"Very clever," Mage-General Flint said as they walked back to the stables. "A little too clever. Andrew isn't a fool. He's going to remember that conversation. He might even ask the Stormcrows who greeted us about the Witch-Lieutenant who came with me."
Alexandra was once more sitting on his shoulder as a ferret, and only he could understand her. "When the Thorn Circle attacks BMI, he'll have other things to worry about. And since his house is exactly where they're going to attack, he might not even be around afterwards to ask questions."
Flint's disapproving face loomed in her narrow field of vision. "That's very cold. Do you know he has a wife and two children?"
"He is a fool if he hasn't sent them somewhere else. I'm sorry if they're hurt, but he knows. He knows. He knows about the Deathly Regiment—"
"And instead of abandoning his staff, his students, his junior officers, walking away and leaving them to the tender mercies of your father, he is doing his best to protect them."
"He could walk away and take those who'll go with him. He could let my father in, let the school be destroyed to help break the Confederation's power, and make sure no one is hurt in the process."
"You're so young. It's all very black and white to you, isn't it?"
"Whose side are you on?" Disturbingly, Alexandra could hear both her own words and the sounds actually coming out of her throat, an angry chittering.
Instead of being provoked by her anger, Mage-General Flint sighed.
"Your father will appreciate the information we acquired," he said. "I'm glad you have such a clean conscience about all of this. It's good to be young and full of righteousness and certitude. Ambiguity is for old men." His dry, bitter tone silenced Alexandra.
She knew he was being sarcastic, but her conscience was far from clean. She did feel guilt, including at the thought of Mage-General Armstrong's family being killed. She realized she must be justifying herself in much the same manner that Armstrong and every other Confederation loyalist did.
Flint stopped walking, reached into a breast pocket, and took out a tiny, worn, leather-covered notebook. He tore off a sheet of paper, and conjured a small quill. He wrote a few lines, and then gently lifted the owl off his shoulder and tied the note to its leg.
"Home, Elma," he said to the owl.
The owl hooted and took off, flapping away to the west.
Flint tucked the notebook back into his pocket and Vanished the quill. He resumed walking.
"Are we going to Croatoa?" Alexandra asked.
"We're going to Croatoa." His answer was as gruff as his expression. Alexandra said no more, despite her feeling of inward triumph.
The Stormcrows at the stables fetched Mage-General Flint's carriage and Granians and saluted him as he got aboard and took the reins. The older one said, "Begging your pardon sir, but—what happened to your owl?"
"I sent her off with a message," Flint said. "The Confederation's Owl Post isn't the most reliable nowadays."
"Yes, sir. Hopefully once this current unpleasantness is over, normal service will resume," said the Stormcrow.
Alexandra fixed a beady-eyed, ferret death stare on him. He didn't notice, and she said nothing until the Granians had carried them aloft and BMI was behind them, to the west.
"Why are we going to Croatoa?" Flint asked at last.
"So you can see your goddaughter?"
"Why do you want to go to Croatoa?"
"So I can see your goddaughter."
Flint rubbed the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "You are a troublesome girl."
"I've been told."
Alexandra was silent as the air rushed past them and the sun sank behind them. Hastings Flint was doing her a big favor, and he'd already done a lot for her and her father. It wasn't that she wanted to antagonize him. But her feelings were in turmoil, as she considered the path ahead, and what she was helping to unleash, and what she was about to do.
This current unpleasantness. Was that what they were calling it? They knew their school faced destruction, they were using Dark magic in its defense, and they defended it in the name of a regime that sacrificed children daily. And they thought they were the good guys. Those kids in Stormcrow uniforms, many of them younger than her, younger than Max had been… what did they know from right and wrong? Mage-General Flint had told her she was full of righteousness and certitude. She wasn't.
They reached the ocean at dusk. Alexandra couldn't tell if the lights to the north were from a Muggle town or the wizarding town of New Roanoke. The sun was setting as they continued over the water.
