She sprinted toward the sound, taking a flight of stairs three at a time before she crashed hard into his bloated belly.

“Is Edaline with you?” she gasped.

“No—she went looking for you. Oralie ordered all the goblins to the dungeon after she talked to your mother. But none of them have made it back, and then the shaking started.”

That explained why there’d been no guard outside her door. She couldn’t think about what that might mean for poor Righty and Bunhead.

“The Councillors are trying to clear the castle,” Mr. Forkle said, grabbing her arm and spinning her around. “I’ll show you the fastest way to the exit.”

Sophie jerked out of his grip. “Not until I find Edaline.”

“Hopefully that’s where she’s waiting for you. I’d told her that if I found you, I’d send you there.”

But there was no sign of Edaline at the exit.

“I’ll find her,” Mr. Forkle promised. “Get to the beach and go as far as you can. It’s hard to know where the rubble will fall.”

“I’m not leaving without my mom!”

He blocked her from charging past him. “We both know that’s not what she would want. Go somewhere safe. I’ll find her and get her out.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I found you, didn’t I?”

Technically, she’d found him—but this wasn’t a time for technicalities. It was a time for action. And hope. And trust.

So she did as he asked, and made her way to the courtyard. But when she looked at the once-gleaming castle—now dulled, with wavering walls and light leaking through the cracks—she couldn’t walk away.

She couldn’t risk a lifetime of wondering What if I’d stayed?

She turned and raced back in, keeping her left hand on the wall, hoping it’d help her find her way out when she needed the exit. Faster and faster she ran as the dust and pebbles pelted her, the ground splitting beneath her feet.

Her balance mostly held, but one particularly hard jolt knocked her over and she cried out as her knees crashed into the sharp ground.

“Sophie?” Edaline shouted. “Is that you?”

Just like that, she was on her feet again, coughing as she ran, lungs burning, hair flying—and then there was Edaline. Dusty and panting, her once-lovely gown now filthy and shredded.

She threw her arms around Sophie, hugging her even as she dragged her back the way she’d come. “We have to go.”

They ran as fast as they could.

But it wasn’t fast enough.

They’d just reached one of the widest halls when the floor collapsed beneath them, whipping their hearts into their throats as they plummeted.

They crashed into the next level down, stones raining all around them—one piece big enough to crush and kill.

Sophie watched it fall, trying to knock it back with her telekinesis. But it had too much momentum. It would’ve landed right on top of them if Edaline hadn’t snapped her fingers, conjuring it away.

“Whoa, that’s intense,” Edaline said, shaking from the effort. “I’ve never dumped something that big in the void. But it worked. Come on—this place is coming down fast.”

They’d only gone a few steps when a tremor split the wall, sending more stones hurtling toward them.

Edaline snapped her fingers and conjured them each away. But the effort took a huge toll.

“Here,” Sophie said, ripping off her gloves. “It’ll make you stronger.”

Edaline pulled her close. “We’ll get through this. I promise.”

“Together,” Sophie told her as she led Edaline forward.

Step by fumbling step, they made their way through the maze, and Edaline used her enhanced strength to conjure away anything that tried to crush them. Eventually, they spotted a crack that offered a teasing glint of the ocean. It wasn’t wide enough to fit through, but Sophie sang the last of her energy into the stones, blasting their way outside to the cold, misty air.

With the final dregs of their energy, they scrambled over the glowing destruction and kept crawling and clawing until they reached a sandy clearing where the waves drowned out most of the noise.

“I think we’ll be safe here,” Sophie whispered, curling closer to Edaline to keep warm.

Edaline tangled her arms around her, quietly sobbing onto Sophie’s shoulder. Sophie held her tight, promising it was almost over as she watched the dark waves roll across the shore.

She was about to close her eyes when she spotted four figures crossing the beach in long black cloaks.

When she blinked, they were gone.

EIGHTY

THERE YOU ARE,” a choked voice said, and Sophie slowly forced herself back to consciousness.

It hurt to focus through all the grit and dust crudding up her poor, dry eyes. But after a few seconds the world sharpened and she found a beautiful blond boy leaning over her.

Keefe’s smile was somehow both breathtaking and heartbreaking, but it faded as he stroked her cheek and whispered, “When you and Edaline weren’t with the survivors . . .”

“Edaline!” Sophie gasped, and blood flooded her brain as she sat up too quickly. She breathed through the head rush, searching the clearing until . . .

“She looks okay,” Keefe said, squatting beside Edaline and using his dirty tunic to wipe some red off her bruised cheek. Edaline stirred at the touch, but not enough to wake up, and Sophie decided to let her sleep.

“Did everyone else make it out?” she whispered.

“Um . . . I know Councillor Terik’s hurt pretty bad. I guess he might lose part of his leg—or maybe he lost it already? I couldn’t tell. I saw the blood and I bolted so I wouldn’t hurl all over everybody. But Elwin was working on him, so hopefully he’ll be okay. Physic’s here too. Most of the injuries looked pretty minor—just cuts and scratches. Broken bones. Nothing life threatening. Though I heard a lot of the goblins were down in the dungeon when it happened, and so far none of them have come back out.”

Sophie shuddered.

The motion made her cough—she was pretty sure she’d be coughing up lumenite forever—and Keefe scooted closer, patting her back until the fit calmed.

She leaned against him, soaking up his warmth. “How bad do I look?”

“You could never look bad. But, um . . .” He brushed a finger across her forehead and showed her the red. “Want me to take you to Elwin?”