“I don’t understand,” I whispered through building tears. “If you’re the problem, why would the boat have taken us out to sea? Wouldn’t it have stayed dormant back at the beach? Why bring us out here, then reject your presence?” Had this been part of the test? Was I supposed to choose between Knight and the cauldron? Magda’s words came back to haunt me. The end of your quest will not be satisfying if it comes at the cost of everything else you hold dear. I had been naïve enough to think there was nothing left in my life I held dear. I was being forced to face that very decision. Could I leave Knight for dead in order to get myself to the cauldron? If only I had been as heartless as everyone claimed, there wouldn’t have been a problem. The answer would have been simple, and I would be safel
