She slammed the door behind her, and I turned to Skye, who had a weak smile on her face.
‘She’s actually lovely, when you get to know her. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.’
‘Evella help me,’ I muttered under my breath. I slumped back onto the bed and, grabbing a pillow, placed it over my face before screaming into it.
An hour later, I left my chambers wearing a plain grey dress Skye had tried her best to talk me out of. She’d produced a scarlet gown with layers of taffeta, a tight bodice embroidered with silver filigree and actual diamonds that would, apparently,enhance my natural colouring and assets. Disappointment had flashed across her pretty freckled face when I informed her the gown would only enhance my temper, and I’d rather leave my chambers naked than wear it.
After exhausting a thousand options, she’d found a simple grey satin gown with long sleeves and a scalloped neckline. She frowned when I told her it was perfect.
‘But Sorrow,’ she said, looking a tad green, ‘this is a mourning dress.’
‘As I said, it’s perfect.’
She didn’t argue again.
‘I’ll show you where Glesni’s training room is,’ she said, offering me her elbow.
I shook my head as I peered down the hallway, past two guards standing outside my chambers.
‘Thank you. But I’m going to the library instead. I need to know what texts are available.’
‘I don’t think you should do that, Sorrow. You really don’t want to make Glesni angry.’
‘And she won’t want to risk my ire, either,’ I said, curling my fingers into the comfort of Pablo’s fur. ‘The library, Pab.’
Skye rushed to my side as Pablo led me down the unfamiliar corridors. My heart stuttered at the strange darkness of Matthias’s home. I inhaled deeply, absorbing the oak and candles, floor polish, noticing the whisper of warm bread. I hoped the scents would relax my taut muscles.
‘You know, Glesni’s a fire wielder,’ Skye said, nodding to a guard. ‘That’s her first power. She’s been known to singe the hair of those who upset her.’
‘First power?’
Skye leaned in. ‘Glesni is a Deviant. She can also do that…moving objects with her mind business.’
‘Telekinesis.’
‘Yes, that’s it. She once summoned Matthias when he was in an important council meeting. Yanked him right out of the chamber and into her rooms.’
‘At least she didn’t burn him,’ I muttered.
‘He had a huge hole in the seat of his pants. I’ve never seen him so angry.’
I prayed Skye missed my nervous swallow. If Glesni was a Deviant, a highly sought-after rarity ‘blessed’ with two gifts, that was another reason to avoid her. I didn’t need her poking her stubby nose into my past and unearthing things buried for good reasons. I threw my shoulders back. That was it then. There was no way under Evella’s sky I would ever be in the same room as Glesni.
I smiled, satisfied with my resolve.
Less than ten minutes later, I sat in a rather uncomfortable rickety chair glaring at Pablo, who’d led me straight to the training room. Perhaps Glesni had lied and possessed an unheard of third power where she could indeed talk to animals, and she’d threatened the wolf with fire. I couldn’t think of another reason why the damned creature had betrayed me.
The old woman hissed as she sat in a padded velvet chair opposite mine, a smug grin on her lined face.
‘You’d better be on your best behaviour, Sorrow Elmswood,’ she said, leaning forward and peering at me. ‘I’m not in the best mood since your husband dragged me out of my warm bed in the early hours to inform me my new student had arrived.’
I sat straighter, maintaining her harsh gaze. ‘I certainly don’t want to be here.’
Glesni tilted her head, her eyes searching my face for a few moments before she spoke.
‘Have you ever seen the effects of the blight, Sorrow Elmswood?’
I looked away, examining her rough wooden table laden with hazy jars and tubs. Anything to avoid meeting the truth lurking in her gaze.
