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“Other than needing a full night’s rest, you’re healthy,” Healer Hayes said. He’d examined me using both his magic and a mundane physical check. Opening a file with my name on it, he jotted a few notes.
How could good news be bad? I sat up, clutching the sheet to my chest. “Are you sure you didn’t detect a poison?”
“All your body systems are working properly. I didn’t sense any taint or rot or infection. I’m very sorry.”
Frustration grew. “Do you know or have you heard of any substance that would cause my problem?”
I’d explained the entire story to him when I’d arrived at his office in the infirmary an hour ago. Hayes had listened without interruption, then led me to an examination room. Located on the ground floor of the administration building, the infirmary had a number of private rooms for recovering patients as well as an open area of beds for those who needed only a few hours. Unfortunately, I’d spent more time under Healer Hayes’s care than most.
“No. I can read through my medical books and see if there is a mention of such a substance. It’s a long shot, Yelena. If someone had discovered this poison before, it would have caused trouble and been reported by now.”
“Unless it had been forgotten like Curare. That had been mentioned in a history book about the Sandseed Clan and, combined with the knowledge from a Sandseed healer, my father had been able to find it in the jungle.” I gasped then groaned over my own stupidity. “My father. He’s discovered many medicines and substances in the Illiais Jungle. He might know about this magic blocker.”
“A good idea.”
I hopped off the table.
“Before you rush off, I need to update your file.”
As I dressed, he asked a bunch of questions.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-seven.” Although most people assumed I was younger because of my five-foot-four-inch height. I twisted my long black hair into a bun and used one of my sets of lock picks to keep it in place. Despite being in the Keep, I couldn’t let my guard down. Especially not now.
“When was your last blood cycle?”
I paused and glanced at him. He kept his gaze trained on the file in front of him.
“And this is relevant how?”
“Your last dose of Moon potion was close to a year ago. You’re due for another, but the timing is critical.”
Oh. Since Valek and I hadn’t even discussed marriage let alone a child, I needed to take the Moon potion. I thought back. “Twenty days ago or so.”
“Here.” He handed me a vial full of a white liquid. “Drink this right after your next cycle.”
“All right.” I put the potion in my backpack and left the infirmary. Disappointment over his prognosis stabbed. While I hadn’t thought Healer Hayes would have the cure, I’d hoped for more. At least I still had other avenues to explore.
Perhaps my father had heard of the poison. Esau had given me a field guide to help me identify plants to use in healing. After I discovered my healing powers, I no longer needed it, but I’d kept it. I would read through it tonight.
Hungry for the first time in days, I headed to the dining hall located right behind the administration building. Remembering what Irys had said about not interacting with the students, I grabbed a couple of sandwiches and bolted, nodding at a few people I recognized on my way out.
I found a quiet sunny spot in the gardens—the green center of the Keep—to eat my dinner. The two apprentice wings bracketed the gardens to the east and west. From the top of Irys’s tower, the buildings resembled parentheses. I considered my next move.
Bain wished for an investigation into the identity of the assassin who’d attacked me. I needed to talk to my brother and Fisk. Also Leif had helped our father with his jungle research, and he might know about the poison. I could search for Leif or I could ask the one person who would know where Leif was—his wife, Mara.
When I finished my meal, I strode northeast through the campus. A few students milled about and others dashed between buildings. The sunlight warmed the air and in a few months color would invade the Keep along with the warm season, and the gardeners would plant flowers with vicious delight.
As the manager of the glass workshop, Mara would no doubt be overseeing the student magicians who learned how to work with glass. I wondered if Quinn charged the black diamonds used for the super messengers here or in his rooms. Since he was an older student who’d already learned how to use his magic, he’d been assigned to the apprentice wing just like I had been six years ago.
Any glass artist could encase the diamond in glass, but only Quinn could charge them with his magic. He was in the same position Opal had been when she’d manufactured her animal-shaped messengers—one of a kind and vital to Sitia. Loads of pressure for the young man to bear. That intensity had almost crushed Opal, but she proved to be as strong and versatile as the glass she loved and now she easily bore the responsibility of being the only person able to create those magic detectors.
If I couldn’t reclaim my magic, I’d need to purchase a detector in defense. Lovely. What else would I need? Chain mail and body armor? Bodyguards? I rolled my stiff shoulder. My magic hadn’t saved me from the assassin’s arrow. Small comfort.
