CALLING TO LEIF through my bat, I hoped there would be enough time. He seemed eager to help and rushed off to make the arrangements.

Events had to happen in a particular order for this to work. I returned to the fire world. The Fire Warper would be our first test subject. Watching out my window, I waited for Leif to return. I didn’t like being in the fire world. The shrill noise drilled through my skull and the putrid smell permeated the air. I preferred the quiet dullness of the shadow world.

The Fire Warper enjoyed my anxiety. “Look at how you long to return. Your suffering is my only pleasure. And I will enjoy keeping you here. Already I sense an unhappy boy who seeks revenge on his tormentors. If his desire grows, I’ll be able to talk to him. Unless you prevent it.”

Doubt flared about what I planned. Was I being selfish? Could I still rescue souls lost in the shadow world? Yet I had done it before with the ghosts in Owl’s Hill. Suppressing all my fears, I ignored the Fire Warper’s comments.

What seemed like a couple of weeks to me, but could have been a month or more, passed. By my brief glimpses into the Keep, the cold season had ended and the warming season was in full swing. I received updates from Leif, but now that I had a chance to escape, my impatience grew.

Finally, all the elements were in place. The gallows were built and the needed equipment brought in. My incredible relief at seeing Opal surprised me. Her mouth was pressed in pure determination as she readied her tools.

Another worry crossed my mind. Within the underworld, I hadn’t felt cold, hot, hunger or thirst. But if I stepped back through the fire, would it burn me? I would find out soon enough. The Fire Warper hovered near me, his amusement plain.

Opal grasped a long metal pipe and poked it into the kiln. I wondered where they had gotten the glassmaking supplies. She turned the pipe and drew it out. And proceeded to create a glass animal.

When she moved to blow into the pipe, I inhaled the Fire Warper’s soul. He yelped in surprise and seared my skin as I sent him through Opal and into the glass. He screamed in panic and resisted. But I controlled him. He was a soul after all.

Opal jerked as if burned, but returned to her task, making the ugliest, squattest looking pig I ever saw.

Placing the animal into the annealing oven, the wait began. Had our experiment worked? If the Fire Warper was truly trapped within the glass, then we could encase all the Warpers who knew how to perform blood magic, preventing them from passing the information along. And I could go home.

Twelve of the longest hours passed before Opal withdrew the pig and held the statue up for all to see. It was then I noticed just how many people had come to watch. I expected Leif, the Master Magicians and Councilors, but it appeared that Fisk and the entire Helping Guild members were there. My mother and father lingered at the edges. Perl’s hand was clamped to her throat in dismay, but she looked as determined as Opal.

Cahil and a regiment of soldiers, including Marrok stood at attention. Ari and Janco waited with Leif. Janco scowled, showing his extreme dislike of magic.

Valek glowed with his own inner fire. For him, I would risk the flames’ heat.

I turned my attention to Opal’s creation. It pulsed with a muddy red light. The Fire Warper was locked inside.

The audience cheered. Opal placed the pig in the sand, and gathered another blob of molten glass, preparing for the next soul.

Roze, under the control of three Master Magicians, was forced to mount the gallows’ steps. The noose was tightened around her neck and the executioner stepped back. Her face contorted with rage and she shouted.

Time froze for a moment and I felt what it would have been like to stand there terrified, waiting for the floor to open and my life to end with a quick snap of my neck. If I had chosen the noose instead of becoming the Commander’s food taster two years ago, I wondered if any of this would have happened.

Roze fell in slow motion. Her body jerked at the end of the rope. Her soul flew. I captured it.

Her hateful thoughts filled my mind. Guardian of the underworld suits you, Yelena. You belong here. You don’t really believe you can go back? You’ll be feared by all and become an outcast in record time.

If I was a Soulstealer, I would agree with you, I said. You don’t scare me, Roze. You never did and that bothered you more than me being a Soulfinder.

Opal blew. I sent Roze on her final journey. Then Gede. Then the other four Warpers. Seven in all, including the Fire Warper.

When all the Warpers had been encased in glass, Opal sank to the ground in exhaustion. Now I could leave. I glanced around, trying to determine whether I missed anything, whether a soul who could do harm remained. Roze’s words had a bit of truth to them. Regardless of my explanations, Sitians would be frightened of me and the Council’s suspicion and unease would linger for a long time.

I welcomed the difficulties. All part of living, and I planned to enjoy every minute.

As I walked through my window to the Keep, sounds reached me first. The roar of the fire. Leif calling my name. Then scalding heat sucked my breath away. Bright yellow and orange stabbed at my eyes. My cape caught fire. I dived to the sand and rolled on the ground to snuff the flames. So much for my grand entrance.