“I heard you were going on a journey,” Actinia said, eyes fixed firmly on his feet. “And you saved us from the blue-chill, so I thought . . . my spark said you could have it.”

“Please give him my thanks as well,” Alice said, repacking her things. She got off the stone slab and stretched, feeling surprisingly well. Her boots were at the foot of the bed—Flicker must have brought them—along with three slightly scorched-looking squares of parchment. The wards. Alice picked them up, frowning as she felt for the magic within them. It was still there, but broken, incomplete, like a snapped thread.

Actinia escorted her down a short corridor to the great hall. She’d last seen it being used as a makeshift surgery. Now it was quiet, though the tables and a certain amount of mess attested to a party having ended not long before, and the air was thick with the scent of smoke.

Pyros was waiting, with Flicker. The old man looked grave, and the boy bore his usual angry scowl. They both got to their feet as Alice and Actinia entered.

“Reader,” Flicker said curtly.

Pyros frowned and ran one hand through his hair. He looked uncertain.

“I have decided,” he said, “that Flicker will accompany you as far as the Palace of Glass. It is quite possible you have saved us from annihilation, and we can offer no less.”

“Flicker?” Alice looked from one of them to the other. “He’s coming with me?”

Flicker’s scowl deepened. “I’m not good enough for you, Reader?”

“Flicker has the most complete memories of the surface and the other side of the gate,” Pyros said. “He may not be the greatest of our warriors, but he knows where you need to go and the difficulties you may encounter.”

“I . . .” Alice paused. What she wanted to say was, I thought Flicker hated Readers. The boy noticed her hesitation and crossed his arms.

“It wasn’t my idea,” Flicker said, glaring. “But Pyros is the elder here. Unless you’d rather have someone else?”

“No,” Alice said. “I’d be happy to have you along. I was just . . . surprised. I know it’s dangerous. I’ll do everything I can to keep us safe.”

“Do you have any further preparations to make?” Pyros said, over a fresh scowl from Flicker. Alice shook her head, and the old man went on, “Then I suggest you go as soon as possible.”

“No percentage in hanging about,” Alice agreed with a touch of melancholy.

Flicker, equipped with a glass-tipped spear and a pack of his own, hugged Actinia tight for a long time. Alice waited while Pyros whispered a few final words in the boy’s ear. Behind the elder, a few other fire-sprites were watching. Their expressions were not pleasant.