White smoke billowed from the stack atop the glass workshop. When I entered, the heat pushed against my skin like a wet wool blanket. The roar of the kilns rumbled deep in my chest and through the soles of my boots. Students sat at gaffer benches, spinning their iron rods to shape the molten glass gathered on the end. Others blew into pipes and the glass expanded into bubbles.
I scanned the activity, seeking a familiar face. In the center of the bustle stood Mara, instructing a student. A beautiful woman with a heart-shaped face and the sweetest soul. My brother had done plenty of stupid, annoying and crazy things, but marrying Mara had been the smartest thing he’d ever done.
Her tawny-colored eyes lit when she spotted me. A kerchief tied back her golden-brown hair. Dirt smudged her cheek and her apron had seen better days. She gestured to her office and held up two fingers.
Understanding the signal, I wove through the glassmaking equipment and entered the relative coolness of her office. Glass vases, paperweights, bowls and tumblers littered the room. Student efforts or Mara’s, I couldn’t tell. Did my sister-in-law even have time to produce her own work? The Council hoped another magician would develop an affinity with glass like Mara’s sister, Opal, and Quinn, so a steady stream of first years arrived for their mandatory glass lessons. Those who enjoyed it continued to study the art during the rest of their five-year stay at the Keep.
I settled in the chair next to her desk, considering how much had changed since Opal’s glass magic had been discovered. It gave me a bit of comfort. Despite Bain’s lifelong quest to learn about magic and magicians, he’d never heard of Opal’s particular skills. Therefore, there was no reason to panic because he hadn’t heard of a magic-blocking poison.
Mara bustled in with a swish of skirts and I stood.
She embraced me. “Yelena! What a wonderful surprise. I didn’t expect you back so soon.” Then she pulled away and frowned. “Is something—”
“Nothing’s wrong. Valek had to leave early. The Commander’s patience had finally run out.”
“Oh dear, I hope he’s not in trouble.”
“In trouble? No. Causing trouble? Always.”
Her musical laugh warmed me.
She closed the door to her office, reducing the noise of the kilns and ensuring privacy. “Would you like some tea?” Mara lifted a glass teapot by its handle.
“Yes, please.”
She poured two steaming cups and then sat down.
“Is that—”
“One of Quinn’s hot glass pieces? Yes. It stays hot for days. A marvel! He’s a darling boy and gave it to me when I cleared two hours each evening just for him. Poor boy doesn’t like working with a crowd drooling over his shoulder. Who would?” Mara sipped from her cup. “And I had to ban the kitchen staff, too. They love his hot and cold glass and had been pestering him for more pieces. Who knew keeping meat cold keeps it from spoiling longer?” Wonder touched her voice.
“Has he discovered any other glass abilities since coming here?”
“He’s been concentrating on the messengers and the temperature glass. Opal told me he could attach a null shield to glass and other...” Mara swept her arms out as if searching for the right word. “Emotions. But between his classes and his work, the poor boy hasn’t had time to experiment.”
Interesting about the null shield. “He’s here every night?”
“Except for one night a week.”
Keeping my tone neutral, I asked, “Which night?”
Mara gazed at me. “Why? Is it important?”
Shoot. She’d been spending too much time with Leif.
“Just curious.”
“Uh-huh.” She waited.
“Oh all right. I want to talk to him.”
“Better. Let’s see...” Mara checked a ledger on her desk. “He was here the last couple of nights... His night off was four days ago.”
The timing matched the night of the attack. My heart thumped. “What does he do on his nights off?”
“He has riding lessons.”
Oh. Still, he could have missed his lesson. I needed to talk to the Stable Master.
“Is that the reason you stopped by?” Mara asked.
“No, I was looking for Leif.” Only after I said it did I realize how it must have sounded. “And to visit you.” Weak.
“How nice.” Her tone didn’t match her words.
“Sorry. It’s just...something came up and I haven’t been sleeping...” Weaker.
Concern softened the hard lines around her mouth. “And it’s probably some political problem that you can’t tell me. Between Leif and Opal, I’m used to being in the dark.”
From the way her shoulders drooped, I knew she was far from used to the idea, yet she put on a brave front. I drank my tea and reflected. Leif and Mara hadn’t even been married a year yet. It had been a lovely wedding and she had glowed with pure joy. She was part of my family. Kidnapped from Sitia at age six, I’d grown up in Ixia believing I had no family. Dreams of a fictional loving family had helped me through the dark times. And now I planned to enlist Leif’s help, taking his time away from Mara. Not very nice.
