“I’m not sure,” Toivo says. “He was supposed to be tracking the use of chaos magic.”

“With a Zeiger counter?”

“Those aren’t that accurate. We used a spell from the book to enhance his vampiric senses,” Toivo says casually, as if working a battle magic spell is no biggie. “And it was working too. Sorin got here before us and sent us the coordinates. Turns out birds travel much faster than trains and buses.”

“But we haven’t heard from him in hours.” Aoife paces a track through the snow.

“The chaos mage might’ve gotten to him then,” I whisper, afraid saying it out loud might make it true.

“Which is why we don’t have time to stand here arguing,” Aoife says. “We need to open the stones.”

“Agreed.” Toivo strides toward the tonttukivi.

“Wait!” Morgan’s voice is brittle and breathless. “After I touched the ones in Kuusikylä, I passed out for ages—It took a lot out of me.”

“What do you mean?” Aoife asks.

“He means—” I ignore the look from Morgan telling me to shut up. Toivo and Aoife need to know. “He means we think maybe Natalie and the others are being used to open the doorways.”

“You activated the tonttukivi?” Toivo raises an eyebrow at Morgan.

“It’s how we got here. Opened a portal in Kuusikylä, met a hiisi—had a long conversation actually—and got sent down the path that led here.” I relish the growing look of bewilderment on my brother’s face.

“You have got to be kidding me. You. You spoke to a hiisi?” Toivo stares, dumbstruck.

What I wouldn’t give to have my phone right now so I could take a photo of his expression. I’d frame it and point to it every time he calls me useless.

Aoife hangs her head, tears coating her lashes before freezing like tiny stalactites. “If Hannah gets hurt, I—I—” She buries her face in her hands.

Toivo shakes off his surprise. “Tietäjät have been using these stones for generations; it’s not supposed to be fatal. Besides, a person doesn’t become a liekkiö because they channeled too much elemental magic. That only happens when…”

“When they’re murdered,” I finish for him. “Usually. But Natalie isn’t dead yet. She said we still have time.”

“So, Morgan will be okay?” Aoife asks.

“To open a tonttukivi, you have to give the stones energy,” Toivo says. “So, I guess that depends on the person. It makes sense the chaos mage wouldn’t want to use up all their magic opening the stones if they’re still going to have to find a shard of the Sampo.” He takes a deep breath and straightens his spine. “I’ve got this.”

“Are you sure?” I remain utterly unconvinced by my brother’s sudden heroics.

“This is only what I’ve been training for my entire life.”