*The authors of this work urge their readers caution where these “doors” are concerned, and remove themselves from all responsibility following any disappearance, injury, or death that should arise.
Vera frowned at the page. “You think Dovermere is a door to the Deep? That it’s the way to other worlds?”
“I think, at the very least, that’s what my sister believed.”
“Except Dovermere is very much still a cave, not the old remains of one. It’s not… whatever this door is supposed to look like.”
Baz groaned and shoved the book back in his bag. She was right. It felt like he was grasping at straws. And yet…
A portal on a page, a door to the Deep, a song heard between the stars. Whatever it was, it all came back to Dovermere.
Jae would have answers—Baz was sure of it.
He buried his hands in his coat pockets, savoring the crunch of leaves under the soles of his shoes. The trees had only just begun turning, but some were already shedding their leaves, creating a carpet of rusts and golds to lead the students to the festival. They made their way down the path in clusters of twos and threes, laughing and talking excitedly about the night ahead and the various parties planned after the ritual itself.
“You know, my mother always said that if anyone were to find the epilogue, it would be Adriana,” Vera said suddenly, kicking at a pinecone. “When she got an idea in her head, she wouldn’t let it go. She was so young when she made it out here. Sailed across the seas all on her own, hitting every port town and coastal point of interest where she thought the epilogue might be hidden. Aldryn was the one she had her sights on the most, of course, since Clover studied here.”
The path before them branched off in two directions: downriver to the left, and upriver to the right. Those chosen to perform feats of magic on their house’s boat would head right to the wooden quays where the boats were set to launch. Baz and Vera turned left to where students were gathered on the riverbank on wool blankets. Kiosks were scattered among the crowd, selling drinks and treats to be enjoyed during the performance. Vera pulled him to one selling fried dough and hot cocoa.
“And you really have no idea what happened to her?” Baz asked as she handed the kiosk worker a few coins.
Vera shut her eyes as she took a sip of cocoa, puckering her lips. “She disappeared. Whether that’s because her ship capsized or someone beat her to the epilogue and killed her for it or because she found a door to the Deep and slipped into another world, she’s gone. And that’s the end of it.”
She shoved the paper bag of fried dough under his nose, all but forcing Baz to take one.
“I thought being part of the Veiled Atlas meant you’d be the first one to go looking for the epilogue.”
Vera laughed, licking sugar off her fingers. “I’m part of the Veiled Atlas because I was born into a family that believes in the magic of other worlds. And I do too. But take it from a magical reject like me: some powers are beyond our understanding, and it’s best we leave them alone.” She stuffed the last of the fried dough into her mouth. “Just something to think about before this obsession you seem to have with Dovermere gets you killed. Now, can we please hurry up and find a good spot? I don’t want to miss the spectacle.”
Vera caught him glancing around for Jae again and said, “I’m sure they’ll turn up. No point trying to find them in this large a crowd anyway. Come on.”
Baz knew she was right. Still, unease made his stomach turn, and he suddenly regretted eating that fried dough—especially as he caught sight of Emory.
She sat not ten feet away next to a dark-haired girl Baz thought was called Penelope. Emory gave him a tight smile he didn’t know how to respond to. They hadn’t seen each other since the other day in the quad, and though Baz felt bad for postponing the training session he’d promised her, he told himself it was for the best. He didn’t think he could handle much else at the moment, and yet… he hadn’t realized until just now how he missed their quiet mornings in the library. How much he missed her.
Vera nudged him. “Friend of yours?” At Baz’s noncommittal response, she cocked an eyebrow. “Let’s go say hello.”
“No, Vera—”
But she was already introducing herself to Emory and Penelope, who invited her to sit with them. Baz had no choice but to follow. Penelope was wedged between Vera on one side and Emory on the other, and this was Baz’s worst nightmare. Panicked, he sat beside Vera, who gave him a withering look as if to say, Not here, stupid. Too late. He jerked his chin toward Emory in an awkward hello before glancing uneasily around for Jae again, trying not to think of all the ways Kai would make fun of his gaucheness if he were here.
As Vera chattered enthusiastically with Penelope—who apparently had family in Trevel and knew people who went to university with Vera—someone else knelt at Emory’s side. Baz’s stomach fell. Keiran was leaning in close to whisper something in her ear, and Baz didn’t miss the way Emory ducked her head to hide a smile.
So that’s how it was, then.
Something in Baz dimmed. He looked away, but not before Keiran’s gaze met his, an ember of that earlier storm he’d seen brewing in his eyes.
Happy reading.
Did Keiran know about these doors to the Deep? What they might have meant to Romie?
Baz thought it odd that Keiran was here at all—he would have imagined he’d be part of his house’s delegation, given his grades. Then again, he’d likely already secured a prestigious position without needing to resort to such fanfare.
A few students farther upstream suddenly exclaimed loudly. The thrum of conversation died down as the boats appeared in the distance, sleek things of beauty with dark wood gleaming under the moonlight, each one adorned with artfully arranged bouquets of lunar flowers that filled the air with a sweet summery scent at odds with the autumn chill.
The spectacle was starting.
Vera’s elbow wedged itself into his side. “I didn’t know Regulators came to this thing.”
She pointed to a nearby elm where a charcoal-uniformed Regulator stood with a pretty redheaded student. They seemed caught in a tense conversation. The Regulator tossed a look over his shoulder, and Baz noted the similarities in his features and the student’s. Something silvery passed from his hands to hers.
“Yeah, like that’s not suspicious at all,” Vera muttered sarcastically.
The student pocketed whatever it was and turned her back on the Regulator. There was something familiar about her—about both of them—but they disappeared in the crowd before Baz could make sense of it. He thought he saw Keiran glancing their way. But just then, the New Moon delegation’s boat glided on the river in front of them, drawing all their attention.
The four students chosen to perform their magic—one of each alignment—stood at the prow wearing robes of midnight velvet with fur collars and sleeves crusted with what looked like glittering snow. Utter darkness fell, spilling from the Darkbearer student. The narcissus flowers that decorated the sides of the boat came to life, glowing like diamonds in the night. A faint breeze picked up, steering the boat steadily down the ribbon of water. Baz heard a rippling gasp drawn from the students gathered closest to the water, and as the breeze reached him, brushing against his cheek, he understood why.