and stiff posture, and as always it was coupled with the vaguely elitist attitude all the magi caste seemed to wear like a cloak. He hadn’t noticed it back when they were growing up together with her magi parents, but after a couple years surrounded by other torbos like himself—men and women without the wealth or privilege to attend one of the universities—it was painfully obvious. Just as obvious as the fact she wasn’t going to believe anything was wrong here until it was too late.

I think we should head back to the station, he told her. They’ll have food on the train. I’ll even buy it for you.

She grunted and put her hands on her hips. Zach, you don’t have any money. And I haven’t eaten since breakfast. I’m famish—

Her voice cut off when she glanced back over to the diner. The second suspicious man had gotten up from his bench and was lurking in front of the door holding his newspaper.

Smiling directly at them.

Come on, he said, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around. They only managed two steps before he noticed that the first suspicious man had also moved. He was standing in the middle of the sidewalk behind them, cutting off their obvious escape back towards the station. And he, too, was staring right at them.

What do they want? Eve asked, her voice suddenly trembling.

I don’t know, but I’d rather not find out. One of the first things Zach had learned in the service was to always be aware of his surroundings, and it was a habit he still carried with him. Other than the sidewalk itself, their only other clear exit was an alleyway about twenty feet in front of them, but that was probably exactly where the Dusties wanted them to go. He had no interest in getting backed into a dark corner. No, their best bet was to stay out in the open near as many other people as possible. And hope that the Dusties weren’t willing to just shoot them anyway.

This way, he said, nudging her towards the opposite side of the street. In a larger city like Selerius, running out into the middle of the road would have been nearly as suicidal as charging a group of Dusties, but here in Radbury traffic was light enough that they could easily maneuver through the carriages and only draw a few annoyed glares as a result. The two men didn’t follow, but the moment Zach and Eve reached the other sidewalk it was obvious why: there were three more men waiting there in an adjacent alleyway, all with pistols hanging from their hips.

They’re herding us, Zach said hoarsely. They don’t want a confrontation out in the open streets.

He expected Eve to grab his hand and squeeze or maybe even wrap her arms around him, but she didn’t do either. Instead she just stared at them, her face twisting in anger.

Maybe I do, she whispered.

Zach glanced down at her again. The fear in her eyes had transformed into a cold, smoldering rage. He had no idea what spells Eve might have learned in her first year at the academy, but he was positive she didn’t know one to get them out of this. He’d fought with a few magi overseas and he’d seen what they could do, but those men and women had also been soldiers. Eve was not. And even if she had been—even if Zach had half his regiment here with them—he wasn’t about to start a firefight in the middle of town. They needed another option, and they needed it quickly.

He swept his eyes around the nearby area, desperately searching for inspiration. There had to be something here he could use to create a distraction…

And there, about thirty feet away, he found it. He grabbed roughly onto her arm and yanked her along with him. Up ahead was a fruit stand, and standing next to it was a wealthy-looking man inspecting a pair of fresh melons. Behind him was his horse.

Be ready to run, he warned her as they drew close, casually reaching into his jacket and sliding his pistol from its holster. Just follow me.

What are you talking about? she asked frantically as she glanced back over her shoulder. The trio of Dusties had moved out from their alleyway and started to follow them.

Zach didn’t answer. Instead he walked right up behind the fruit stand, lifted the bottom flap of his jacket, and pulled the trigger.

The shot didn’t hit anything besides the wood, but then, it didn’t need to. The horse immediately reared back in terror at the sound, its front legs smashing into the fruit stand and scattering an entire rack of melons across the sidewalk.The owner yelped in shock and tried desperately to get the beast under control, and all around them people started running around and screaming in panic.

Zach dragged Eve through the chaos, trying his best to make it look like they were running away from the gunshot rather than the source of it. Glancing back over his shoulder, Zach caught a glimpse of the Dusties trying to push their way forward, and one of them, just like he’d hoped, had drawn his pistol. It instantly made him the target of the crowd’s ire, and soon everyone in Radbury was staring and yelling at the group of thugs. Eventually the people might figure out what really happened, but Zach didn’t intend on giving them the chance.

