No,I confirmed, half-disappointed and half-relieved.
So Zairena wasn’t the assassin. Maybe my dislike for her was clouding my logic.
At least barging in here hadn’t all been for nothing. Zairena’s spinning wheel stood in the corner of her room, covered by the muslin sheet.
I approached it tentatively. If she caught me using it for my starstroke, I’d be thrown back into the dungeon. Cast out for being a sorceress. Burned at the stake, with my soul never allowed to find peace.
But if I didn’t spin the nettles, my brothers would remain cranes forever.
Between the death of my brothers and my own, I would pick mine with no hesitation.
Good thing I’d brought my satchel. I lifted the sheet and reached for an empty spindle.
Keep watch,I told Kiki.
The last thing I needed was for Zairena to catch me spinning starstroke in her room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Night after night, I sneaked into Zairena’s room to work. By the end of the week, I was so tired that my eyes burned and I practically swayed with every step. But I was nearly finished. Iwouldbe finished tonight.
The starstroke danced off my fingers, its coarse fibers gliding onto the wheel and working themselves onto the spindle, turning into something finer. Something magical.
As the fibers melded into one continuous thread, a red strand braided itself into the starstroke—Emuri’en’s strand of fate. My heart sang the first time I saw it, and even after I’d returned to my room, I couldn’t sleep out of excitement. Now, on this last night of spinning, my heart was heavy for reasons I didn’t want to think about. Raikama’s curse was starting to weigh on me, and I just wanted to be finished.
I was more careless than usual, forgetting to exchange the spool for an empty one, my fingers occasionally sliding off the wheel as my foot cranked it unsteadily. My eyes strained against the glow of the nettles, but my fingers worked even as my mind drifted. When I finally emptied my satchel of the very last vine, and the spindle was full of thick and glistening starstroke, I let out a sigh of relief, allowing myself a moment to admire my work.
Then I covered Zairena’s wheel and cleaned up any trace of my trespass. The incense didn’t help; it was so heavy it was making me sleepy. I rubbed my eyes.Help me, Kiki.
As Kiki flew to pick up a fallen strand of starstroke, she let out a low whimper.My wing! Look at it, it’s ruined.
Gold dye stained Kiki’s paper wing, seeping into the silvery-gold feather patterns along the edges.
Come, it isn’t the end of the world. I’ll wipe it off.I had opened the window for a handful of snow and was rubbing it onto Kiki’s wing when footsteps squeaked against the wooden floors outside.
I scooped Kiki up and pressed my back against the wall. When the footsteps passed, I hurried out of the room, cursing the fortress’s hallways for being so narrow.
Zairena was at the stairs, and she spun as soon as she heard me, a frown darkening her expression. “What are you doing skulking about?”
Her hair was loosened from its usual braid, her sleeves were wrinkled, and her lips were slightly swollen. I raised my chin at her disheveled appearance.I could ask the same of you.
I strode for the stairs, but Zairena wouldn’t move. “You have no business in the North Garden wing. Were you in my room?”
She grabbed my wrist and shook it, as if I’d stolen jewelry and hidden it in my sleeves. “Show me what’s inside the bag.”
My heart thundered in my ears.Here, open it yourself.
Zairena flung the satchel open. Inside was as empty as the dark side of the moon.
I thought it would appease her, but Zairena only seemed more infuriated. She thrust the satchel back into my arms. “Watch yourself,” she hissed. “We hang thieves here, but I’d prefer to see you burn.”
As she stalked away, I calmly retied my sash.
Do you want me to poke her eyes out for you?Kiki asked, flying out of my bowl.
Tempting,I muttered.But no. She isn’t worth it.
She isn’t terrifying, not like your stepmother. But I’ve got a bad feeling, Shiori.