Alexandra climbed back onto Flint's shoulder to get a better look at the landscape around them. The Kings' mansion was located near a bluff overlooking the strait between the island and the mainland, surrounded by ghost-haunted woods and marshes full of magical flora and fauna. Separated by this wild terrain, the wizarding plantations and mansions of Croatoa were almost as isolated from one another as they were from the Muggle village on the leeward side of the island.
Alexandra hadn't been here in over two years. Julia and Ms. King had visited Larkin Mills, but this would be Alexandra's first time visiting Croatoa since the summer after that terrible year in which she'd stolen Valeria's Time-Turner, and doomed herself to give up her own life in seven years.
Four years now, she thought. Maybe even that was optimistic.
When the carriage landed, between the well-lighted mansion in which the Kings lived and the hangar-sized stable where they kept their Granians, Thalia King emerged from the house, and a tall, older wizard came riding up on a Granian. Both of them held their wands like weapons.
Alexandra recognized Samuel Hunter, who lived on the estate and helped the Kings with their winged horses. However they had been alerted to their arrival, they didn't look friendly. Behind Ms. King, three of their house-elves stood in the doorway, one wringing his hands nervously, one clutching the hem of Ms. King's robes, and one staring at the carriage, with her tiny fists clenched at her sides and an expression as fierce as Ms. King's.
Hastings Flint tipped his hat, and waited until the light from the other two wizards' wands fully illuminated him and Alexandra.
"Thalia," he said. "I do apologize sincerely for failing to announce myself properly, and for this uninvited visit. It's been years since I've had the honor of your hospitality, and I realize that the fault is entirely mine. I would very much like to explain myself, if you would be gracious enough to receive me. I assure you I come as a friend to you and your family."
"By that do you mean you also come as a friend to my ex-husband?" Thalia King asked, not lowering her wand. She was a beautiful, pale-faced, full-figured woman with dark hair spilling around her shoulders. Her robes were rich and heavy, but they were simple and wrapped casually around her. Alexandra suspected by her unmade appearance that Ms. King had risen in a hurry to "greet" their unexpected visitor.
"I have not been a good friend to him or you," Flint said. "But if you are asking whether Abraham sent me, madam, he did not. Nor am I here on behalf of the Confederation. It's a strictly personal visit, and as I said, if you will allow me in, I'll explain why."
Thalia King and Samuel Hunter exchanged looks. The wiry horseman had remained silent until now.
"Don't see any other intruders," he said. "Don't detect any Dark magic. Can't be sure, of course."
Ms. King nodded. "I believe you, General Flint. Very well. You may come in."
As the Mage-General stepped down from his carriage, Mr. Hunter pointed at Alexandra with his wand. "What's with the ferret?"
"I'm training Acantha to behave herself," Flint said, patting Alexandra on top of her head. Alexandra made an angry sound that she didn't quite verbalize, and considered biting him.
She stayed on his shoulder as he walked up the steps into the mansion. The elves all looked at her, and Mage-General Flint, with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. Mr. Hunter took the Granians' halters and conjured a temporary hitching post, apparently intending to stand watch just outside, should Ms. King need him.
Once they were in the Kings' large sitting room, just past the entrance, Ms. King turned to Flint and crossed her arms. Her wand was still in her hand.
"All right, Hastings. What is this about? You didn't suddenly fly all the way to Croatoa on impulse. Please, for the love of Merlin and Nimue, tell me this isn't another attempt at wooing?"
Alexandra had been looking about in all directions, hoping to see Julia, but when Flint made a sudden choking sound she swiveled her head about to regard the old man in surprise. He was turning bright red.
"Thalia, please," he said. "That's not what I came to talk about."
"Why did you bring that creature?" Ms. King asked. "It had better not be a gift for Julia."
"Are we protected from scrying and magical eavesdropping?" Flint asked.
"Inside the house, yes."
He looked pointedly at the elves gathered around. Deezie, Gun-Gun, Rolly, and Nina all looked back at him.
"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of them," Ms. King said.
Alexandra scrambled down Flint's arm, leaped to the floor, and stood up on her hind legs. "It's all right," she said. "Undo the transformation."