They dashed past the chaos and ducked beneath another nearby merchant stall, then turned and slipped behind a carriage moving along a cross-wise street. He let it shield them from view for a solid ten seconds before pulling Eve over to another alleyway and darting inside it.

It should confuse them long enough for us to get back to the station, he told her. But we need to hurry.

Without waiting for a reply he took off again, dragging her around the nearest corner—and then froze in shock. Standing there in front of them was a tall, balding man with an expensive suit and soft brown eyes. It was a face Zach hadn’t seen for over two years, and the last one he ever expected to see here.

It was the face of an old friend.

Blessed Kirshal! Eve gasped. Mr. Maltus?

Evelyn; Zachary, the man said with a wide smile. I thought I recognized the two of you running across the street. What in Edeh’s name are you doing here?

Zach tried to respond but nothing came out. Of all the things he’d possibly expected to see in this alleyway, the face of the DeShane family’s longtime neighbor was near the bottom of the list. Neither he nor Eve had seen Maltus since he’d taken the magister position at Selerius University and moved away a few years ago. So why was he here now? What in the void was going on?

We were being followed, Eve said, recovering first.

Followed? Maltus asked curiously. He glanced past them down the alleyway. I didn’t see anyone chasing you back on the street, and there’s no one else here.

Zach’s mind finally thawed and he swept his eyes around the area. He didn’t see or hear anyone. He stepped just past Maltus to peer around the corner back out to the street. The ruckus by the fruit stand was still going strong, but the Dusties themselves had vanished. For now.

I guess they gave up, he said softly.

Goddess, it’s good to see you, Eve breathed as she leapt into Maltus’s arms.

He chuckled softly and held her close. I’m on my way to Lushden. I was hoping to see both of you while I was there, but I never thought to find you in Radbury. Where are you going? Back to school already?

No, Eve murmured as she looked over at Zach. We’re headed west.

West? Maltus asked. Why in the world would you be heading out there?

It… she trailed off and sighed. It will take a while to explain.

Maltus glanced between them, his eyebrows raised. All right. Why don’t we go and grab something to eat? I know a good place on the other side of the tracks, and my train won’t be here for a few minutes yet.

Eve smiled. I’d like that very much.

***

They sat down in a cozy little diner on the opposite side of the station, and Eve told Maltus everything. Just seeing his face again had lifted an invisible weight from her shoulders, and for a few minutes it was almost like she was suddenly back at home having dinner with her family again.

But she wasn’t, and she never would be again. And instead of seeing the face of the man who had all but replaced her long-dead father, she saw everything that she’d lost and could never get back.

I’m so sorry, Evelyn, Maltus apologized for the third time since they’d sat down. I wish I’d been there for her. I wish…

I know, Eve murmured. She squeezed Zach’s hand beneath the table. She wasn’t going to lose control. Not here, not now. Not again.

I wish I could have been there for the funeral, Maltus said. I was hoping I’d at least get the chance to see the two of you. Can you tell me why you’re leaving? I’m sure I don’t have to remind you of how dangerous it is out west for people like us.

Eve licked nervously at her lips. She wondered if this would sound as silly aloud as it did in her head. We’re following a lead.

A lead? he asked curiously.

The killer—or killers—barely touched anything in the house, she explained. You know how much valuable stuff is lying around inside, and they didn’t bother with it. The police keep insisting it was a random shooting with no motive, but I didn’t believe that for a minute. I assumed it was another Dusty attack on the magi. You hear about them all the time in the papers now.

But you don’t believe that anymore.

No, she said. There was one thing missing in the house. Someone busted into her room and stole one of mom’s books.

Maltus paused mid-sip and then gradually set the glass back down on the table. Do you know which one?

Not specifically, Eve replied, sharing another quick but meaningful glance with Zach. He’d caught the curious reaction too. She had a special locked shelf in her room full of books she forbade me to read. She said they were spellbooks that I wasn’t allowed to touch until I graduated and took the Oath Rituals. When I was organizing things after the funeral, I noticed one of them was missing. One of the smaller ones, too, which I found odd.

