Jess wanted to push her away, but it was—oddly—Khalila who spoke in that moment, clear and calm as glass. “Archimedes said mathematics reveals its secrets only to those who approach it with pure love for its own beauty. But the Archivist has no love for knowledge. He wants only power. You are the club he swings to get it.”

“Archivists come and go,” the Obscurist said. “The next will be better. You’re no more than children. You can’t possibly understand.”

Jess glared at her. “We aren’t children, and you don’t need Morgan. You have a tower full of your quintessence already.”

“Not like her.” The Obscurist touched Morgan’s cheek, and Morgan jerked away, eyes burning with anger.

Khalila stood up. It was a swift, controlled motion, and although it wasn’t threatening, there was a cold look in her eyes that made the Obscurist’s focus shift.

“You are Scholar Seif, if I am correct.”

“Yes, Obscurist Magnus.”

“I have heard great things of you. And I have a name. Please call me Keria.”

“I would not presume to be so informal. But if you touch Morgan again, if you try to take her away and lock her up, then you’ll have to kill me. I won’t make it easy.”

“Yes,” the Obscurist said. “I can see that. You, Jess? Are you also determined to be foolish?”

“It’s my finest quality,” he said blandly. Her smile had the power of a lightning strike.

“So I see. We’ll settle Morgan’s status later. For now, permit me to offer our help to the young inventor,” she said, moving to Thomas. “Don’t fear, Thomas. We’ll see you are well cared for here.”

“Hypocrite,” Jess said. “You knew where he was the whole time. As Scholar Wolfe said, we’re all just pieces on your game board. You’ll sacrifice any of us to get what you want.”

She had the same severe look as Wolfe, when she wanted to use it. “Do, please, tell me what my plans are, young man. I’m sure it will be very informative.” He could just hear Wolfe saying that, in exactly the same tone, and though Jess didn’t mean to, it made him laugh. Bitterly.

“Oh, leave them alone,” Wolfe said without turning. “I know exactly what your plans are. Mother. And I can promise you, we won’t cooperate in the least.”

There was a breathless silence for a moment, and then the Obscurist walked away, toward the stairs where she’d entered. “Gregory will see to your accommodations,” she said without looking back. “Morgan. Your collar will be replaced. It has to be done, so please don’t injure yourself resisting.”

Morgan stared at the woman’s back as if she wanted to plant a knife in it. Her hand gripped Jess’s again tightly. He was lucky it was the one without a bandage.

Gregory walked over to stand in front of the two of them and said with a calm smile, “Now, let’s be reasonable about this. You can either submit gracefully or submit when you lose the fight, and your friends end up suffering for it. All right?”