She knows.
Will’s affinity stirred again, but this time, it wasn’t in anger. It was in desperation.
“Good day,” Nial began, his tone rehearsed as he stared down at the sheet of paper in his hands. Fifteen godsdamn houses, and he still relied on the parchment like a fledgling actor.
Will, on the other hand, could recite it by heart.
It is with a heavy heart that I must report the loss of theJuniper, a merchant vessel of the Castell fleet…
“Who is it,mi couera?” a deep voice sounded from within the home. A hand appeared above Aya’s on the door, and suddenly it was swinging wide open. Callias Veliri looked at them with gentle confusion, a welcoming smile pulling at his lips. “Can I help you two?”
Nial cleared his throat. “It is with a heavy heart that I must report the loss of theJuniper, a merchant vessel of the Castell fleet.”
Callias sucked in a sharp breath.
“Our records show that your kin”—a pause as he scanned the sheet—“Eliza Veliri was serving aboard.”
“Oh gods,” Callias whispered. His kind face was shuttering, his body collapsing against the door as tears sprang up in his eyes. Will could feel his agony brushing against his shield. He still hadn’t quite mastered how to protect himself entirely from others.
“She has been reported missing along with…”
Will could hardly hear the rest of Nial’s speech above the gut-clenching cry that burst from Callias’s mouth. Buthe knew it, knew just how cold and callous his father was to include it.
…along with fifteen others in service to the merchant house. Ten crates of Zeluus-forged weaponry. Six crates of wool.
He looked to Aya, who was still standing ramrod straight in the doorway. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her body held so rigidly he thought she might snap. He could see the quiver of her muscles as she kept herself together, fury and despair lining her defiant stare as Nial droned on, his voice flat beneath the sobs of her father.
Will’s affinity surged, and this time, he let it. There were intricacies to this, he knew. Elements of his power he hadn’t yet mastered—things like feeling another’s emotions without letting oneself drown in them. But he could take some of that hurt his father had caused. He could maybe even lessen it.
Help her.
It was his only thought as he let his power reach for her, desperate to ease what he could only guess was unimaginable pain.
He felt a whisper of something—something cool and soothing, like the mountain air had been on his lungs. But it vanished as Aya’s gaze met his, and then he felt…
Nothing at all.
No pain, despite the tears in her eyes. No fury, despite the rage in her stare. No whisper that there was even someone before him.
Was he doing it wrong? Ms. Scheuler had said Sensainos could detect the essence of someone, even if they shielded. What was happening?
Will’s head cocked as he pushed his power forward, filling it with warmth, and sympathy, and every ounce of earnest apology his scrawny self could weave into it.
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
But again, it was met with nothing.
“Unfortunately, because the voyage was incomplete,payment will not be rendered for services. All accounts for those lost will be settled within the fortnight, and any remaining payments owed to you by Master Castell will be made in—”
“Leave,” Aya’s voice was quiet, but it cut through Nial’s monotone like a knife. And yet it wasn’t the attendant she addressed.
It was Will.
He swallowed hard. “Aya.”
It was the first time he’d ever said her name aloud, and it cracked against the lump that remained in his throat.
“Leave.”