And you’re sure it was there before? That she hadn’t moved it herself?

It had been awhile since I’d actually gotten a look inside the shelf, but the lock was broken. Mom certainly didn’t do that.

I see.

"Do you know what book it was? Zach asked him. Or why anyone would want it?"

Maltus tapped idly at the handle of his cup, and the lines on his face noticeably tightened. I might. If I had to guess, I would assume it was one of her journals.

Journals? Eve asked. I didn’t know mom kept a journal.

She didn’t—at least, not of the conventional sort.

Zach cocked his head. What’s that supposed to mean?

Maltus sighed and closed his eyes, and when they opened again the tension in his face was gone. You remember those dreams your mother used to have when you were younger?

Of course, Eve said. I remember she used to wake up screaming in the middle of the night sometimes. Then they just…stopped.

I’m not sure they ever stopped completely, Maltus murmured. But she kept a written record of all of them. That’s what was in her journals.

Why would anyone want a journal of her dreams? Eve asked. That doesn’t make any sense.

Because not everyone was convinced they were simple dreams, Maltus told her. Some of our colleagues believed they were much more than that.

Zach made a face. Huh?

Maltus glanced out the window towards the train station. It’s a long story and I don’t have a great deal of time, but the bottom line is that your mother’s dreams had a way of…well, coming true. Not all of them, mind you, but enough to raise a few eyebrows.

You mean premonitions or something? Zach asked skeptically.

In a sense, yes.

She told me that happened a few times, but very rarely, Eve said distantly as she searched her memory. She dismissed it as coincidence. My instructors at Rorendal have told me over and over again that there’s no such thing as premonitions, no matter what village folklore likes to say about magic. The Fane is about the manipulation of matter and energy, not conjuring up hallucinations.

I’ve told my own students the same thing many times, Maltus said with a faint smile. Not all of them believe it.

Wait a second, Zach interrupted. So you’re saying someone killed Mrs. DeShane and stole her journal because what, they think it can predict the future?

I’m saying that’s a distinct possibility.

That’s crazy, Zach muttered. Who would believe something like that?

There are many things about the Fane we don’t fully understand, Maltus said. "And there are certain circles of magi, particularly within the Edehan church, who believe that the Goddess takes a more…active role in our lives than many of us give her credit for. Some have gone so far as to suggest that your mother might have been blessed."

Blessed? Eve breathed, shaking her head in confusion.

I’m not sure how much you remember from your Worship Day lessons when you were a child, but there’s the old legend about the Varishal.

The Prophetess of Edeh, Eve said with a nod, a mage chosen by the Goddess as her messenger when the Fane was in great danger.

That’s the one, Maltus confirmed. Some of the more devout members of the church believed your mother’s dreams might have been more than coincidence.

Eve blinked. "They thought she was the Prophetess? I never heard about that."

It wasn’t something your mother advertised, and there was never consensus among the clergy about it. But suffice to say, there were a number of people both in and out of the church who thought your mother might have the divine gift of foresight.

And you think one of them killed her for it, Zach said softly.

Maltus nodded gravely. Yes.

Eve shook her head, her mind racing. She’d never given much credence to the legends about the Varishal. It always seemed so mystical, even compared to all the other religious stuff. She’d been taught to touch the Fane when she was a child, and its presence had always been quite real to her. But everything else had always been so intangible it was hard to wrap her head around it.

So you’re saying it wasn’t the Dusties at all, then? she asked after a moment.

I don’t know that for certain, Maltus said. It’s entirely possible they heard rumors about her gift and realized how powerful it could be to their cause. Their gangs may be filled with simpletons and fools, but their leadership is not.

Leadership, Zach rasped. You mean like Simon Chaval?

