We slip back into the hall, guiltily leaving the broken glass behind. A telltale reminder that we did what we could, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Leaving the fortress is easier said than done. While most of the librarians are indeed still asleep, there are a few night owls wandering around here and there, and we have to duck inside empty rooms several times to remain out of sight. Reaching the exit is the most difficult part. We’re sure there must be another exit somewhere in this beast of a building, but no one has ever told us where. Nor do any of the minds we narrowly miss have any knowledge I can glean from them about that.

Instead, we make our way to the main entrance of the building. There’s a guard posted there who I spy by his thoughts. He’s sleepy and wishing he hadn’t agreed to work the second shift.

My magic ranges through the guard’s mind. We use the same trick we did before: Sebastian approaches and makes him forget why he was there in the first place. As soon as he wanders off, confused, we waste no time running for the bulky wooden doors, then gingerly open them.

Freedom, I think, startling Sebastian.

Don’t run too far ahead, he replies.

Don’t worry, I wouldn’t leave you like that.

We close the heavy door behind us as softly as possible. With any luck, the guard won’t even notice anything is amiss and our flight won’t be discovered until tomorrow morning when they don’t find us in our beds. The cool night air slithers around our shoulders in a welcoming embrace, but it makes me shiver too.

Somewhere, hopefully not far away, is Maeve. We’ll find a way to get past Ida and return with Maeve to nurse her back to health—whatever it is we must do to return her to normal. I may not know exactly how, and I may not know where we’ll find her.

But I do know one thing for certain: we are not alone out here.

Chapter Nineteen

There’s one great difference between Sebastian and me—I welcome the night, while he’s terrified of the darkness. Or, more specifically, the things that lurk in the darkness. But I can sense them, feel their thoughts, and determine whether they are friend or foe. If we need to avoid something nearby, I’ll know.

With the stars twinkling over our heads and the chill of night seeping into our bones, we forge ahead into the mountain woods hand in hand. I lead the way with my talent. Near the main path into the woods is an owl’s nest, and an idea occurs to me.

Just a moment, I think to Sebastian, and he gives me a nervous glance. When he hears the hoot of the owl, he cringes. An owl gave him that scar on his face, and they’ve terrified him ever since. But we don’t need to get close to this one.

I let my talent brush over the mind of the owl in the tree. It’s a mother just returning from the hunt. Her babies chirp and mew, happily eating the dinner she brought them. She feels safe and happy, and I take advantage of that by worming my way inside. Her mind is an open book, and I nudge in thoughts of Maeve and what she looks like. The owl’s hackles raise, but she soon calms at my soothing thoughts. She shows me that Maeve passed by last night, at nearly the same time—just as she was feeding her chicks. Maeve glanced over her shoulder more than once to be sure she wasn’t followed. Her expression was not the serene one I’ve grown accustomed to; instead it was twisted and frustrated, but with a determined bent. Her steps were strong, as if she knew exactly where she was headed.