Metal Slinger

Jovie needles Acker for keeping his royal lineage a secret. They find Messer bruised and exhausted and bound to a beam. His eyes, which were previously gray, as is common in Alaha, are now blue just like Jovie’s. Acker explains that Messer and Jovie’s eyes were gray because they had been “separated from land for too long” (279). Hallis and Beau enter; Beau uses her magic to sense that Messer feels platonic affection for Jovie and is both loyal and a troublemaker. Messer explains that he first saw the eyun form in a book of illustrations. He explains that Kai taught Messer about his magic; Messer’s father doesn’t know that his son can transform.

Messer explains that he followed Jovie because he didn’t trust Acker. He intended to ensure Jovie’s safety and then return to Alaha. However, after he transformed into a giant squid to save them from the storm, he didn’t have the power to return. Messer admits that he knew about Kai’s coercion power, but now he defends Kai, who felt as though “there wasn’t another option” but to use coercion (282). Messer vows that he has no intention of hurting Jovie; he also states that he is not reporting back to Kai. Acker instructs Jovie to decide whether to release or detain Messer.

Jovie decides that she cannot send Messer to the dungeons despite his transgressions, pointing out that she knew about his father’s abuse and never aided Messer, either. Acker uses a hot blade to carve a “V” into Messer’s chest. The symbol is known to represent Acker’s closest allies; if Messer tries to betray Acker or Jovie to Kenta’s enemies, they will see the mark, believe him to be a spy, and torture him in an attempt to learn Acker’s secrets. Thus, because Messer bears this mark, he will only be safe within Kenta from this day forward, and he cannot return to Alaha to report on what he has learned from his weeks of following Jovie and Acker. A healer mends the wound but leaves the V-shaped scar. Acker orders Messer freed.

Acker thanks Messer for his protection during their journey, and the easygoing Messer forgives Acker for the brutal scarring that he just received. Messer and Jovie embrace, making Acker jealous.

Jovie studies various maps until Acker returns to the tent. She dislikes that a young child brought back her sharpened knife, but Acker clarifies that the child is a squire, not a soldier. However, he also admits that most squires join the military when they are old enough. Acker explains that the Kenta palace is only three days away. Jovie prepares for bed and is embarrassed when Acker tells her that she now has separate lodgings, as it “wouldn’t be appropriate” for them to share his tent (292), even when there are separate beds.

Jovie fears that her attraction to Acker is one-sided, but he promises that they will be together in whatever capacity Jovie chooses after they return to the palace. She jumps into his mind and sees a fantasy of them kissing. When she glimpses her reflection, she realizes that Acker’s description of his match’s eyes adheres to the blue shade that her own eyes display now that being on land has returned their color. Acker admits to knowing that Jovie was his match all along; he explains that this bond is why she can see into his mind. He reveals that he, too, can see inside her mind, although he finds it challenging to gain access unless she is drawing, as this is when her “mind is the most free” (294). Due to her experiences with Kai’s coercion, Acker did not initially tell her about his own telepathic access to her mind; he wanted her to be able to feel the “tether” between them after her magic awakened. Jovie retreats to her own quarters to think about the ramifications of this new information.

When Jovie wakes the next day, the camp is busy. She feels the mental tether leading her to Acker but seeks out food instead. Beau approaches, laughing about the soldiers’ nervousness around Jovie, as they typically only feel that way about Beau. She explains that she can see auras, an unprecedented gift. She offers to answer any of Jovie’s questions and explains that she saw Acker’s aura merge with Jovie’s, which led her to believe the two to be “fated.” Jovie laments that the bond is another instance of “having no say in [her] life” (299), but Beau contends that having a bond does not dictate Jovie’s actions. Beau cautions her that human emotions are changeable and that actions matter more than feelings. The two women eat together, and Jovie notes that several men laugh menacingly at them.

Soldiers begin running south; Beau and Jovie follow. Jovie sees two figures holding a white flag as they return to Roison; Acker explains that Jorgen came, looking for Sven. Acker is sending soldiers to help return Sven’s remains to his parents, a risk that he now takes due to the “life debt” that he owes to Fia for saving Jovie. Jorgen warns of unease in Roison; spreading rumors claim that Kenta destroyed the Dark Forest in order to access the Roison border. Messer volunteers to deliver Sven’s remains. He transforms into a bird and flies away to complete this task.

The lack of horses means that Jovie and Acker must share a mount on the ride to the palace. Beau and Hallis share another horse. Jovie is annoyed at the draw she feels toward Acker despite her anger at the knowledge that he kept their bond a secret. She is shocked by the sight of the transformed Dark Forest, which has been burned by her power. As they ride hard toward the palace, Beau and Hallis constantly bicker. Jovie and Acker joke about Acker’s brotherly mischief at putting the two, who always argue, on the same horse.

Acker discloses his suspicion that he and Jovie were matched as children; he was able to sense her emotions even when they were young. However, he did not receive confirmation until their magics “matched” when Jovie touched the stone wall. Neither of them can control the visions they experience of the other’s perspective, though Jovie can “get out” of hers. Matches like theirs are “cloaked in mystery” (309), but Acker suspects that they may find answers at the palace.

They come upon a field of flowers and pause for lunch. They then fall into a doze, holding hands until Hallis wakes them. Rain begins to fall, so the group seeks shelter.

