Hekla shuddered. “Not again.”
“We survived it once. We can do it again.” I grabbed her arm and waded in behind Nora.
Lucus began to walk into the water too, but he turned to face the Binder. “You are coming, yes?”
“I am. This isn’t a trap.”
Hekla and I traded a look. He’d jumped to that defense pretty quickly.
“I hesitate because I have great power, and those with great power struggle to pass through this magical gate. The early mages and fae did this purposefully to keep leading mages from storming their kingdom should they broach the first barrier.” He spoke without emotion, his features drawn with fatigue or grief, or maybe both. The information spilled out of him like a story he’d been forced to memorize and recite.
I stopped, the magical water up to my thighs. “Why haven’t you demanded a promise that we’ll try to save your son if you help us?”
Lucus raised his eyebrows. “A good question.”
“Because I don’t believe you’ll accomplish anything at all.” The Binder took a deep breath, then strode into the silver pool of nightmare water beside us.
“Thanks for the faith, man.” I shrugged.
Hekla and I bumped fists like we usually did before rock climbing, then plunged under the smooth surface.
The world was a pale green around me, my vision hazy and my lungs blazing with pain. Lucus’s large hand warmed my back. If he was here, I was fine. He had the strength to yank me out if it went badly. I pulled the magical water in through parted lips, then suddenly I was rising above the water to see everyone but Lucus watching me emerge. Lucus was behind me still, and when I faced him to say thanks, he gave me an encouraging wink.
The Binder studied me, his arms crossed and his head tilted. “The pool fought your passage through with more vigor than I’ve seen in a long while. You’re either a fool or one of the strongest mages that has passed this way in a long while.”
“Well, let’s get to training and you can be the judge. But can we have your real name? I’m not going around calling you the Binder all the time. It’s too freaking ominous, man. We need some positivity up in here.”
The Binder scowled ferociously and studied me, his brown beard brushing the high neckline of his threadbare shirt.
“Okay.” I held up my hands. “Forget I asked.”
Nora waved us onward, and we trailed her through the dappled shadows of the forest, the afternoon sun warming us in patches as we passed under the oaks. High above our heads in the canopy, birds sang mournfully, and the wind stirred the autumn-browned leaves. The path opened into a meadow, and the henge appeared, long, skinny shadows reaching from the hulking stones like giant fingers.
Outside the henge, Lucus called for Aurelio and Baccio, but there was no answer. The trees they’d disappeared into for feeding remained silent and unmarked by shimmering fae silhouettes. Lucus’s mouth pinched into a tight line. “They wouldn’t have left me in this kingdom without talking to me first.”
The Binder was rolling up his tattered sleeves. “Because fae are so trustworthy.”
Lucus glared, his gaze briefly lighting on the Binder’s wrist. I hadn’t noticed the tiny, braided bracelet. It looked as though it was made of fine hair. “I empathize with your predicament, mage, but know your insinuations push the boundaries of my sympathy.”
The Binder glanced at me. “Ready to hit him in the stomach again? Because I am.”
I wanted to ask about his odd jewelry choices but figured it was past time to—
My magic shunted through me, and I dropped to my knees, gasping. Lucus and Hekla were there quickly, as always, probably used to me almost dying by now.
“Stand, if you are able.” The Binder widened his stance and eyed my booted feet.
Still buzzing with pain and dizzy as hell, I managed to stand with Lucus’s help. “Now what?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“Sense your aura.”
“I’ve tried this. It doesn’t work.” I closed my eyes and tried to quiet my thoughts, but the lingering agony of the magic’s hit made concentrating impossible.
“Hmm.”
I peeked at the Binder, then looked to Lucus. “Did the all-powerful mage just say Hmm?”
“He did.”
“Great.”
Brow wrinkling, the Binder crossed his arms. “Do you perhaps hear a song when you focus on your own energy?”
My eyes flew open wide. “I do. It’s faint, but yeah.”
“See if you can separate the sounds, the different rhythms…something like that.”
I turned my attention inward as the sun drifted closer to the tree line. We didn’t have much time before the stupid feast with the evil fae tomorrow night. I had to make this work now or we were going to lose Nora and maybe the Binder too—
A thought occurred to me. “What would happen if the fae sacrificed Nora to the Yew Bow? Would you be next?”
“No. I am the Binder. I cast the spell. You would be the next one to bleed for the trees.”
Oh. Yes. Right.
I was on the death list. Got it.
Chapter 11
Hell. I seemed to be the only one who hadn’t thought of this. None of the rest appeared shocked in the slightest. “Oh, yeah. Of course, I’d be the next to die. I’m the only other mage here. Check. Gotcha. Listening to my energy now.”
“Coren.” Lucus’s eyes burned, and the fated mate bond between us surged, making the sound of my name echo inside my chest. “You can do this. You freed us from the Mage Duke’s castle. You are powerful.”
“That was the spell book’s power and expertise. Not mine.”
The Binder nodded. “But the silver pool fights your movement. That also shows you hold an impressive amount of magic inside you.”
Hekla put her hands on her hips. “Look, Coren. You either succeed