"It talks!" screeched Rolly.
"It's a jarvey!" exclaimed Nina.
"No, not a jarvey," said Gun-Gun. "Beware, Mistress! The beast is a transformed creature!"
"How did you understand—?" Alexandra jumped as sparks ignited all around her. She was levitated into the air and flipped over, and felt a moment of panic with her legs scrambling helplessly.
"Stop it!" Flint said. "She's not a threat!"
Before Alexandra could say anything else, Flint reversed her transformation. Suddenly she was lying on her back in the middle of the room, dizzy and disoriented as much by her sudden increase in size as by whatever the elves had done to her.
"Hi guys," she said weakly.
"Miss Alexandra!" exclaimed the four elves, as Ms. King gasped.
Alexandra rose shakily to her feet. "Ms. King. This is all my fault."
"Alexandra." Ms. King scrutinized her, and Alexandra had the feeling Ms. King was using more than normal sight. Then she shook her head, as if in disbelief. "Oh, come here, you foolish girl." She spread her arms, and Alexandra fell into her embrace with a relief she hadn't anticipated.
When she finally stepped away, her eyes were wet. She sniffled, not quite as angry at herself as she'd once have been, but still annoyed. Hoarsely, she asked, "Where's Julia?"
"Upstairs with the other elves," Ms. King said. "And two of the family ghosts, who by now will have told her—"
"Alexandra!" Julia emerged into the room, her own hair loosely tied behind her head, barefoot and wearing casual robes. Her wand was tucked in the sash around her waist. Behind her floated an older male ghost in an ancient uniform, bearing a sword.
"Julia, I didn't tell you to come down—" said Ms. King, but Julia ignored her and rushed to embrace Alexandra. The two of them hugged and laughed, and once again Alexandra felt emotion welling up inside her, memories of the happy times they had spent here, and the times that would never return.
Finally Julia released her and said, "Fie, Mother, Great-Great Uncle told me who it was. General Flint, Alexandra brought you to us as well! It's been so long!" She went over to her godfather and hugged him. Mage-General Flint hugged her back, looking genuinely happy for the first time since Alexandra had met him.
"Actually, I brought her to you," he said. "It has been too long, goddaughter. I'm very sorry for that. I wish we were visiting under happier circumstances."
Julia nodded, beaming between the two of them. "Well. Since you are here, surely you're not going to leave again before morning?"
"Julia," said Ms. King.
"Julia," said Mage-General Flint.
"Julia," said Alexandra. "We didn't come just to visit. I mean, you know why I haven't been able to visit until now. And—" She hesitated, and looked at the elves. "Why no one else should know I was here, not even Mr. Hunter."
Julia's smile faded. Ms. King's expression was grave.
"The Confederation News Network tells us you are an Enemy of the Confederation as well," Ms. King said softly. "That you have joined your father. Not that Abraham would tell me of such things. But…"
"It's true," Alexandra said. "For once, they're telling the truth. And I'm sure they watch Croatoa, to see if my father or I visit. Which is why I'm going to have to leave with Mage-General Flint again as a ferret." She made a face.
"Can I take a picture of that before you go?" Julia asked.
"No," Alexandra said.
Julia pouted.
Alexandra took Julia's hand and squeezed it. "I asked Mage-General Flint to bring me here because I need to tell you something. Maybe we should sit down."
In a few minutes, they were all seated around one of Ms. King's ornate low tables, and the elves were bringing them coffee and cookies, hot and fresh, while Nina announced that dinner would be ready in half an hour.
Alexandra wasn't entirely comfortable revealing everything in front of everyone. She'd have preferred to have a private conversation with Julia. But she knew Ms. King needed to know too, and she'd trusted Mage-General Flint this far, and he could hardly be kept in the dark about why she'd had him bring her in the first place. And if Ms. King trusted her house-elves, how could Alexandra not? Still, openness did not come easily to her, so it took her a while to begin talking about the hostages the Thorn Circle was keeping in the Lands Below—their "prisoners of war."
