Sel glances over to Evan’s table, and the muscles in his jaw clench. “He can’t die either. None of the Squires or the Scions.”
“We know, Sel!” Russ runs his hand through his hair. “This is the ninth attack in what, two weeks?”
“And the first uchel spotted in years,” Fitz says from where he leans against the doorway beside Sarah.
“That pack didn’t come to feed or infuse themselves with aether. They came with a purpose,” Sel retorts. “They knew we’d be gathered tonight, knew we’d scatter, and knew the Scion of Arthur would be there. How?”
Russ scoffs. “Shadowborn don’t know anything. They’re too brainless to think, much less plan.”
“Did you not see the uchel, Copeland?” Sel sneers. The tips of his hair start to singe and smoke. “Only an uchel can command isel to work together, and that’s exactly what happened tonight. You underestimate the greater demons at your peril. And at the peril of your Scion, whose life you will soon be Oathed to protect.”
Russ winces and turns away.
Sel turns to go, but spots me and stops. When he speaks, his voice is precise. Dangerous. “What is she doing here?”
Sarah steps forward. “Bree was taken hostage by the uchel, Sel. She’s covered in slime, frightened half to death. Take it easy, will you?” I’m surprised by her defense of me, someone she doesn’t know. “She even tried to save Nick.”
Sel’s gaze hardens. “And we’re to assume it was just a coincidence that the uchel came back with her in their arms?”
“I tried to help.” I hate how small my voice sounds. Hate that it sounds like how I feel. “I tried to—”
“You tried to what, little girl?” Unlike everyone else’s shoes on the hard white tile, Sel’s feet make no sound as he advances on me. “Help? Help who? Nick or the uchel?”
I shake my head, though it does nothing but make me dizzy. “Nick. I—I—”
“Selwyn!” Sarah warns. “Leave her alone.”
But he’s already in front of me, standing so close his gaze rains down on my face like embers. The air between us starts to cook, forcing a gasp from my lips.
Fear flutters, collides with memories. I know this moment. I’ve been here before. Been in a hospital and wanted nothing else but to run away.
I didn’t do it then. And I won’t do it now.
Sel leans down until his mouth is by my ear. His breath billows against my cheeks, burnt cinnamon and smoke. “There’s a lie about you, Page Matthews. If I find out that you were a part of this…”
“I wasn’t,” I grit out.
He bares his teeth, then whirls away. “Where’s Pete?”
“Patrolling with third- and fourth-year Pages,” Russ answers. “Looking for more.”
“No,” Sel murmurs. “The Shadowborn have made their play tonight. There won’t be more. Stay put, Copeland. I’ll administer the Warrior’s Oath between you and Felicity as soon as she wakes up.” Sel pulls on the collar of his jacket with one hand and points at me with the other. “I want her gone. She doesn’t belong here.” He sweeps through the door and leaves the room in shaky silence.
“The worst part about that guy is that you’re never sure if it’s safe to talk shit about him behind his back,” Russ remarks with a frustrated sigh. Sarah smacks his arm. “What? It’s true!”
Sarah turns to me, her eyes equal parts worry and apology. “Sorry about Sel. He’s… protective. You do belong here. You’re one of us now.”
I look away, because that’s just the thing. I’m not one of them.
She frowns and moves closer to examine my cheek. “You’ll get to Bree’s face, won’t you, William?”
“Of course,” William mutters, his head bent low over Evan’s forehead. “Let me triage, Squire Griffiths…” Even in chastisement, amusement colors the healer’s words.
William stands up to Sel, who somehow listens to him, and teases Sarah, who stands up for me. I decide I like them both. Too bad a pang of guilt follows: Sel is wrong about me working with the Shadowborn, but he’s not wrong about me lying.
Eager to get the attention off me, I change the subject. “What was that monster? I thought demons looked like animals, or—”
Sarah shakes her head. “If isels, the lesser demons, are strong enough to go full-corp, they look like animals or the creatures you see in the ancient texts. Imps with horns, tails. But the uchels are greater demons. Less mischief, more murder, and strong enough to go corp as soon as they cross over. They look”—she hesitates, shares a glance with William that I can’t decipher—“… more human.”
Russ leans against a wall and crosses his arms. “If you believe the old tales, the most powerful uchel, the goruchel, can even pass for human. Walk hidden among us and all that.”
A cold dagger of fear cuts through me. Sel had called me an uchel a few hours ago. He thinks I’m one of them, passing as human. Here to harm Nick and the rest of the chapter. Breath leaves my body in a silent exhale.
“Demons that pass for human.” Fitz rolls his eyes. “Scary stories to tell kids at night. Legend and lore.”
William tuts without looking up. “We are legend and lore, Scion Baldwin.” Fitz makes a rude gesture in response.
“Why did they want Nick?” I whisper.
William pauses with his hands over Evan. The four Legendborn look at me, then one another.
Russ stands up straight. “Because he’s our king, or he will be, formally. When he’s Awakened.”
“If he’s Awakened,” Sarah says.
Fitz scoffs, a red flush building at his collar. “You really think it’s an ‘if,’ Sar? We’re Called in order. Flick’s Line is fourth, which means the Scion of Kay up at Northern musta been Called recently too, and Lord Davis didn’t bother to tell us. Tor and the Line of Tristan’ll be next. Then the kid at Western and the Line of Lancelot. Then number one, Nick. And boom, Camlann.”
Russ shakes his head. “Come on, man, don’t exaggerate.”
“Exaggerate? You think I’m exaggerating?” Fitz’s eyes fill with scorn. “The Scion of the Line of Lamorak—your Scion—has Awakened. Welcome to our reality, Squire Copeland. You high-ranked kids get to play around and pretend we’re not actually at war, while the rest of us are Awakened and dying every other year.” Fury contorts his features. “Camlann is coming, whether you want to believe it or not!”
No one says anything for a long moment.
In the silence, I ask, “What is Camlann?”
Fitz whistles, shaking his head. “I don’t care if he is king, somebody’s gonna have to give Nick Davis a talking-to. Bringing a Page forward without telling her shit is how Pages get dead. Y’all have fun with Legendborn 101. I’m out.” His angry steps echo down the hallway.
“Nick’s told me things,” I say, barely keeping the defensiveness from my voice. I edge toward Nick’s table to watch his chest rise in shallow, short breaths. “Just not… everything.”
William’s aether dissolves into Evan’s forehead, and he stands with a sigh, speaking directly to me for the first time.