The world around them dissolved and reformed. Ruan stood in the courtyard—the real courtyard—of Castle Ulek, blinking at the bright golden light of sunset.

Ruan gave himself a moment to breathe actual air, to feel the sharp chill of mountain wind rushing over him. This was real. This was real.

Varajas was squinting up at the sky. “How long were we in there?”

“I don’t know.” Samir sounded a little dazed. Like he was coming out of a dream. Which, Ruan supposed, they all were. “I don’t know if time passing in there was real.”

Ruan didn’t like that that sentence made sense to him. If he had his wish, he’d never be anywhere near magic like that again. “Minutes or days, it hardly matters. The real question is, is Girald paying attention to what’s happening up here? Are we in danger of him coming to find us?”

Ruan wasn’t sure what answer he wanted to hear. Archwizard or no, if the man appeared before him right now, Ruan would be happy to pick a fight.

“I don’t think so,” Samir said. “Peyter cast the magic. Girald might be managing whatever it is keeping people from thinking about Ulek, but we haven’t done anything to break that. Even if we were inside as long as it felt, it hasn’t been so long Girald’s going to come looking for Peyter yet.”

“Then I suggest we take advantage of that,” Varajas said. “We could use some time to recover. To…figure things out. We should find a place to hunker down. We’ve got a whole castle to choose from.”

“Haven’t you had enough of this place yet?” Ruan tried to sound sharp, but he just didn’t have the energy. He understood what Varajas was trying to do, to give them time. To put off decisions. As though anything would be easier in the morning than it was now.

Peyter’s words were still echoing in his head. About Donatien. Could it be true? Peyter had every reason to lie. And yet, with everything they’d been through, everything Ruan had seen, he couldn’t entirely discount the idea.

Varajas put a hand on Ruan’s shoulder, the weight of it more reassuring than it had any right to be. “Come on. I have an idea.”