Julia's hand went to her mouth. "Those children… that's so horrible! It's appalling! Oh, Father…"
Ms. King bowed her head; saddened but not, Alexandra thought, shocked.
Mage-General Flint had closed his eyes and gripped his dog-headed cane in both hands. "Damn you, Abraham," he muttered. He opened his eyes. "Forgive me, Thalia, Julia."
"So," Alexandra said. She paused. "I mean… did you ever… worry about the Confederation deciding to arrest you, or threaten you, or something?"
"Even in Abraham's shadow, we are among the Elect," Ms. King said. "And I am not without a few friends yet. If the Governor were to threaten us without cause, he would face political repercussions."
"That's true. But Thalia," Flint said gently, "you must know that starting with the passing of the WODAMND Act, and especially now that a wizard war is sweeping across the Confederation, that protection becomes ever more tenuous. When faced with an existential threat, I'm afraid the niceties of pureblood politics and our Territorial Constitution will not count for much. Already the Governor-General is taking powers for himself not granted by the Confederation Charter. I didn't know exactly what threats Abraham was using to keep you unmolested—but Merlin knows, I have no doubt he was making threats."
Julia shook her head. "And this is the price of our protection? That innocent children are abducted from their homes, and held hostage? You don't think… you don't think Father would actually…?"
Alexandra wanted to comfort her, but she met her sister's eyes and offered no comfort in her gaze. She felt an ache in her chest as Julia saw the answer there, and Alexandra saw more of Julia's innocence being dashed to pieces against her implacable silence.
"He would," Hastings Flint answered for her. "For you, he certainly would."
"It is abominable," Julia said. "It is wrong."
"Yes," said Ms. King.
"Abraham has always considered the ends more important than the means," Flint said. "Right and wrong aren't what you do, but what you accomplish."
For a moment, none of the elves were in the room. Alexandra drew her wand and said, "Muffliato." The other three people looked at her in surprise.
"Ms. King," Alexandra said. "Your house-elves are loyal to you, but they're also loyal to our father. Can you say for certain they wouldn't repeat anything they hear to him if he asked them to… even if you asked them not to?"
Julia's eyes were round with surprise. She was still absorbing the shock of the other things Alexandra had told her. Ms. King seemed disturbed by the question. "What is it you want to tell us, Alexandra?"
"What would you do if you lost your protection?" Alexandra asked.
Ms. King looked back at her blankly for a moment.
Julia said, "Alexandra, what are you going to do?"
Alexandra opened her mouth, and her voice cracked. "I can't do it. I can't let you be hurt."
Julia squeezed her hand. Thalia said, "Are you planning to somehow free these children… without Abraham's consent?"
"Merlin, Mordred, and Morgause," Flint said. "You are a wild, rash thing, and mad if you think you can oppose your father."
"I'm not going to oppose him," Alexandra said quietly. "Defy him, maybe. But not oppose him. Are you going to snitch on me, Mr. Flint?"
The Mage-General opened his mouth. He seemed aghast, both at being addressed without his rank and at her question.
"Alexandra, I insist you tell me what you intend," Ms. King said. Two of the elves came into the room, bearing more platters of baked goods and a tray of drinks. Everyone waited until they had left.
"No, Ms. King, I can't do that," Alexandra said in a very serious voice.
"Alexandra, you're planning something terrible, aren't you?" Julia said.
"Not like with Valeria," Alexandra said. "But I can't do it unless I know you'll be safe."
"I cannot approve of any course of action that puts you in danger," Ms. King said.
Alexandra laughed. It was a bitter, unnerving sound, surprising even to herself. Ms. King and Julia both looked startled, but Alexandra couldn't help herself.
Still holding Julia's hand, Alexandra said, "Ms. King… what do you think I've been doing for the last few months? What do you think I've been doing for the last few years? You have no idea how much I appreciate everything you and Julia have done for me." She blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill again. "You… you've become almost like a mother to me."
Ms. King looked as if she might cry too. Alexandra went on. "And that's why I need to know if you have somewhere to go. If you'd be able to hide, if the Confederation decides screw politics, they're coming for you." Her grip on Julia's hand tightened. "Somewhere to take Julia, where you and she will both be safe."
