Calya’s lips twitched with a barely concealed smirk. Had Anadae always been so crafty, or did the freedom of pursuing her mage work bring it out? Brint might be charming his way back into his family’s good graces, but the Helm sisters had his measure. Anadae was willing to be polite with him—she was nice like that—but Calya relished a grudge. To her mind, there was no more worthy a subject than Brint fucking Avenor.
Although, her trustee was a close second. Wembly wanted her to “check in” with Orren regularly during the trip. Which she had no intention of doing. What would it matter, anyway? Whether Wembly remained in Renstown or returned home to Grae Port during her absence, half of the country would separate them in either direction. Even if Orren tattled on her and reported that Calya had ignored her trustee’s request, Wembly wouldn’t know until they’d already returned.
Besides, Arthur Wembly’s days of authority were numbered. Calya wouldn’t leave Desmond’s Landing until she had every answer she desired so far as it even tangentially related to her business. Her father would have not a single reason, no hint of plausibility or excuse, to deny her right to ascension. If Brint wanted to interfere, he’d have to physically drag her back home.
As if he had the balls to try it.
Movement along the water drew Calya’s eye as one of the smaller boats that ferried between Sylvan and Renstown pulled up to the dock. It was a passenger-only vessel—not as fast as a windrunner, but without freight it was able to traverse the width of the lake in four or five hours, other conditions permitting.
Which meant her friends had been up for a while. Eunny Song’s dark hair on its own would’ve blended in with the crowd, but next to her partner Ollas Nevin’s brown curls and Zhenya Lee’s pearl-white bun, the trio stood out. Ollas trailed just behind the two women, towing a light handcart laden with a single, large box.
Something like relief washed over Calya. Which was disconcerting, for she didn’t like to think that she’d been worried about Brint or Wembly’s machinations. She was made of sterner stuff than that. It was too close to sentimentality, the gladness she felt at seeing those familiar faces and knowing they were coming with her.
Calya waved, allowing herself a tiny smile when Eunny waved back. She was Anadae’s best friend, but Calya had known her for most of their lives. Despite the four years separating them, they enjoyed a pleasant friendship. Of a sort. Not the same level of closeness Eunny and her sister shared, but considerably more than Calya had with anyone else. Which was probably telling of something, but she didn’t have time for maintaining emotional connections when she had a company to take over.
Eunny was her ally. If anyone could despise Brint as much as Calya, and be unrestrained in showing it, it was her. Well, Ezzyn, too, but that was more of a dick-waving contest.
Calya eyed the cart as the group came to a stop beneath the shelter. “Is that the blessed tea?”
Hard to believe that a container the size of a house cat, albeit a large one, could be of such significance. Especially considering how its contents, while valuable nearly beyond measure only a few days’ travel north of here, were useless where she was going. But the expensive leaf water made the ship sail, so Calya could pretend to care about it. At least until they got underway.
“The benefactor of all your travels,” Eunny said with a flourish. “We come bearing gifts.”
“I saw.” Calya nodded toward the box.
Eunny tutted. “Real gifts.” She turned to Ollas, shooing him away. “Remember, the copper scoop. Three heaping spoonfuls. Don’t let these Renstownies try and use the plated one. I know who does their metalwork around here. The cop?—”
Ollas kissed her. “I know, love. One of us is actually from the Valley, remember?” Ignoring the way Eunny’s cheeks puffed out in mock annoyance, he glanced at Calya and Zhenya. “Since I’m being relegated to the coffee and tea run, would you like anything from the roastery?”
Calya demurred, and with a wave, Ollas departed for the market.
Zhenya settled next to Calya, who looked her over surreptitiously, mind churning with what she could remember from the handful of days they’d known each other.
“You’re a grovetender, too, right?” Calya asked. “How’d you convince the school to send all three of you?”
“I’m mainly inkmaking and inscription work,” Zhenya replied.
“Nev and I can make the tea, and even grow some if there’s actually a need,” Eunny added. “Zhen’s the best for freshening enchants.”
The short, Hanyeok-descent woman bore the pearl-white hair that marked her as hailing from the Deiju region of Hanyeok. They were of similar age, though the Deiju white hair and softened Hanyeok features would probably make Zhenya appear in her indeterminate late twenties long after she left them behind. Calya, with her hard jaw and fair skin, would wear the effects of time with unflinching honesty. Zhenya was a senior assistant to one of the professors at Sylveren, and she hadn’t hesitated to throw her lot in with Eunny and stand against the Coalition’s meddling. Calya didn’t know her well, but she was a quick judge of character. Zhenya had proved her worth many times over already.
Anadae and Ezzyn walked down the gangplank to join them under the shelter. “We’re almost ready up there.”
“Still waiting on a few,” Calya said. “And I need to sign off on the extra cargo with the dockmaster.”
Anadae looked over her shoulder back toward the ship. “I haven’t seen Malek’ko’s Sentinel yet, either.”
“He’ll be here,” Calya said.
“Hopefully soon. Brint is getting antsy, and he’d love to use Ollas’s history as a Sentinel as an excuse to leave.”
Ezzyn muttered under his breath about useless nepotistic bastards.
Calya cracked a smile in agreement before looking at Eunny. “You mentioned gifts?” A hopeful note crept into her voice.
Eunny grinned, producing a bag of motion sickness candies. A big bag, stamped with the Sylveren University seal, the blue ribbon fastening it indicating it had been made by one of the higher-level graduate students.
“Oh, thank fuck.” Calya greedily took the bag, raising it to her nose for a sniff. A mix of ginger spice and mellow sweetness, with a tingle of magic for good measure, made her shiver.
