“It’s important.”
“Not to me. I’m not just protecting you until Selection. I’mreporting on you to Jaxan. That includes what you say to me. So whatever it is, I don’t want to hear about it.”
He stood to go.
“But it’s — ”
“No.”
We were quiet the rest of the way to Helen’s. I drank when I needed it, and Leland responded to his messages, until eventually, we were at the small, wooden footbridge curving over the creek. I still didn’t understand Helen’s choice, why she’d live here instead of in a luxurious estate, but whatever her reason, she had stumbled upon one of the most beautiful spots in all of Hartik’s Hollow. Set atop a hill, a grassy field away from her nearest neighbor, it had the perfect amount of peace and quiet without being too sequestered.
I glanced awkwardly at the house as Leland seemed to be stopping at the end of the bridge and spied the vague outline of a thick bundle of parchment tossed on the porch. The newspaper, I guessed, then noticed something else slightly shadowed at the door. I squinted until I worked out it was a tall paper grocery bag, with something that looked like a bunch of bananas poking out the top.
“Leland,” I called out sharply, finding him already leaving. “Why are there groceries on Helen’s porch?”
“I don’t know, Ember.” He turned and answered over his shoulder, “Perhaps because you needed them.”
* * *
Inside, I unloaded the groceries, then scarfed down a blueberry protein bar, tossed the wrapper on the coffee table, and opened the newspaper I’d found on the porch. My stomach turned.
In a large black-and-white photograph on the cover, Trist, the Healer Leland had brought over to Heal my paralysis yesterday, held a newborn baby.
Trist Yidley, fourth-year Healer and Allwitch Aspirant, reported missing after failing to show for infirmary shift early Saturday morning.
I read further, leaning over the table with my head in my hands. No one had seen Trist since Friday morning. Not since she was with me, though that detail hadn’t come to light yet.
Her Familiar was at home, restless but alive, which meant Trist was alive too. But her transmitter wasn’t receiving messages, no Scrying spells could locate her, and all efforts to mentally Contact her had failed. The reporter, Farrah Prolix, speculated it had something to do with the Allwitches, and Trist had been taken to Alchemia where mainland magic couldn’t reach.
I grew more annoyed with each additional word, finding Farrah’s concern for Trist’s well-being to be grossly lacking.
Yidley was instrumental in this important job of delivering newborn witches safely and effectively. As the infirmary’s best Healer, her successful track record, particularly in the birthing unit, was attributed to her high spell count. . .
I closed the paper and pushed it away. My gut told me to message Leland, but he’d left me less than an hour ago. I didn’t know if he’d heard the news yet.
I paced from the living room to the kitchen, then to the window, where I stared at the porch as if I’d find Trist walking up the steps. I went back to the couch and sat on the arm, silver flask in one hand and transmitter in the other. I don’t know what finally convinced me to message him.
Ember Blackburn:The newspaper says Trist is missing. Have you seen it?
There were a few times I’d typed something gentler but didn’t hit send.Do you know what happened? I’m worried. I wantedto tell you in case you didn’t know.There were intrusive thoughts, too, like,You brought me the infirmary’sbestHealer?
I tossed the transmitter into a corner of the couch, planning to occupy myself while I waited for his reply by changing out of my palace clothes. But his reply came in an instant.
Leland Stray:Hi. Paper’s up to date with what the Echelons know. Her Familiar’s alive, so don’t worry too much. I’ll be at Odessa Hall tomorrow hearing statements and will know more soon. Try to stay out of trouble.
I felt easier after that and went into Ash’s room, forgetting the coin Arissa had slipped me until I changed out of my pants — and nothing clanged when they hit the floor. I bent down to double-check, curious if “rescuing me from the ingress” was nothing more than an excuse to raid my pockets, and mad I hadn’t noticed.
Finished searching the pocket, I stood. The coin definitely wasn’t there.
But something else was.
I’d pulled out a neatly folded square of parchment, and in my rush to open it, I knocked my elbow into a bottle of expensive-looking perfume.
I took a step away from the dark wood vanity in Ash’s bedroom before glancing down at the note. Only, it wasn’t a note.
It was a giant map of the portstops, with every ingress and egress clearly labeled. On it, Leland had drawn a red circle around the ingress I’d almost stepped on, and not only that, but he’d also written a small red exclamation point off to the side of the circle. I rolled my eyes and folded up the map. I was still irritated with him, but at least he’d given me something useful.
When it was time for bed, I blew out the lanterns, mentally replaying the moment Leland must’ve slipped his hand in my pocket and taken the coin. I didn’t particularly carewhyhe’dtaken it, but I wondered what it was, and was mad that now I would have to ask him to know. Did the coin have something to do with EmberStray? Was it just because she’d thought I looked like I needed gold?