"Alexandra!" Julia said. Her eyes glistened too, but suddenly her tone was sharper. "We talked about this last summer, in the Ozarks. You cannot take the weight of the world upon your shoulders. And it's not your responsibility to protect us! Did we not all tell you that you need to stop presuming?"
"This is different. You'd be endangered as a direct result of something I do."
"Damn Abraham. Damn him to Hades!" said Ms. King. Tears streamed down her face. She rose to her feet, and Alexandra felt the anger radiating from her. "This—this is what I always feared! This is why I could not stay married to him! He put you in this position! He will tear down the Confederation and sacrifice his own children on the altar of its destruction! I've already lost a son, but losing his only son wasn't enough for him!" She shook her fists and trembled with rage.
Alexandra glanced at Mage-General Flint, feeling almost resentful. She, Julia, and Ms. King were all in tears or close to it, and he just sat there looking uncomfortable.
Ms. King took a deep breath. "Alexandra. Do what you must. I will protect Julia."
"Mother," Julia said.
"Do not argue, Julia," Ms. King said.
Ms. King walked slowly to where Alexandra sat, and took her hands. She pulled Alexandra to her feet, and looked into her eyes.
"Swear to me that you will come back," she said. "You will come back alive. You will not sacrifice yourself, and you will not allow Abraham to sacrifice you for his cause. Swear it!" Her grip on her fingers was almost painful.
Alexandra forced a smile. "I always come back, Ms. King."
Seated at a dining table large enough for eight, they were served by the house-elves, who brought them their food quietly and withdrew. Alexandra watched them and wondered if any of them would be able to speak to her about the Compact. According to Quimley, they all knew about the Deathly Regiment. They had always known. What did it do to them, to know such a terrible secret and be unable to speak of it—let alone, to be unwillingly complicit in it?
"You will stay overnight," Ms. King said. "We have guest bedrooms for both of you."
"I don't think so, Thalia—" General Flint said.
"Yes, thank you, Ms. King," Alexandra said.
Flint scowled at her.
"If Croatoa is being watched—and it almost certainly is—it'll look weird for you to fly all the way here and leave again in an hour, to spend hours flying back to your home," Alexandra said. "Suspicious. If you stay the night, it'll look more like a regular visit."
"I don't visit regularly," Flint said.
"You should," Julia said. "I have missed you, General. You always used to bring presents. Maximilian so looked forward to your visits, too."
The old man's face softened. "I miss you as well, Julia. And you of course, Thalia."
Ms. King smiled faintly. Alexandra stared into her chowder, which smelled delicious.
"Then it's decided," Ms. King said. "You're just visiting your goddaughter, whom you are justifiably worried about. Alexandra, is there any way I could persuade you to stay here? I mean, until the war is over?"
"No, ma'am. Eventually the Confederation would figure out I'm here." And I have things to do.
Ms. King didn't give up trying to persuade her, but eventually she and Julia were allowed to retire upstairs. They left the two adults downstairs talking.
Alexandra stayed up late talking to Julia, sharing what she could about what she'd been doing the last few months. Julia had listened to her wizard wireless broadcasts.
"You and Mr. Mudd had a nice rapport," Julia said.
"We really didn't."
"Oh, you did." Julia looked at her sadly. "Mother isn't wrong to be angry at Father. He says he wants to protect us, but he only protects those of us who aren't useful to him."
"That's not fair, Julia. He has protected all of us, and if we put ourselves in danger—me, Lucilla and Drucilla, and yes, even Max—it was our choice." It was very hard for Alexandra to say this.
Julia shook her head. "You're defending him. Of course you are, because now he's encouraging you in your reckless, headstrong ways."
"Julia." Alexandra took her sister's hand. "Please, let's not argue. I don't know when we'll see each other again."
Julia was on the verge of crying again, but she nodded, and embraced Alexandra.
