“Meep?” Leaning over the edge of the boat, Meep poked a barnacle with a needle. The merbaby beached himself on the deck of the boat and attempted to pluck needles from the cactus. Waving his leaves, Caz shooed him back into the water.
I can’t return with Meep.Not if the laws were unchanged. He wouldn’t be welcome, and she could become the newest statue in whatever was left of the Great Library. It was only because of a lot of pulling of strings by influential librarians that Caz had been spared. There was no guarantee that Meep would meet with the same mercy.I can’t risk it.As tempting as it was to flee back to her lovely little alcove between the stacks, it wasn’t just her and Caz anymore. It was Meep too, and she couldn’t leave them.
Also, what about Larran, who was waiting for her at the shop? If she just vanished and ran, what would the imperial investigator think? She’d turn her suspicion on him, as well as Bryn, Eadie, and Ulina. No, her only option was to go back to the cottage, act innocent, and hope to convince Radane that there was no illegal spellwork on Caltrey. Just nice jars of jam.Maybe the imperial investigator has a favorite flavor.If that failed . . . “We’ll figure it out,” Kiela said. “One step at a time.”
“You have to promise to be careful,” Caz said.
“There’s just one of her,” Kiela said, trying to sound brave.
“And one of you,” Caz said, shaking his leaves for emphasis. “You promise me you’ll run if it goes sour. Come back here and we’ll sail away. Find a new island. Please, promise me. Don’t take any risks.”
Every single thing I’ve done since the library burned was a risk,she thought. But she promised anyway.
Leaving Caz, Meep, and the merfolk in the painted cave, Kiela picked her way across the island. She kept to the forest, away from the fields and the dirt roads that led to various farms and orchards. She wasn’t entirely certain of the way, which was a problem given the urgency. It helped that the island was, well, an island. She knew to keep the sun behind her and the sea to either side, at least when she could see it.
When she reached the pond with the willow tree, she thought,Almost home.
And the thought surprised her so much that she stopped walking. When did this start to feel more like home than the library? She’d only been here a short while, whereas she’d lived in the library for years.
The willow tree whispered as a breeze blew through its leaves. She thought she saw a wisp of a cloud bear dangling from its draping branches.
Feeling braver, Kiela pushed forward through the ferns and underbrush until she reached the brambles that marked the overflow from her garden. She circled around until she reached the corner by the front—
—and stopped when she heard voices.
“If my boat had not encountered that unfortunate storm, then I would have all the proper documentation.” It was Radane. She wasn’t shouting, but Kiela knew that tone of voice. That was the voice of someone who was used to being obeyed.
She heard Larran reply, apologetic and polite. He couldn’t allow her inside without that documentation. He was only obeying the law.
Kiela smiled.Clever boy.
“You do not want to obstruct me,” Radane warned. “Trust me on this.”
“It’s not my home,” Larran said. “I can’t let you in. Check your laws on that. The homeowner needs to say it’s all right—”
“Except in an official investigation,” Radane said.
“And I’d be happy to help if you’d show me the paperwork. I’m just trying to do what’s right, Radane. You wouldn’t want a stranger marching into your home.”
“Then where is the homeowner?” Radane demanded. “If she has nothing to hide, then why is she in hiding? Her absence alone is enough to qualify as obstruction—”
It was time to intervene. He’d kept Radane busy while the books were hidden, and that was victory enough. Kiela cast about for anything she could use to—Aha, there was a sprig of blue-black berries. She had no idea what kind they were, but it didn’t matter. She broke off the tip of a branch with a cluster of berries and came around a corner. “Larran! The foraging trip was a success! I can mix these huckleberries with raspberries and—Oh, hello, Radane.”
Larran broke into a relieved smile, which quickly turned into a frown. “Those aren’t huckleberries. You really shouldn’t mix them with anything if you don’t want your customers’ stomachs to, uh, rebel.”
“Eeks.” Kiela tossed the branch away and then smiled her best polite-librarian smile at Radane. “Would you like to try some jam that I guarantee will not cause any kind of rebellion?” She winced at herself. She shouldn’t have said “rebellion” in front of Radane, but Larran had planted the word in her mind and it had just popped out. Hoping the imperial inspector didn’t take offense, she pushed on. “I have raspberry and blueberry available. Larran, thank you so much for minding the shop. I really thought I’d find ingredients for a new flavor.”
Radane raised both her eyebrows. “You were walking in the woods for jam ingredients?”
“Itisa jam shop.” Kiela pointed at the sign.
Larran chimed in. “You had one customer before Radane. He bought a jar of blueberry and said he hoped you’d make rhubarb jam next.”
“I’ll plant some rhubarb,” Kiela said, trying her hardest to keep her voice level, casual, and calm. She clasped her hands behind her back so Radane wouldn’t see them shaking. “Do you know anyone with seeds?” When Larran shook his head, Kiela repeated the question to Radane.
Radane was scowling. “Rhubarb is not my line of inquiry.” She took a breath. “On the authority of the emperor, I demand to search the premises for contraband material.”
“Okay,” Kiela said.