While Jovie sleeps, she jumps into Acker’s mind. As she sleeps, Hallis teases Acker about his decision to stop for the rain, but Acker contends that Jovie deserves “an adjustment period” after all the changes that she has experienced (315). Acker laments Jovie’s isolation in “a hovel” in Alaha and fears that “the palace will tear her apart” (315). Hallis suspects that Acker’s real fear is that Jovie will want to return to Maile. He teases Acker about being “lovesick.” Hallis fears that Acker’s emotions are confounded by his years of guilt while Jovie was missing, the responsibility he feels toward her, and their bond. Acker denies this. Hallis urges Acker to tell Jovie that he is engaged before they arrive at the palace.

Jovie snaps awake, and Acker accuses her of spying for Wren. She insists that she didn’t know she could watch him while she slept and that she felt her “mind manifest itself […] near [him]” (318). His anger rapidly shifts to guilt. He explains that he has been engaged to the Princess of Strou since he was 13 years old. Before that, he was betrothed to Jovie. Jovie’s family was in Kenta when she was abducted due to this alliance. He insists that his wedding, which is scheduled for that summer, will be canceled once he returns home with Jovie, his true match.

Jovie echoes Hallis and accuses Acker of “[making] her fall in love with [him]” (320), as Maile has a larger army than Strou. She tries to shove him away, but he grabs her and kisses her. She feels their magics intertwine and draws him closer, but she then forces herself away, realizing that her hands have left burns on his chest. Acker says that it is fine if Jovie doesn’t trust him, as long as she trusts herself. He blames Kai for making her doubt herself. In the darkness, Jovie glows slightly.

Jovie, Acker, Hallis, and Beau continue their journey toward the capitol. Jovie dwells on her projection powers and her fight and subsequent kiss with Acker. She rides with Hallis to avoid Acker, even though they are both less comfortable. She does not know how she feels about Acker’s proclamation that he will kill Kai if they cross paths again. Jovie and Hallis joke about “Fang Hands,” a story that Hallis used to terrorize her as a child. He is surprised that she has even limited memories of her past, but he apologizes for his childhood mischief. Hallis contextualizes the conversation that Jovie just overheard, framing Acker as “loyal to a fault—a dangerous fault” (327). He says that while bonded couples sometimes end up at odds, they typically “[end] up destroying one another, along with everyone else around them” (328).

When the group passes through a guarded checkpoint on the road to the capitol, Acker hides his identity to keep their movements secret. The guards demand an exorbitant bribe for passage, as they have heard “word of a light wielder at the border, a lowly girl” (329). The bribe depletes the group’s travel finances. When Hallis and Jovie seek lodging, the innkeeper demands further bribes that use up the remainder of their money, leaving nothing for food. As the city grows dark, the group realizes that their inn is a host to sex workers. The sex workers flirt with all four members of their group. Beau and Jovie share a room; once alone, Beau produces alcohol and suggests that they “get drunk.”

Jovie is annoyed to realize that she has again projected her mind into Acker’s room. She watches as Acker sleeps and Hallis works. Though Hallis seems to sense her presence, he cannot see her. However, when she reaches out to touch a sleeping Acker, he wakes suddenly and seizes his dagger, but he relents when he identifies Jovie. Acker reveals that Beau’s decision to drink indicates that she is “struggling with her magic” (339). Hallis immediately leaves to go be with Beau.

The sound of Beau and Hallis’s conversation causes Jovie’s consciousness to return to her own body. Hallis is uncharacteristically sweet with Beau as he chastises her for hiding her pain. Jovie physically leaves the room and heads to Acker’s room to sleep, as her bright aura distresses Beau. Jovie invites Acker to share the bed so that she can sleep instead of projecting, though it frustrates her that he treats their relationship as “a foregone conclusion” due to their match. Acker, in turn, is frustrated that Jovie does not feel that he has sufficiently proven his dedication to her.

Acker notes that her astral projection only began after he blocked her from his mind. He contends that her “bond is looking for a path of least resistance” to circumvent Jovie’s conscious opposition to their relationship (343). Now, Jovie uses their mental connection to flirt, and the two kiss. Jovie pulls away when Acker teases her about agreeing with the bond, though she enjoys being close to him as she sleeps.

Later, when Jovie awakens, Acker is already gone from bed. They continue their journey to the capitol, avoiding the towns along the roads. Cranky and hungover, Beau asks Jovie about her guilt for caring about Acker so soon after her relationship with Kai. Beau also urges her to be gentler with herself for holding these conflicting emotions. Jovie’s bond insistently tugs her toward Acker. He senses this and flirtatiously teases her about it. She is surprised when this exchange helps her feel more settled.

When the group nears the capitol, someone recognizes Acker. Soon afterward, they see soldiers approaching. The company is led by General Samasu, who was sent from Maile by Jovie’s mother. He insists on taking Jovie back to Maile. Samasu demonstrates his power to teleport, which he insists will save his life if he must fight for the right to take Jovie back to Maile. Samasu argues that Acker must relinquish Jovie if he wants a pardon. (This statement is never clarified in this installment of the series.) Acker reveals that he and Jovie are matched, startling Samasu. Acker swears a blood oath that he and Jovie are matched, that he will never harm Jovie, and that he loves her. His declaration infuriates Hallis and Beau and makes Samasu call him “a fool, yes, but possibly the bravest man [he’s] ever met” (355). Samasu agrees to take the dagger back to Maile as proof of Acker’s oath, and his charm and charisma remind Jovie of Wren. The battalion retreats, and Acker and Jovie kiss.