For the rest of the evening, Julia spoke of what she'd been doing, more or less confined to Croatoa. She still walked to the Muggle village once a week. She exchanged letters—with her few remaining friends from Salem Witches' Academy, and with Claudia, Valeria, Livia, and Martin.
"Martin?" Alexandra said. "Is he still in the ROC?"
"They're all that's defending wizards and Muggles from the Dark Convention. He says all of his fellow officers have sworn to kill anyone they find carrying out the work of the Deathly Regiment, even the Governor. So even though Florida Territory hasn't seceded, they're supposedly no longer cooperating with the Confederation? The politics are quite complicated and very dirty, but Florida is practically having a wizard war of its own. And all the while, the Dark Convention, at our father's instigation, is trying to tear everything down."
Julia's command of the facts and knowledge of Territorial politics had become quite extensive. About some things, she knew more than Alexandra did. Alexandra had been on the road for months talking to politicians, but Julia had had time to learn about what was happening by observation.
None of it gave either of them any answers. The Dark Convention was their father's leverage, and an uncaged beast he could not fully control, only try to direct in the most damaging way possible at his enemies. But it was also the very thing that would have to be destroyed, along with the Deathly Regiment, before the wizard war could end.
Late that night, Alexandra finally bade Julia good night.
Deezie wanted to stay in her room, ready to bring her a snack or a glass of water in the middle of the night. Alexandra sat on the edge of her bed and looked at the little elf. "You know I like to sleep alone, Deezie. Julia doesn't have you stay by her side when she's sleeping either."
"Not since she was a little girl," Deezie said wistfully. "But even now, sometimes she wakes up and calls for Deezie, and Deezie comes, snap-snap-snap!"
"I'm tired now, Deezie. I should go to sleep. If I need a glass of water or something, can I call you?"
Deezie brightened. "Of course! Missus has only to whisper Deezie's name, and Deezie will come—"
"Snap-snap-snap," Alexandra finished for her with a smile.
She waited until Deezie was gone, and then her smile faded.
Standing by the freshly-made bed, before a window that looked out onto the woods at the edge of the Kings' estate, she cast a Conjuring spell, with Charlie on her shoulder and Nigel wrapped around her wrist.
Two ghosts appeared in the room. One was the one she'd seen earlier with Julia, a bearded Regimental Officer in an archaic uniform, bearing a sword. The other was a much older ghost—he looked as if he'd been older when he died, but there was also something about even his faded ghostly appearance that suggested he'd been haunting Croatoa much longer than his younger descendant.
"Alexandra," Charlie said, though she'd seen them appear as soon as the raven did.
"Hello Great-Great Uncle Joshua, Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather," Alexandra said.
"You should not have come here, Alexandra," said Joshua Thorn. "You're putting Julia and Thalia at risk."
"I know. It was a calculated risk, but I had to speak to them. Maybe Ms. King will explain it to you. Great Grandfather Absalom, I know everything about the Deathly Regiment now. I know all the things you wouldn't tell me before. I know the secret the Confederation has been hiding since its founding, and I know why my father is trying to destroy it. You should have told me all those things before, instead of making me learn the hard way."
Absalom Thorn had long, flowing, old-fashioned wizards' robes and a tall wizards' hat, and a long beard. He looked every bit the ancient wizard he was. He scowled at her. "No, I should not have. It would have brought you to ruin and calamity that much faster. You think you know everything, but you do not. You don't even know what you've done."
"What have I done?" Alexandra stroked Nigel's scales as he raised his head. "I've only just begun."
"Why have you summoned us, troublesome daughter of Abraham? We cannot help you in your war against the Confederation. There is little we can do even to protect Thalia and Julia."
"Ghosts can fight. The Commandant of BMI told me so."
Both ghosts turned paler.
"Wicked!" said Charlie.
"It is very Dark magic to turn ghosts against the living," Joshua Thorn said. "We must either be compelled or agree to it. Compelling a ghost requires even Darker magic, and turns us into something… even less than we are." A shudder seemed to go through his translucent form. "And to agree to become such a thing is no better. The fates of those spirits is worse even than to be haunts. I hope you or your father are not planning to ask that of us. Even Abraham wouldn't compel his own ancestors in that way!" There was a note of desperation in Joshua Thorn's voice, as if he weren't actually sure that his descendant would not.
