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I blink my eyes rapidly and take a step back. Our focus should be on what’s wrong with the moon. Not my love life.

Leaf picks up on my change of mood and runs a hand through his dreads.

“I should be getting back to Akemi. I left her with Esther…” I turn to face the bonfire on the beach and take a step. Two.

A hand latches around my bicep, strong and firm.

“Stay.” Leaf’s voice is hesitant, not quite a question. “Please,” he adds.

My entire insides, mind and heart, resolve into a singular conclusion. “Okay.”

40

Origins of the Moon

The bonfire flickers and pops as it burns, growing a little more every time a Sun’cher decides to throw a sunfyre ball into the flames. The night is cool, but I don’t feel it between the flush of my cheeks from the mead and the crackling fire before me. Both Solarball teams seem to have put aside their differences by the way they are dancing around the fire.

It’s taking all of me not to rush toward the shaded corner where a small band from Olwythion plays. It’s already been challenging enough being a Prentice Teller coming into the Watch, and I don’t want to give Sabra any more fuel to her barbs. I’ve never seen her try to appeal to a man—perhaps she never will—but she looks to be actually smiling at the River Prince from his throne.

Leaf and Ramona are busy chatting, which leaves me with Esther.

“...particularly interesting shape for a hat. Then I told him that’s exactly why I wanted it,” she finishes. “Akemi?”

“Huh?”

“The hat. What do you think? Isn’t it the most interesting shape?”

“Umm…”

“Quite,” a deep voice answers from behind me. I whirl around to find Castor, cloaked in dark blue. His hair falls forward over his eyes the color of a glacier. He looks… dressed down. Like he is a student again and not professor, commander of the Watch, or even Solarball coach. Just Castor.

He leans forward and hands Esther a Watcher Token. Her jaw drops open at the coin that can be traded for favors sitting on the palm of her hand. “I was hoping to talk to Akemi.”

She pockets the coin and curtsies as if Castor is royalty. “Yes, sir Castor. Take as much time with my friend as you need.”

Part of my chest squeezes at the familiarity with which she speaks of me. Perhaps long hours of Goad Squad practice, walking down the corridors of the Watch, and her constant hovering, has made us friends. At least she finally stopped asking for my signature.

Esther skips around the bonfire, straight into a crowd of dancing cadets.

I turn back to Castor. There is a tightness in his shoulders that wasn’t there before. “How are you?”

He lets out a long sigh. “If I’m being honest?”

“Always.”

“I’ve been better. Juggling teaching, coaching, and my father constantly sending me south to the front lines feels… impossible.”

“Can’t you ask your father to quit something? I’m assuming he’d rather you be on the front lines.”

“He does.”

“So what then—oh.” I look out to the lake where the moon hangs heavy above. “It’s because of me.”

Castor steps next to me so we are both facing the expanse of frozen water, complete with a miniature ice castle where Prince Ladon continues to arm wrestle first-stones.

Castor doesn’t say anything, confirming my suspicion. “It’s our lessons, isn’t it?”

He nods.