“Easy. There’s plenty of cold water around here.”

I glanced around the room. One bed, night table, chair and fireplace. Spartan and warm considering we were on the northern ice sheet.

No longer able to delay the question, I asked, “What happened?”

Kade sobered. “After you…harvested the magic from the magicians, I had to fill three orbs with the energy from the blizzard or risk having the station blown over and buried by snow. When I returned, Janco had secured the others.”

“Tell Janco to keep a close eye on Tricky. He still has a small bit of magic.” My magic.

Kade said nothing. He refused to meet my gaze, and I sensed he wasn’t telling me the whole story. “Spill,” I ordered.

“Your orb…” He paused as if trying to find the right words. “Your orb is filled with…with diamonds.”

This time I managed to sit up without a struggle. “Diamonds? Are you sure? They could be high-quality glass.” Glass made sense.

He didn’t respond. Instead he pulled a clear sparkle from his pocket and handed it to me. The diamond burned ice-cold then a vision of Devlen formed in my mind’s eye. He wore his own face. I dropped the gem onto the table. Flabbergasted, I couldn’t begin to contemplate the ramifications. Why diamonds? I remembered a vague connection between magic and diamonds, but failed to grasp it. Bain Bloodgood would know.

“My suggestion would be to not tell anyone you have this new ability,” he said. “Only I know you harvested their powers without them attacking you.”

Kade rubbed his hands on his legs, then jumped to his feet. “If the Sitian Council finds out…”

“I’m arrested and locked in the Keep’s cells until the Council decides what to do with me, which, according to Yelena, would be a long time.”

“You’ve already thought about this.”

“Yes. Zitora mentioned the possibility as an exercise in logic. I can’t lie about it, Kade. I’ll tell Zitora and the other Master Magicians and let them choose how to handle it.”

Kade slumped on the edge of my bed. “The right decision.”

“You don’t look happy about it.”

“I’m thinking selfish thoughts. If you’re locked up in the Keep’s cells, I will have no one again.”

“What about Kaya?”

“I’ve thought about what you said back at the Keep.”

“When I called you as thick as a fog bank?”

“Funny, I had forgotten that part. But I had plenty of time to consider your words, and your actions these last couple days have taught me much. I’m going to say goodbye to Kaya.”

“The right decision.”

Before Kade could respond, Janco poked his head into the room.

“Ah, the glass warden’s awake. Good! Ari’s coming with backup. Should I pretend we barely survived without his help or gloat that we didn’t need him at all?”

“Tough decision,” I said.

“You can’t go wrong with either one,” Kade said.

“You guys are no fun. I have to go with the gloating. But no mention of that magic stuff. It ruins the effect.” Janco rushed off.

Ari arrived with a handful of men. He ignored Janco’s smug boasts and proceeded right to the heart of the matter. “What do we do with them?” he asked.

He referred to Sir, Tricky and the others.

“Arrest them. They’re here illegally. They used magic. Smuggled goods,” Janco said.

“Can they still use their magic?” Ari asked me.

“Only one. The rest have been…neutralized.”

“One?”

“Sleeping,” Janco said. “Until we figure out what to do with him.”

“Tricky’s powers are weak, and I don’t know what he can do with them,” I explained.

“We’ll arrest them all and let the Commander decide their fates,” Ari said.

“We need to take one with us,” I said.

“Which one?”

“Devlen.”

“Why?”

“His body and soul don’t match.” I explained about the blood magic.

“I know I hated magic for a reason,” Janco said.

“Congratulations. This is the first time you’ve had a valid reason to hate something,” Ari countered. “Remember your campaign against sand?”

“Sand! Horrid little stuff. Gets everywhere. I had a perfectly good argue—”

“Janco.” Ari’s voice rumbled deep in his throat.

In a heartbeat, Janco switched gears. “Well, this blood magic sounds worse than sand.”

“Do you know how to switch them back?” Kade asked. He had been following the conversation with an amused smile.

“I’m not sure.” I shuddered, thinking I would need to learn more about blood magic.

“It’s easy,” Janco said.

We all stared at him, waiting.

“Holy snow cats! You don’t know?” His incredulous tone transformed into a huge smirk. He danced a little jig.

As he gloated, I made the connection. His knowledge of magic was limited to his contact with Yelena. “The Soulfinder,” I said.

“Righto! Souls switched while you wait.” Janco twirled.

Then I would need to rescue Ulrick. I figured Devlen wouldn’t help me find him. And what about my feelings for Ulrick? When I had thought he had been injured by his sister, I had realized how much I cared for him. Even though I know I loved Kade, I owed it to Ulrick and myself to explore our relationship without Devlen’s taint. Would Kade help me? As my father would say, only one way to find out.