“Yes.”
“What’s that like?”
“About the same as it was. Only, the guards listen to me more now, and Ludis has to pretend to be nice to me when there’s people around.”
“I can’t believe Lee was hiding all that.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “You really can’t trust anyone, can you?”
I squeeze her hand. “I trust you.”
“I know. And you don’t count when I say that. Me and you, we’re not just anyone.” She smiles, then it fades. “I’m sorry about the enforcer.”
“I don’t want to talk about him,” I tell her.
“For what it’s worth, you two have a lot more in common than you realize. That man would do anything to protect his sister.”
“He’s still there with her?” I ask.
“Yes. I heard the emperor telling him he had to figure out how to get her to stop releasing those monsters. But she likes the creatures.” Anya lowers her voice. “She calls them her friends.”
“She was locked alone in a tower,” I point out.
“True.”
“Did she tell you anything? About her magic or what it was like or where she came from?” I ask.
“Not really,” Anya says.
“I feel bad for her. It wasn’t like she chose that gift. Magic shouldn’t be a death sentence.” I can’t imagine the way Nate’s daughter must feel. If she has the same gift, is she summoning monsters on accident? Or is it just manipulating the future that causes them? What if she never tries to see the future, would she be spared?
I need to talk to him. Tell him what I discovered. But also, I don’t want to risk Brevan’s sister. I need to wait until he returns. Find out more before I share his secret.
“Do you think that’s why they took it away from normal people?” Anya asks.
I force myself to the present, then consider her question. Does Rosalyn’s magic have anything to do with how regulated the gods’ gifts are?
“I don’t know. I’m still not sure how it used to be here. It looks like there’re places where people are born with it. But in Pendralia, it has to be given in the temple. It doesn’t make any sense why it’s so different,” I say.
“How are you feeling, Anya?” The matron asks as she enters the room.
Caiden enters, staying a few paces behind her. He looks over at me, and I get the sense that he’s seeking my permission about staying. I nod, and he returns the gesture before moving to the back corner to observe.
“I’ll wait nearby,” I tell my friend, then I cross to where Caiden is standing.
“She seems better,” he whispers.
“Yes. She’s acting more like herself.”
The matron conducts a few tests, asking Anya to move or breathe, then has her open her eyes slowly, before closing them again. She’s directing her through a whole process, getting her used to the light and checking for pain as she does.
Caiden watches, completely focused on my friend. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was worried.
“How did you get her inside?” I ask. “She wasn’t with you when you entered.”
“She was carried in the from the stables. She was in a wagon from the village to here.”
“Thank you for making sure she was cared for,” I say.
He looks over at me. “All you have to do is ask, and I’ll give you anything.”
