Page 135 of Carousel

Completely sober now, I’m wary of her. Frightened, even, to be in the same room as her.

I manage to choke, “To be immune to talents like that – even the Queen’s, you were⁠—”

“Probably one of the most dangerous people in Rhavna? Oh, I know it.” Her smile widens as she gestures to her bed. “Let’s find out what the Queen didn’t want you to remember. Shall we?”

CHAPTER 24

The Pursuit of Truth

Ilie back on the bed over the sheets. Meg kneels beside me, taking my hand. Hers feels smooth and unusually icy, like she’s cold-blooded.

“You’re going to need to keep very still,” she says, evenly. “And just a warning that I don’t know how successful this will be. I’ve only done this a few times.”

“Did you do it on other prisoners who lived in the Palace?” I guess. “Like, Rike?”

“Yes. I detected he’d been magicked and offered to remove it for him. I managed to get it all off. But yours seems particularly strong.”

My head feels clearer now. I’m finally grasping every thought that comes into my mind. Feeling grounded.

And all I’m thinking is, is this wise?

Can I trust her to do this strange procedure on me?

“Is this going to hurt? Like the way you hurt me, in The Bridge?”

“I didn’t hurt you,” Meg corrects me, looking amused again. “I just blocked you, and your magic rebounded.”

I’m gaping. “That was my magic?”

She looks at me sideways. “Weren’t you aware that’s what would have happened to me if I didn’t have blood magic immunity?”

“No. I just wanted to get you off me. Not hurt you⁠—”

“You must have done, on some level. And I’ll admit, it was impressive. You could bring someone to their knees with power like that.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I keep quiet.

“Did you ever go into the maze in the palace gardens?” she asks, pushing back her straight locks off her shoulders.

“Yes. All the time.”

She lifts my hand to her face. “Good. I’ll use that as your path. This might feel a little like you’re dreaming. But keep going through the maze. And don’t stay in one place for too long.”

I nod.

She closes her eyes. Drags in a mouthful of air.

I feel it. A pressure that starts in the tips of my fingers, where she’s holding them. It travels like a crawling insect along my arms and then seems to invade my head, consuming it.

I’m drowsy. My fingers feel sweaty and weak, start losing their grip on hers, but she keeps my hand clasped tight. She’s spinning away from me. My eyes close of their own accord.

My heart races.

It's like falling into sleep when I don’t want to. Shouldn’t.

But I can’t fight it.

The darkness comes.