Page 6

I stood, so I could get closer to his arm and truly examine it. “How long have you had this?”

The one downfall of a knight’s magic: Beyond a certain point, a wound could no longer be healed. The human body was a clever thing that went through its own processes, and once those progressed too far, not even magic could intervene. After twenty-four hours, there was no longer a point to summoning a knight. It’s why there were so many—every small town had at least one, larger places two or three. It was also why I had been so bitter about my aunt not allowing me to officially study—we only had one knight in our town, and Anise didn’t make an effective second one. Given the choice, I would’ve never remained there if I’d had the opportunity to move out, but still. It was selfish and cruel to deny people such help.

“It hasn’t been a day.” He paused, waiting. “Can you heal it or can’t you?”

I looked at him, to make sure he was seriously treating his own safety with such little regard. It was clear that too many of the knights either didn’t make it to this stage or weren’t able to heal him at all, and it twisted my stomach with concern.

But the awful wound wasn’t healing any faster simply from my thinking about it.

I smoothed the skin on either side of the wound, pinching the ends together with my thumb and the side of my finger. The pinching was a more technical part of the process than the singing—pinch too hard, and the scar would pucker; smooth too deeply, and the nerves would pinch. It was a delicate process. As I sang, the insides knitted together and became whole, the black infection replaced by healthy flesh as if it hadn’t even been there in the first place. The last to heal was the skin, which I held together until it was ready, then I continued on, smoothing and pinching until I reached the end of the wound.

I checked my work, running my fingers over the nearly invisible scar remaining.

But now that he was healed, I suddenly wanted to roll up the sheet music and whack him over the head with it.

“Next time,” I said, resuming my seat as he examined his scar, “don’t use yourself in this way.”

He looked up quickly, his eyes narrowed the slightest bit, his dark brows lowering, but it was more in confusion than anything else. “Why are you upset?”

“You’ve been suffering with this wound for hours upon hours, using it as a test when there were perfectly capable knights in London who could have taken care of it sooner. I hate the idea of you putting some test above your own well-being. Most knights can’t even function without their squires. You are just as important.”

He looked at me for a moment, as if he didn’t know what to make of my words, before standing and pulling a rope in the corner. An armed guard entered the room, and I braced myself against the chair. Oh God … I’d said something wrong. I should’ve just done the tests without making a scene.

The boy walked over to me and held out his hand. “Welcome to court, my lady.”

Shock overtook my body. I could hardly breathe. “Really?” I gasped, feeling foolish—but my elation overshadowed the feeling quickly.

“Did you doubt your ability?” He helped me to my feet. “You’ll be escorted to the palace. The queen will meet you there and explain your next steps.”

“Now? That is, is there no time to stop at home to get a few things?”

“Everything you need will be provided, clothing included.”

I chewed on my lip. I don’t know why that lack of closure made me nervous. I was so used to having to check in with my aunt, so used to my cousin getting what she wanted above me. None of this felt real. My aunt and uncle would be annoyed by my absence but would soon forget me, pleased to have one less mouth to feed. It was my cousin I was worried about. The last thing she’d ever want was for me to live happily ever after if she couldn’t.

But she had to be home by now, sulking, thinking I was on an errand. Never dreaming of the truth.

The boy went to turn away, but I gripped his hand, suddenly desperate. I had never lived away from family before … alone. It felt almost sad to sever the one connection I’d made outside of them.

“What is your name?” I asked.

“Beric, my lady.”

“Will you be at court, Beric?”

A softness crept into his gaze, so different from the cold expression he’d worn since I met him, and it almost made me hope.

Hope for what, Cali?

“Yes, my lady. As soon as I’m able.” He paused. “Don’t be nervous. You will not be left without guidance.”

I nodded and he gently released my hand from his, heading toward the room where the other knights waited.

I took a deep breath and followed the guard. I could hardly believe what was happening, that I would finally be free of my aunt and uncle’s restrictive home … from my cousin’s vicious judgment.

We exited the building through a back door, out into an alleyway where a coach was waiting. There was a bit of a commotion, and when I looked to the end of the alley I could see into the square. If only the audition hadn’t taken place on this day of all days—Wednesday was execution day, when I generally avoided town. There looked to be only one man this week, but the punishment was beheading, and I secretly prayed that the executioner had sharpened his blade better than the last time. At least then it would be quick. Healing gruesome wounds was one thing, but watching people die was another. Part of me wondered why I wanted to work with a king who saw fit to put so many of his subjects to death, even if they were in the wrong for committing crimes.

But I would be a knight. The God King’s knight. My life would be one hundred times better than it had ever been living in my aunt’s house. And in the palace, I would be far from any executions.