“Let us go back.”

With a dizzying swirl of color the Avibian Plains spun around us like sand grains caught in a whirlwind. The daylight turned to night and trees erupted from the ground, turning the flat landscape into a forest.

Movement underneath me jerked to the side as pain pierced my shoulder. I relived the events of the night of the ambush in quick succession. My time with Valek and enduring the hot and cold fever sped by along with the trip to the Magician’s Keep. Everything I’d done and everyone I’d talked to flashed in front of me. A span of blackness arose after Ben’s smug face jumped into view. I flinched as fear pushed me to run and hide, but I had no control over my body or the images.

Midnight Son didn’t release me until we reached the present. I sank to the ground exhausted, which seemed strange since I hadn’t done anything.

“You did all the work,” he said.

Looping the octopus around my neck, I pulled my cloak around my shoulders. The air had turned icy. So much for this being the last day of the cold season.

“Then what did you do?” I asked.

“I watched and learned.”

I clutched the fabric of my cloak tight. “And?”

“It confirmed that the reedwither plant is not the culprit.”

Another dead end.

“It also confirmed that you did not die.”

“What?”

“You are the Soulfinder. You have the ability to bring a person back to life by healing the body and returning the person’s soul. You could have kept your soul inside your body after it died, then healed yourself.”

I’d returned two souls—Stono’s and Gelsi’s. Both killed themselves within a year of being saved, and I’d vowed never to do it again. Good to know that, in my panic, I hadn’t reanimated myself. A shudder ripped through me.

“If I had done that, would that have caused my problem?” Stono hadn’t had magic, but Gelsi had. However, I couldn’t remember if she’d still had access to her powers after I brought her back to life.

“That is an interesting question.”

“And do you have an interesting answer?”

“No. But it does not matter.” His eyes gleamed.

Energized, I shot to my feet. “Do you know what happened to my magic?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“It is blocked.”

“Like a null shield?”

“No.”

Frustration rose and I tightened my grip on my cloak’s rough fabric until my fingernails pressed into my palms. I drew in a calming breath. If Moon Man had learned how to be cryptic and annoying from his father, I needed to choose my words with care. “How is my magic blocked?”

“It just is.”

I clamped down on a growl. “You said it was unlike a null shield. Can you explain?”

“A null shield blocks magic from both directions, while this only prevents you from using magic. However, you are vulnerable to magic. For now.”

Old news. “What is ‘this’? A poison? Magic? A virus? A one-way null shield?”

He didn’t respond.

I searched his expression. “You don’t know!”

No reaction.

Groaning, I plopped back onto the ground, lying back with my arm over my eyes. “You’re not going to tell me. Are you?” My throat closed as a hot pressure built. Sheer force of will kept tears from spilling.

“I can tell you this.”

I peeked at him.

“You will figure this out, Soulfinder.”

“When?”

“When the time is right.”

Midnight Son sounded just like Moon Man.

“Did you teach your son how to be cryptic or is it an inborn trait for Story Weavers?” I asked.

“Inborn. We guide, but we do not provide easy answers.”

“I’m very familiar with that annoying aspect of your personality.” Sarcasm sharpened my tone. I sat up. “Sorry, this has all been...”

“Overwhelming.”

“Yes. Can you tell me if my magic returns?”

“No.” He held out a hand. “Your future story threads do not reveal the answer. Both futures are equally possible.”

That meant I’d have a fifty-percent chance of regaining my magic. Better than zero chance. The black despair that had stained my thoughts since I’d woken without magic receded a fraction.

“What should I do next?” I asked, not expecting an answer.

“You should return and finish what you started.”

Ah. “I can’t. They’ll die.”

“How do you know this?”

I searched my memories. A vague image of Ben accompanied the red-hot knowledge that my presence would result in death. “I just...know.”

“A powerful magician has altered your memories, planting this fear inside you.”

“Ben Moon or maybe Cilly and Loris Cloud Mist?” They might have the talent.

“I do not know.”

“Can you fix it?”

“No. You must learn to ignore this fear.”

Easier said than done. I huffed. “You know, the longer I spend with you, the less I miss Moon Man.”

“Thank you.”

Curiosity replaced my apprehension. “Why did you name him Moon Man?”

Midnight Son smiled, revealing big white teeth. “He was conceived during a full moon and born on the night of a full moon, so we named him Moon. Fitting, since the boy never liked to wear clothing. The Man came after his Story Weaver powers manifested. He thought Moon was not...impressive enough.” Midnight Son laughed.