“I wouldn’t joke about something like that.” Holding her gaze, I take a deep breath and plunge ahead. “Founding the school was one of the first things Valoria wanted to do as the new queen of Karthia.”
Azelie grips the seat of the cart like it’s all that’s keeping her from falling over.“Queen?”
“That’s right. If you’re going to consider coming to Karthia, there’s a lot you should know. Kasmira’s not a court-appointed cartographer. None of us are...”
I hesitate on the verge of saying more. She’s given me no reason to doubt her, but then, I’d have said the same of Hadrien not too long ago. I trusted Meredy, too—with my heart, of all things—and look how that’s turned out. But as Azelie smiles at me, her face warm and open, my resolve to keep to myself weakens. I guess I’ll never learn.
After swearing her to secrecy, as we ride through lonely stretches of swamp and fields, I explain everything that happened before we came to Sarral—starting with the day Evander and I watched Master Nicanor die at our feet.
VIII
We don’t reach Glia Raal until late evening, missing the curfew for the living along with supper, but I’m not hungry after so much discussion of Karthia and all that recently happened there.
By the time we part ways at the boarding house, after asking a million and one questions, Azelie has decided to join us on theParadiseto see the world and attend Valoria’s mage school. She dashes off, almost colliding with a Dead woman in the street, promising she’ll be at the harbor tomorrow.
When I trudge up to my room at the boarding house, leaving Nipper to frolic in the backyard for a bit, Kasmira greets me at the top of the stairs.
“My old girl is seaworthy again, Sparrow,” she declares with an air of long suffering. “Finally. Being stuck on land makes me itchy after a while.” She follows me into the cramped, daffodil-colored room where I’ve spent my sleepless nights, and sits on the bed.
“That’s good news, Kas.” I try to smile, but find I can’t, as I look down the hallway and see no sign of Meredy.
“Yeah?” Kasmira tilts her head, deep gray eyes searching my face. “Doesn’t sound that way, and here I thought you wanted to see seventeen new places this year...”
“It’s not anything you said.” Turning away, I bury the leather bag holding the stupid crystal at the bottom of my pile of belongings. “Look. I’m packed already. Wouldn’t want to miss another chance to be, I don’t know, locked up forever just for being a necromancer, would I?” I force a smile. “We leave tomorrow, first thing?”
Kasmira’s still looking a bit too closely at me when I turn back to her. “I don’t know about first thing. More like afternoon. Dvora and I are meeting a few of the others at a tavern for one last night of drinking and depravity.” She grins. “I know this city has a curfew and all, but we’ve found a fine establishment that’ll serve you at any hour whether you’re living or Dead, long as you can pay. You’re welcome to come, but...” Her expression softens, and there’s no mistaking the concern in her gaze. “I imagine you want to spend your time saying your goodbyes here. Unless, of course, you want to stay, too.”
“Stay? What do you mean? Who—? Oh.” Understanding dawns before Kasmira can elaborate, and my heartbeat quickens. “Meredy’s staying here? What? Why? When did she decide—?”
“It’s not my place to say.” Kasmira climbs to her feet and throws her arms around me. She pulls me in for a hug with immense strength.
“Kas, I need to breathe.”
“Oh! Sorry.” Kasmira sighs against my hair, but she doesn’t let go just yet, and neither do I.
“Why is she staying?” My voice comes out slightly cracked.
“You should go talk to her.” At last, Kasmira steps back, but she raises my chin with her fingers. “She was outside last I saw, in the yard with the others.”
I don’t stop to ask who theseothersare. I’ll find out soon enough. Nearly tripping over my own feet in my haste, I somehow manage to get down the stairs and out into the large fenced yard where I left Nipper to play. The sky outside is black and starless, but thanks to the firelight spilling from the boarding house windows, I can see well enough.
Beneath the shelter of a large tree, Meredy and three strangers—a girl with raven hair and twin boys with emerald pins on their tunics—sit in a circle, their hands in their laps and their eyes closed as if in a collective trance. None look up at my approach, and as I glance toward the far end of the yard, through an open gate and up a hill, I understand why.
The strangest group of beasts I’ve ever seen are running through the night together, barking, growling, and nipping playfully at one another whenever they get close enough: Lysander the grizzly, a black dog with long, glossy fur, and a pair of giant cats with identical spotted coats. The animals’ eyes all glow an unnaturally bright green as their masters share their minds—all except the eyes of the small pink dragon who rolls herself into a ball and collides with one of the big cats, causing them both to tumble downhill.
“Nipper,” I groan, shaking my head. Any other time, her antics would make me laugh.
Slowly, the glow fades from all the beasts’ eyes, and the people beneath the tree begin to stir. My heart quickens as I hurry to Meredy’s side. Sometimes, she needs help remembering who she is after occupying Lysander’s mind. I’ve seen it happen before. All beast masters are a little more like their animals after using their magic; it’s the cost of their gift. The longer they stay inside a creature’s mind, the more feral they tend to become. And if they push too far, they can lose themselves entirely, stuck inside a creature’s mind forever.
But as I help Meredy climb to her feet, there’s instant recognition and alertness in her eyes. “Welcome back,” she says softly. Her face radiates happiness, her cheeks glowing pink as though she, not Lysander, just enjoyed a run through the night air.
“Meredy,” I say in a low voice as her friends talk among themselves. “Why aren’t you—you know...?”
“On all fours, trying to catch a squirrel for supper?” she finishes for me, grinning. “My new friends have been teaching me how to control my magic better.” She stands a little taller, seeming proud as she explains, “That’s why I couldn’t come with you and Azelie. I just didn’t want to say anything in case things didn’t go well. But as you saw, they did!” Her face falling slightly, she adds, “I still have a lot to learn, though. So much that I’ve decided to stay a while and work on my bond with Lysander.”
Suddenly, every angry word I wanted to shout, every question I wanted to throw at her about staying dissolves on my tongue. She looks more alive in this place, more at ease than she ever did in Karthia.
Her desire to stay has nothing to do with me. She deserves this. Sure, I’ll miss her every second of every day, but who would I be if I couldn’t see how she’s slipped right into this world that celebrates her magic as though it’s where she’s always belonged? Seeing her like this, I realize her happiness matters far more than what I want. Not only that, but if she gets an even better grasp of her magic here, she’ll be far less likely to descend into Lysander’s mind for good. She’ll be safe. She’ll always be the person I’ve come to care about more than I would have imagined possible.
