“What if she comes while you’re gone?” Caz argued. “Someone needs to delay and misdirect her—”
Larran spoke up. “I’ll do it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kiela said. He wasn’t involved. He had no idea what was going on or what was at stake. He shouldn’t have to—She suddenly realized with horror that she’d said the word “books.” A second later, she realized he hadn’t flinched. He hadn’t asked, “What books?” Or worse, “Whose books?” Maybe. . . No.This wasn’t his responsibility. He didn’t owe anything to her, no matter what he’d said before with Sian.I’m not his . . . anything.He had no reason, except this was Larran, and this was what he did and who he was.
Still, though, she couldn’t let him. He’d be accused of obstructing an official investigation, and he couldn’t afford to be arrested—his merhorses needed him. Besides, he didn’t deserve to be pulled into this mess. He was a good person, kind to a fault. Kiela shook her head. “No, I won’t be responsible for ruining your life. Go home, and be innocent. You rescued her, so she should leave you alone—”
“I brought danger to you, however unintentionally, by bringing her into your life,” Larran said. “Don’t argue. Just go. Take Caz and . . .” He hesitated.
“Meep,” the cactus said.
“Take Caz and Meep with you, and I will delay Radane, if she comes.”
She half laughed and half hiccupped. “Meep is an excellent name,” she told the cactus as they waddled down the dock toward the boat. Carrying the bag of pine cones, Caz followed the cactus. He kept to the middle of the boards, but he didn’t falter. Both of them jumped onto the scow, and Caz climbed on top of the crates, as far from the water as possible.
Following her to the edge of the dock, Larran asked, “Where will you go?”
“Better if you don’t know.” Kneeling, she untied the line from the dock and then stepped onto the scow and pushed off. “What will you do if she comes before I’m back?”
“Sell jam,” Larran said simply.
Caz snorted.
“Thank you,” Kiela said. She wanted to say more: she was sorry for not telling him the truth, she was in awe of how kind he was, she really liked his eyes, but she couldn’t find the words. Maybe she’d have another chance to say them later, when she knew how to say what she was feeling churning inside her. Reaching for the pole, she pushed her way through the cove toward the waves. He then turned and ran up the steps, two at a time, while she propelled the scow out of the cove.
Outside the shelter of the cove, waves slapped at the hull, and wind tangled her hair. She untied the silver sail and raised it. Overhead, the sky was bright, blue, and cloudless, as if it hadn’t a care in the world and would never allow a storm or even a drizzle—in other words, lying. Seagulls circled above them, hoping they’d stop and fish, but Kiela ignored them.
“Where to?” Caz asked.
She should have asked Larran . . .No, he’s doing enough.“Look for caves.” She remembered visiting several caves around Caltrey with her father when she was a child. There were a few that had thousands-of-years-old paintings inside them, animated by magic—proof that there had been magic on the Crescent Islands long before the emperor and his greedy laws. Kiela’s father had been fascinated by caves of Caltrey. He’d never have imagined she’d need to hide in one. She felt a sliver of anger coil inside her. She shouldn’t be punished for what she’d done. Protecting the books was her actual job description, as well as her life’s mission, and as for using what was in the books and sharing the knowledge they contained . . . well, thatshouldbe her job and her mission.
Booksshouldbe shared with everyone who wants to open their minds and hearts to them.
Keeping them, keeping knowledge, from people who needed it,thatwas the real crime. The words belonged to the people, all the people, not just the wealthy and powerful, even if that led to a few disasters due to magic in the hands of inexperienced spellcasters . . . Well, the current laws weren’t keeping anyone safe. In fact, the status quo was only making everything worse. If it was up to her, she’d share the spells with everyone.
Of course, all that was true but unhelpful. Whether she had the moral high ground or not, she still had to find a cave, hide the books and the plants, and then make it back to Larran before Radane came snooping around, which was definitely going to be soon, especially if Radane had indeed spied on them through the greenery. Caz’s lie about an old villager with an herbal remedy wouldn’t delay her for long.She’ll be coming soon.The faster they could find a place to hide, the better.
A splash beside the boat caught her attention.
Kiela looked into the water and saw the mermaid from the cove with her merbaby swimming beside them. She couldn’t help but smile as the merbaby leaped like a dolphin through the waves. He giggled as he waved his webbed hand.
Caz leaned over the edge of the crate. “Excuse me. We’re in a bit of danger. Do you know a cave we can hide in? Large enough to hold the boat and everything on it, but small enough not to be noticed? You see, there’s an imperial inspector on the island, and she’ll take the spellbooks if she finds them and arrest us, which would mean prison or worse.” He shuddered and shed a leaf.
The mermaid popped higher out of the water. “Danger?”
“Yes, danger,” Caz said. “Can you help us hide?”
The mermaid disappeared under the waves.
“Meep?” the cactus said. They stabbed the lost leaf with their needles and offered it back to Caz, who let them plant it in his soil ball, even though that was hopeless.
“I don’t think she understood,” Caz said.
Their needles drooped. “Meep.”
“Well, I doubt that merfolk have issues with imperial inspectors,” he said. “They certainly don’t have books underwater. She might not—”
Popping up near the prow, the mermaid ordered, “Come.”
