I groaned, wanting to smack myself. I’d intended to transport myself directly into the palace.
Wading out of the water to the shore, I held up the lamp, squinting. Was there any oil left?
Though something sloshed around, I couldn’t be sure if it was oil or saltwater. I knelt, setting the lamp on the packed soil, reaching into my pocket to pull out the flint—but it wasn’t there.
I moaned again.
I’d set the flint down on the table. Back at the Red Rose. Almost three-days travel from here.
Without any way to light the lamp, I gripped it desperately, closing my eyes and picturing my bedroom. “Take me to my room,” I whispered. “Please, take me to my room.”
But, of course, I didn’t move. Dawn was breaking and the dark sky was turning gray with a hint of color on the horizon, lighting up the shoreline and the path that led to the road.
Sighing, I stood, tucking the lamp into my dress pocket and brushing the sand off my wet hands.
I would have to walk.
My cold, wet skirts clung to my legs, making me shiver. I wrung them out as much as possible before I began the long hike to Hodafez.
“Where can I get some of those?” A female voice spoke up behind me.
I whirled, heart thumping.
Before me stood a stark-naked woman with nothing on her except a seashell necklace, and a few other strategically placed shells.
I gaped at her.
She stood with her knees braced together as if she might fall and gestured to my clothes. “That whole ensemble would be nice. How can I go about getting something like that for myself?”
She sounded like a raving lunatic.
“What happened to you?” I asked even as I reached up to unclasp my cloak, pulling it over my shoulders. “Were you hurt? Did someone do this to you?” Fury rose in me. I swung my cloak over her thin shoulders. “Here, put this on, quickly now.” I brushed her long, auburn hair out of the way, securing it in the front.
Stepping back, I expected a thank you, or an explanation, or both, but she only held out her arms, making the cloak swish open and closed. “How lovely. This will do very nicely.” Glancing up at me, she grinned and finally added, “Thank you.”
“Ahh...” I cleared my throat at the flashes of skin. “No, no...” I gripped the edges of the cloak and pulled them back together. “Keep it closed, like this, until you find a dress to put on underneath.”
She acted like a child. I listened for her thoughts, but a void surrounded her. Total silence. Was I accidentally repressing them, like Gideon had taught me, or was she truly thinking nothing at all?
“Listen,” I began walking. There wasn’t time to get sidetracked. I aimed for the road to Hodafez, calling over my shoulder, “I need to go. Keep the cloak.” I paused, glancing back. “Youdohave a dress you can put on, don’t you?”
She shook her head, still grinning, and followed me, matching my pace. “Could I borrow one from you?”
“Borrow—you—” I faltered, then began to walk faster. When she kept up, I gestured to myself. “I don’t have a spare dress with me.” Sarcasm dripped from my voice, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“That’s okay.” She tripped over nothing and caught herself.
“Have you been drinking?” I asked. That would explain the complete lack of clothes. Well,explainmight be stretching it.
“Drinking what?” she asked. “Ooh, I’ve heard of drinking, could we try it?”
I slowed my pace, eyeing her. “What’s your name? Where are you from?” Another glance as we walked and this time I was the one who tripped, as my eyes widened. “Are thosegillson your neck?”
“Yes,” she said simply, tripping as well, but smiling as if it were some accomplishment. “And my name is Grand Tsaretska Marena Yuryevna Mniszech.” Her tone inferred this title should mean something to me.
“Are you a Jinni?” I asked in hushed tones, stopping in the middle of the road.
She whirled to face me, cloak flying open. “How rude!”
