So why was it erased? Was he insecure?
Now wearing one of her practiced court expressions, Maggie let herself stare at the two men from toe to top. “Anything else you want to share?”
“Err… Do you remember walking to the village and grabbing a stick to use to defend yourself if there was danger?” Monahan asked, gesturing like he was grabbing something from the ground.
“I do! I was with… two people.” She scowled, trying to bring thatmemory into better focus. The sense that she had to be the responsible one came rushing back. She held Axell’s gaze. “That was you? Monahan?”
“Ja.” Axell beamed at her. “You were at the town with us, but you left the tavern with the headmaster that night. I stayed to woo Daniel.”
Maggie didn’t miss the smile Daniel sent Axell. The wooing had obviously worked. They were incredibly cute together, and she felt a flash of envy that she didn’t have that with Sondre. Knowing that there were memories missing made her feel awkward sometimes, like she was playacting at liking him. They had chemistry, but that wasn’t enough.
Although it must have been real or I wouldn’t be leverage to use against him,she thought with a tiny smile.
“Could you call meDan?” Monahan blurted out.
“Maybe… why do you want me to know any of this?” Maggie watched Dan look away sheepishly.
Axell, however, gave her the sort of look she imagined the best of teachers gave their students. “Because they are your memories. Memories make us who we are. So you should have them back. You know they stole things from your mind.”
“I do. Did I… was Ifondof Sondre?” she asked with a slight waver. Knowing he cared was different than having an outsider say she felt for him, too.
“Yes,” Axell and Dan both said.
Relief washed over her. Magic that could change what people knew could, by extension, change what they thought or felt. Belief was a result of lived experience, so if her knowledge was false, what she felt would be, too. Quietly, she added, “Did I love him?”
“No idea, but you trusted him.” Dan squirmed. “I’m not sure how much we ought to be discussing out here in the open.” He looked around the hallway. “Come on.”
She paused. Going with them felt like a bad idea, like taking the first step before she even had a plan. She believed in trusting her gut,but this was more impulsive than she liked. She needed to weigh and research and plan.
Break the rules,the hob had said.
Axell is obviously a singer.
“What’s your magic, Dan?”
He paused. “Why?”
“Because I’m to look for a maker and a singer.” She nodded toward Axell. “He sings.”
“I don’t make things,” Dan said tensely. “I destroy things.”
“Daniel…” Axell started.
But Dan shook his head. “I do. You know it.”
After a tense moment, Axell whispered, “Ellie Brandeaumakes.”
Then they resumed walking. Maggie followed them to a section of wall that looked uncharacteristically empty. Dan stood there, both hands flat on the wall like he was checking the castle for a fever.
“It is okay,” Axell said quietly.
After several moments, the wall opened. It split as if a great silent crack was dividing the stones. At first the crack was only the width of a hand. Then the crack widened as if a section of the wall had vanished.
“What the actual fuck…?” Maggie muttered.
“It is our secret headquarters,” Dan said, sounding more cheerful now. “I mean, nottoosupersecret. The headmaster knows. Probably about twelve or fifteen other people know, too. We can talk here, though.”
Maggie stepped inside the room; the men followed. Glancing behind her, she saw a giant wooden door that looked like it ought to be on the side of an old church. A massive ring on the door was the only fixture.