Like I said, I don’t know anything for certain, but Chaval is undoubtedly a clever man. He’s also in the midst of a presidential election that many consider the most important one of our lifetime. If he suspected your mother’s journal could help him…

Goddess have mercy, Eve breathed, her fists clenching in anger beneath the table. Chaval was the consummate pariah at the university and the target of almost every mage’s ire. It was his company, Steamworks, that had been building the poisonous factories all across the country. It was his Dusty followers who’d been murdering magi. He’d started a culture war that was tearing Arkadia apart…and her mother might have been another casualty.

Zach squeezed her hands beneath the table again. Who else could it be? he asked. You said there were others who knew about the journal.

Unfortunately, the list is larger than I’d like, Maltus said. Aside from our college friends at Valmeri, there are a few magisters in the Enclave who knew about her dreams. They kept a close eye on her because of that power, in fact.

Eve threw him a dark look, her momentary rage at the Dusties forgotten. What does that mean?

It means they’re probably the ones who did it, Zach grumbled. Forget Chaval—the Enclave is just as bad. Maybe even worse.

Maltus shook his head. No. I’m sure you’ve heard many rumors and exaggerations, but the Enclave isn’t what you think. They watch over the magi to make sure they don’t abuse their power. The Magister’s Council would have never harmed Tara.

Zach snorted, not bothering to hide his contempt. Some of the guys in my unit used to go on and on about them, saying they were some kind of world shadow government ordering political assassinations, controlling global trade, you name it. He shrugged. I always wondered how much of that was true.

Sadly, facts rarely get in the way of public perception, Maltus replied coolly. Don’t get me wrong—the Enclave has its problems, but they don’t kill fellow magi for no reason.

Eve swallowed and tried to ignore the knot twisting in her stomach. The Dusties, the Enclave…what in Edeh’s name had her mother gotten into? What had they gotten into?

Who else? Zach pressed. You implied that your friends from Valmeri knew about these dreams.

Yes, though I have a hard time imagining any of them doing something like this. Most of us haven’t even seen each other for at least twenty years.

What about Gregori Danev?

Maltus froze. Where did you hear that name?

Eve tossed an annoyed glare at Zach, but it lacked conviction. Danev’s name was going to come out sooner or later, and eventually they’d have to tell Maltus why they were going to Vaschberg specifically. This seemed as good a time as any.

We found this in mom’s study, she said softly, handing him the note from inside her purse. That’s why we were heading out west. We were going to Vaschberg.

She expected him to dismiss it the same as Zach had. It wasn’t much, after all, just a simple message that implied her mother wanted to speak with Gregori Danev in Vaschberg. It wasn’t signed or dated or anything else, and her mother hadn’t left it in an obvious place. It could have easily been nothing, but it was all she had to go on.

But Maltus didn’t dismiss it. Instead his eyes narrowed in thought as he read over it. I see.

So you do know him? Zach prompted.

The old man nodded idly. Oh, yes. So did your mother, obviously. Gregori was one of our small college clique, I guess you could say. There were seven of us in total. We were young and energetic and thought we could change the world.

Change the world? Zach asked. By doing what?

Maltus sighed and smiled wistfully as he handed Eve back the note. That’s a bit hard to explain to someone who didn’t live in the ‘twenties. It was a different time then, before real trains, before Steamworks…and just after the Polerian War. There were all kinds of protests and riots popping up all over the country. It was a turbulent time, to say the least. He shrugged and visibly pulled himself away from the memories. Anyway, I know Gregori runs some type of business in Vaschberg, but I’m not sure what. Thirty years ago he was a good man and a better friend. He was also a bit enamored with your mother.

So you don’t think he did it, Zach said.

Definitely not, Maltus assured him. But I’m not certain why Tara would have wanted to contact him, of all people. They haven’t spoken in ages, as far as I’m aware.

Maybe they started talking again since you left for Selerius, Zach suggested.

Or maybe she had another dream, Eve said distantly. Another vision, I mean. She must have suspected something was about to happen and left that for me to find.

Except it’s not addressed to you, Zach reminded her. "It’s not addressed to anyone. It looks more like a random note she left herself as