“Bram,” Jacey and I say at the same moment.

But when Bram tries, he isn’t any more successful than Tessa was.

“There must be something we’re missing,” Niklas says. “Maybe it’s about who is more flexible?”

“Let me try,” I say. I reach through the opening, my fingers trailing along the cool stone of the Fortress. I push my arm as far as it can go, until my shoulder is shoved against the inside wall at a painful angle. And my fingers brush against metal.

“Yes, Saskia, you’ve almost got it,” Talon says, taking the flute from his mouth for moment. But no matter how much I strain, I can’t quite reach far enough to push the lever all the way down.

“It’s just right there,” I say. “If my arm were just a bit more malleable—” The solution presents itself. I pull my arm back inside. “Bram, I think you have to have to break my humerus.”

He recoils. “What? Absolutely not. I would never.”

“We have no choice. I can almost reach the lever. If you wait until I’m in position, the break will give me a few more inches, and my arm should fall with enough pressure to lower the lever.”

His face is a mask of horror. “We do have a choice. I’m not going to use bone magic to hurt you.”

I touch his elbow. “Hear me out. I used my magic in the first challenge to do a bone reading. Jacey has used hers twice to mix potions. Niklas carved the flute. Talon controlled the bird. But you haven’t used your specific gifts yet.”

He yanks away from me. “This is ridiculous. Neither has Tessa.”

My gaze goes toward the bones on the table. The ones Tessa said were for healing.

Understanding dawns over Tessa’s expression. “Saskia, no. I can fix the bone after it’s broken, but I can’t stop it from hurting in the first place. It would be excruciating.”

“Yes, I know. I can handle it.”

“Please don’t ask me to do this,” Bram says.

I give him a sad smile. “Too late. I already asked you.”

He rakes his fingers through his hair as he paces across the length of the room. “This can’t be how they intended us to escape.”

I give a bitter laugh. “After that last room, I’m amazed you can say that with a straight face.”

He stills. His lips part, but he doesn’t speak.

“This has been a cruel challenge,” I say. “I think this is exactly how they intended us to escape.”

Niklas sighs and sinks into a chair. “I hate to say it, but I think she’s right.”

“Tessa?” The tightness in Bram’s voice makes it sound more like a plea than a question.

Tessa closes her eyes and massages her forehead. “I wish I could think of another solution, but I can’t.”