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headstrong anyhow. Such a tedious trait in a young woman.” She pauses and nods with exaggerated consideration. “And to think she’s become close with Alcántara.”
    “They’re not close,” I dare cut in.
    She freezes. “So sure, are you?” Her eyes linger on me for a protracted moment. Finally, she shrugs. “It’s a concern nonetheless. If something happens to make me doubt her, if Annelise finds herself on the wrong side of things and becomes Alcántara’s creature…” She shakes her head in mock remorse. “I’d rather see her dead than watch her fall under the influence of the Directorate.”
    I cut my eyes to Carden. Why isn’t he speaking up? But I see no outrage on his face. Does he believe this too? “What say you, McCloud?” I spit his clan name at him. “Are you so blinded by loyalty to your quest that you’d see Annelise as collateral damage?”
    “ Our quest, lad. Our quest is greater than any one person. It will outlive all of us. Annelise included.”
    “Is that what your bloody Scottish honor tells you?”
    “Ronan.” Freya gives a stern clap to her hands. “This is not a game. Annelise’s potential is too great—if Alcántara channels it, he’ll become too powerful. She is my flesh and blood—her fate is my decision. And I have decided you will kill Alrik. Or you’ll pay with Annelise’s life.”
    Dagursson. He’s the only one who knows how to find my family. The thought consumes me.
    I bow my head. Swallow my pain. There is no choice. Annelise needs my protection more than ever. “Consider it done.”

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    I squint my eyes, trying to focus on my watch’s glowing LED numbers without breaking my stride. I thought a hard run before class would purge the noise from my head, but instead , each pounding step of my feet is a gunshot blast spiraling thoughts through my brain.
    What haven’t I taught Annelise?
    What will she need?
    What doesn’t she know?
    What will keep her alive?
    What if I fail to kill Dagursson? What if I’m killed, and Freya comes gunning for her? What if Carden is too preoccupied with his quest to protect Annelise at a critical moment? What if she is alone and needs to escape?
    And there is my answer: Navigation. That’s what I’ll teach today.
    I check my watch. Bloody hell. My pace has been too brutal—I’m way ahead of schedule. All the snow has melted, leaving mucky gravel in its place, and I skid my feet along the path to slow.
    If I arrive too soon, Annelise will approach me. She’ll try to talk.
    Her talk unmans me.
    I have to keep my focus. It’s too easy to lose myself to dreadful what-ifs. What if Freya had prevented my return, and Annelise had thought I’d simply dropped off the face of the earth? Carden wouldn’t exactly have raced to tell her the truth about me—of that I have no doubt.
    I stop completely, bend and stretch and catch my breath. My shirt is nearly soaked through, but no amount of sweat can steal the chill from my bones.
    I check my watch again. Class in three. I make the slow walk down the hillside to the beach where I teach a Primitive Skills Intensive to Initiates, the few second-year Acari who remain.
    Annelise is down by the shore, squatting and picking at shells. I always feel a shot of relief at the sight of her. She is here. Alive. Safe.
    Her head pops up instantly, eyes going straight to me. A smile blooms on her face.
    Good Christ, seeing me has done this to her.
    Like the sun through parting clouds, a wave of heat rolls through me, melting the knot of ice that’s been lodged in my gut since I stood in Freya’s cave. Annelise and I are here together. We are in this thing, together.
    The effort it takes to hide my pleasure is tremendous. Almost impossible. I grit my teeth and focus on the burning in my lungs instead. There’s the ghost of a stitch in my side. I embrace it.
    I jerk my attention to the others. Only half a dozen Initiates are left in my class, and I watch them along the rocky