“I think you should drink your tea and go to sleep.”

“About the scratches?”

He waited.

“Fine. Look, I’m sipping.” I slurped loudly. As usual, Leif’s medicinal concoction tasted horrible.

Kade examined the piece in the firelight. “The markings on this side resemble the letter S.”

“I thought so! We should look at the others.”

“And go crazy again?” Kade asked.

My elation died. “Have you discussed the…incident with the others yet? Are they all right?”

“Minor injuries only. Leif applied poultices and dispensed tea. Everyone was so exhausted I sent them all to bed. We’ll discuss it in the morning.” He sat on the edge of the cot. “You know, the tea tastes worse when it’s cold.”

I downed another gulp. “You should go to bed, too.”

“I’ll sleep in the main cavern. I don’t want to bump your ribs.”

“No need to worry.” I scooted over.

“Opal, you should—”

“Finish my tea first. Good idea.” I drained the cup.

He still looked unconvinced.

“Please stay. The last two nights have been horrible.” First Tricky, then the sea glass. With all that had happened, I had forgotten about the wound on my arm. In fact, even the pain in my ribs had dissipated. Leif’s tea worked. I would thank him, but he would be obnoxious about it.

Kade slipped into the cot next to me. Once his arms wrapped around my waist, I fell asleep.

“I didn’t see anyone,” Heli said. She concentrated on the empty bowl in her lap, spinning it around. “I was in the middle of nowhere.”

The early-morning sunlight touched the horizon. The beach remained in The Cliffs’ shadow, casting twilight into the main cavern. Everyone gathered around the cook fire. And everyone avoided each other’s gaze.

My ribs ached, but I wasn’t about to ask Leif for more of his tea.

“A magician had charged the sea glass,” Kade said. “Either he scattered them on the beach for you to find, or they were deposited there by the current.”

“Why?” Heli asked. She sounded like a little girl.

“To sabotage us or as a joke,” Kade guessed.

“Heck of a cruel joke,” Raiden said.

“Maybe someone really wanted you to find them,” I said. “Maybe they were trying to send you a message.” I pulled out the blue piece.

Ten people flinched, including Kade, who should have known better.

“This one is safe,” I said, handing it to Leif. “Looks like someone scratched the letter S on it.”

Leif turned it over in his hands. “Why is it safe?”

I thought back. “When I touched it, it…sparked, waking me. After all the…craziness last night, it was the only piece not claimed.”

“Let’s assume you’re right and it’s a message,” Kade said. “How do we examine the other pieces without going insane with desire?”

“Opal can spark them,” Leif said. “In a place where we can’t see.”

It was a reasonable step in logic. However, I dreaded the prospect, remembering the burn and shock of pain from just one piece.

I pulled Leif aside. “Can you brew me more of your tea?”

“Which one?”

“The wet-dog one you gave me last night.”

“Are your ribs hurting?”

“Yes.” Which was the truth.

I returned to Kade’s cot and dumped the sea glass onto the blanket. A mug of Leif’s potion was within reach. Steeling myself, I drank the entire mug, then reached for the first piece.

By the time I finished, my numb hands could barely hold the glass. Pain burned along my skin from wrist to shoulders. My bones ached. I wrapped my arms around my waist and curled up on the cot.

Kade woke me with a hard shake. “Opal, what happened? We thought you’d be back by now.”

My body throbbed. My arms and hands tingled as if they’d fallen asleep.

“Is it your ribs?” he asked in alarm.

“Yes. No. Leif. Dog.” The room dimmed and Leif appeared next to Kade. A hot liquid burned my lips. I choked on the taste of dirt mixed with mint.

“Drink it. It’ll help you,” Leif said. “Trust me.”

I wanted to make a sarcastic comment, but the pain eased and I drifted into a relieved sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, Kade hovered above me with an anxious expression.

“I’m fine,” I said, although I didn’t have any energy.

“You slept for two days. That’s not fine.”

“Two days? But the melt, the orbs…” I tried to sit up.

Kade held me down. “No. You are to stay in bed until Leif gives you permission to move.”

“Who made Leif boss?”

“I did when he saved your life.”

“Pah! I would have been fine.” I couldn’t believe Kade had fallen for Leif’s dramatics.

Kade sighed. “Opal, why didn’t you tell us?”

“Tell you what?”

“About the pain. You didn’t have to spark all that glass. You could have done a little at a time.”

“Heli felt so bad…I wanted to help.”

“She’ll be fine. She’s been sorting the sea glass, trying to decipher the message.”

I tried to push up to my elbow, but Kade refused to budge. “Has she gotten any of it?”