Gabriel sat straighter, galvanized with excitement. “Then you know exactly where she is.” If he could find a way to sneak into Convocation Center, he could break her out without confronting the multitudes Jadren warned of.

But Alise was shaking her head. “It vanished. Because it was taken away from me.”

Gabriel urged his still sluggish brain to think. “What can do that?”

“Who can do that is the correct question. It would take an Elal wizard, and a decently powerful one, too. I’m not hugely powerful, but I’m no weakling either.”

“Your father sent a wizard to assist Sammael in Nic’s capture,” Gabriel realized.

Alise nodded grimly. “Or someone is acting without Papa’s knowledge. I know where I’d bet my coin.”

Elal, up to their conniving noses in this, as usual. “Call Han and Iliana back, please. Don’t make me make it an order.”

She nodded in resignation, not entirely unhappy. There were no good answers to the situation they found themselves in. “Just be ready.”

“I will be.” He had to be.

Therefore, he visited the arcanium. Alone. It felt hollow and wrong to walk the long tunnel under the lake without Nic. He sorely missed her running commentary of sardonic comments. Hesitating when he reached the final, round door, he recalled how Nic had said the arcanium required a mix of their magic. Would he be able to open it? He was no longer drained to the point of death, but his magic hadn’t yet fully rebounded.

Still, Nic had also theorized that the arcanium stored magic they’d combined. If any residual of Nic’s powerful magic remained, it would be here. And he needed it if he was going to rescue her.

Laying his hand on the door, he summoned the water and moon magic that should open it. Trying to use his wizardry felt like trying to lift a sword after an injury. It hurt, and the pain made his stomach churn and head throb. Once, it had felt so easy. Of course, it had been easy with Nic’s generously provided magic.

Take, she said in his mind, lush mouth curving with affectionate amusement. Have.

But she wasn’t here. An echo of another conversation came back to him. Nic telling him that he’d taken her magic, transmuted it into water and moon magic, and stored it in the arcanium. When he’d said he didn’t know that was possible, she’d replied she didn’t think it was for any other wizard but him. Or that maybe all House Phel wizards could do it and that the arcanium functioning that way was a strong argument that they could. I think you should experiment, she whispered in his mind.

Beyond the door, surrounded by water, the dome of solidified moon magic hummed softly. Fire ran through the silver, summer heat gleaming in the glass. Nic was here, in a way. He reached for her with unbearable longing.

And the door spiraled open.