I host my study group for the third day in a row, my Hearth too empty without Draven’s snark filling it, and I wish he or his friends were here to field some of my friend’s questions about the trip. Instead, I remain vague about the whole experience. Kasper doesn’t show, yet again, and though Ember excuses it as some minor argument between them I wonder if he holds some subconscious memory of the interrogation. I grin every time Felix makes her laugh though, which seems to be a lot.
When the others leave for the evening, Ember hangs behind, telling me all about the fight between her and Kasper. It seems to all stem from his unwillingness to open up, refusing to talk about his past. I hesitate on telling her what I’ve learned, which is very little, and then get caught in the strings of how I would explain knowing any of it. I deflect instead.
“What about Felix? He’s so sweet and he clearly likes you.”
“What about Wynter?” she asks me back with a knowing smirk, freckles scattered like cinnamon across her nose and cheeks, those emerald eyes mischievous. I heave out a sigh, balancing a starlit dagger on a fingertip.
“Draven’s only the second person in my life to make me feel like this.” My face heats at the thought of it.
“Tell me about the first.” Ember leans in to listen. “Was he cute?”
And I open a sliver of myself, a careful gift. “She was beautiful.”
Ember grins, bumping me with her shoulder. “Tell me all about her.”
• • •
EMBER AND I TALKinto the night about exes, our past, all of it balanced between jokes and laughter. The next morning I’m picking at a pumpkin cream cheese scone as we all sit in the Atrium for breakfast, when Kasper shows up. Ember jumps to her feet and the two whisper for a bit off to the side before rejoining the group. She puts her hand in Kasper’s right at the table. Everyone stops. His pale eyes flick over all of us, as if he’s waiting for a reprimand, but she showed me no judgment last night, and swallowing my reservations of him, I realize it’d be hypocritical for me to do anything less.
“If you two break up, she keeps the kids,” I let him know. Amaya and Cleona laugh, and I notice poor Felix putting on a brave smile. Kasper grins wildly, and I think it’s the first time I’ve seen something other than a snarl on his lips, and the little act changes his whole face.
“I figured.” He gives a little shrug, putting an arm around her shoulders, and she beams, mouthingthank youto me.
I smile, but something twinges in me. I haven’t heard from Draven in days. The group continues to chatter except for Felix, who makes an excuse about forgetting something in his Hearth. I watch him leave, his shoulders slouched, and I wish I had something to say to him.
That’s when I see Malik.
It’s the first sign of Draven’s friends since returning. Hope sparks in me, and I excuse myself to run over to him.
“Malik! Hey, Malik!”
He looks relieved to see me.
“Rune—I was looking for you, actually.” He reaches into his bag and crushes a letter into my hand. “Draven gave this to me at the palace, but I haven’t seen you. He’ll skin me alive if I don’tpass it along,” he rattles off quickly, as though scared he’s going to get in trouble.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “Is Fable?”
“Yeah, we’re good. You?” He looks genuinely concerned and I nod, things a little awkward but I’m glad to see him, to see someone else who was there, too.
He smiles, clapping me on the shoulder, and takes off for his classes.
Half of me is furious at Draven taking days to check in, but the winning part has me running back to my Hearth to read Draven’s words in private. I plop down at my desk and flatten the letter. An odd little pen rolls out of it onto the desk.
Wraith,
I’m sorry I disappeared. My father doesn’t want me to return to the Forge for the rest of the semester. He’s certain the drake being alive was no accident, that they killed a younger male drake but knew a female remained. He’s paranoid that King Eldarion and King Altair may have joined forces in secret, both of them hating mortals and changelings, and that Eldarion aimed to be rid of you on Altair’s behalf, or me, or both of us to weaken Sedah. While I think Altair would prefer for us to join him too, he may have decided it’s easier to carve a path through us instead.
My father thinks that the Ascension’s assassination attempt could even be related, after all, no mortals are supposed to be able to get over the Wall, or even pass messages. Not without inside help, and the changelings involved never left the Forge.
My father fears someone’s been planted on the grounds. To disrupt things from within.
Maybe he’s right. The evidence certainly supports it, and though he tends to err on the side of caution his suspicions have an uncanny knack of ringing true.
Watch your back. I’ve ordered my friends to do the same.
You can write to me with this pen, it’s a twinsoul to the one I have. I’ll receive your message instantly. Just put it down when you’re done. You’ll see.
—Draven