"No," Alexandra said. She had seen ghosts, or something like ghosts, that had become malevolent wraiths capable of harming the living. What the Diné called chindi. John Manuelito had unleashed spirits from the Lands Beyond on Charmbridge Acedemy; it had been part of the reason Alexandra was expelled. "Can you tell me what a geist is?"
"Geist," repeated Charlie.
"A geist?" The two ghosts looked at one another.
"It's an ancient term," Absalom Thorn said.
"It means ghost in German," Alexandra said. She'd learned that much, after the Junior Wizarding Decathlon. "But I don't think that's what the ghost who said I had one meant."
"A ghost said you had one?" Absalom Thorn asked.
Alexandra proceeded to describe her encounter months earlier, when Hela had trapped Alexandra on the border to the Lands Beyond, and Alexandra had summoned Jezebel Hucksteen to her, without knowing beforehand who it was she was summoning. The daughter of Governor-General Hucksteen, who had died so many years ago but was still forever a little girl in death, had told Alexandra, "You have a geist."
"I was not a student of spiritualism before I became one," Absalom Thorn said, "but I heard geists described as spirits in a more metaphorical sense."
"I thought it meant a kind of shadow, or nemesis," said Joshua Thorn.
"So I have a shadow, or nemesis?" Alexandra shook her head. "This isn't very helpful."
"We cannot be more helpful," Absalom Thorn said. "By your own actions, you have bound us."
"What actions?"
"The foolish course you took after your brother died haunts you and us still. Your hidden adversary, your geist, is your own doing."
"You're making no sense. Why can't you, like, talk to Jezebel and ask her to explain what she meant?"
"We cannot cross the Veil to speak to one another at will like that," Absalom Thorn said. "The Lands Beyond are even vaster than these lands—can you speak to your father at will? No, you must go to him or summon him, and he may not want to speak to you. Jezebel Hucksteen, that poor cursed child, had her own reasons for telling you what she did, but we are wizards no longer. We cannot summon her."
"And you had best not," said Joshua Thorn.
"Now hear me, last child of the last Thorn," said Absalom Thorn. "To end the evil of the Deathly Regiment should be your sole concern. Leave protecting Thalia and Julia to your father. Leave these errant quests you take on to others who have the luxury of pursuing their own schemes. You, daughter of Abraham, should do what you have committed to do as if it were your sole purpose in life."
"Really," Alexandra said. "It sure sounds like there are still things you're not telling me. Maybe about the prophecy my father heard when I was born? Or about my hidden adversary?"
"Indeed, there are things we are not telling you," Absalom Thorn said. "And things I hope you never learn. But do this for us, your ancestors, Alexandra Octavia. Do this for all the souls cursed to remain on this side of the Veil, and for all the children doomed to cross it."
"You act like it's all on me, like I'm responsible for ending the Deathly Regiment?"
"No one person ever does anything alone. You would not be here today if not for your father, and your sisters, and your friends. And unlike my dear daughter, I did not have the gift of Sight. You have summoned the wrong kind of ghosts for divination."
Alexandra's expression darkened. "So all you can do is tease me with cryptic hints and scold me for not jumping through the right hoops the right way, which you can't tell me? Then what good are you? Begone!"
"Begone!" repeated Charlie.
Her words were a Banishment. It was only a lesser Banishment, dismissing them from her presence. Joshua and Absalom Thorn looked shocked and indignant as they vanished.
"Jerk," said Charlie.
"Maybe that was a little harsh," Alexandra said. "But yeah, I'm still on my own. Except for you, Charlie."
"Charlie," the raven said.
"And you, Nigel." The snake was uncomfortable in the chill left behind by the ghosts. Alexandra stretched her arm out. Nigel coiled around it, and then sank into her skin.
She caressed Charlie's beak. "I'm going to need both of you soon."
"Clever bird," Charlie said.