“The reason I need to talk to my brother is...” I filled her in on what had happened.
Mara clutched her apron, gathering the fabric into a tight bunch, but she didn’t say a word. When I finished, she slid off her chair and hugged me.
“Oh, Yelena, that’s terrible.” She squeezed tight then let go. “What can I do to help?”
“Help?” I hadn’t thought about it.
“Of course. I’m sure you have a plan of attack. And don’t tell me to keep it quiet. I’m not an idiot.”
True. “Can you find out if any of the students are able to siphon magic? Opal had done it with glass, but perhaps there is another magician who can do it with another object.”
She brightened. “I can. I know all the students and they like to brag about who can do what.” She held up her hand. Burn scars marked her fingers and wrist. “Don’t worry. I’ll be discreet. Are you going to talk to Opal? She might have some ideas.”
I groaned. Another possible avenue that I’d missed. “I will.”
“Good. Now go get some sleep. Leif’s at the Council Hall this morning, but he’ll be in the training yard later this afternoon, helping Marrok teach the juniors how to defend against a machete.”
“Thanks.”
She escorted me out the door and then remained on the workshop’s steps, ensuring I headed in the right direction. Another knot in my stomach eased as I skirted the pasture that occupied the space between the glass shop and the stables. Telling Mara had been the right thing to do.
When I entered the large wooden barn, Kiki whinnied a welcome. She looked over the Stable Master’s broad shoulder as he bent to clean dirt from her hooves. Her copper coat shone, her mane had been brushed and her whiskers were trimmed. Oh no.
“I was planning on—”
“Yeah, yeah.” The Stable Master cut me off. “Always the same. In a hurry with urgent business to attend to. I’ve heard all the excuses.” He moved to her back feet. “She was a muddy mess,” he grumbled. “Keep taking advantage of her and one day you’ll come out here and she’ll be gone.”
Not unless he stopped feeding her his famous milk oats. I sighed. The Stable Master lived and breathed horses. To him, nothing was more important. And he had a point.
“I’m sorry.” I draped my cloak over a stall door, picked up a comb and worked on untangling her tail. Then I helped him clean tack and muck out stalls until he no longer muttered quite as much. Which was as good of a mood as possible for him.
Before he left to order more feed, I asked about Quinn’s riding lessons.
“Strong as an ox, that boy,” the Stable Master said. “He don’t look it, but all those years of diving for oysters honed his muscles. See that bay?” He pointed through the window.
A horse with a deep garnet-colored coat and a black mane and tail trotted around the inside of the pasture’s fence. “Yes.”
“Flann’s a son of a bitch—stubborn, spirited and strong. Quinn’s the only one who can ride him.”
“A Sandseed horse?” Sandseed horses, like Kiki, were picky about who they allowed to ride them.
“Nope. One of those new Bloodgood breeds. I was gonna send him back because he’s been a real pain in my ass, but he took a liking to the boy.”
“Is Quinn enjoying his lessons?”
“I don’t care. He shows up on time and has improved. That’s all I care about.”
“Did he miss his last lesson?”
“No. Why?”
And there went another lead. “Flann looks like he needs a workout.”
“Tell that to the Master Magicians. Quinn’s too busy to do more.” The Stable Master hooked his thumb toward the bay. “You’re welcome to try.” He patted Kiki’s neck with affection. “I’m sure Kiki here won’t mind. Will you, girl?” He slipped her a milk oat then left without saying goodbye.
After he left, I scratched Kiki behind her ears. She closed her eyes and leaned closer. Sadness panged deep inside me, radiating out with pain. The loss of our connection hurt the most. And I cringed at the thought of riding another horse. It would also be an unnecessary risk. Kiki rested her chin on my shoulder as if consoling me.
“I’ll figure this out,” I promised her.
She nipped my ear playfully then left the stable. I followed her out. She hopped the pasture’s fence, joining the other horses. I scanned them. Silk, Irys’s horse, and Leif’s horse, Rusalka, nickered a greeting to Kiki.
Exhaustion clung to me, but horse hair and slobber coated my clothes and hands. I stopped at the bathhouse to wash up before I trudged to my apartment in Irys’s tower.
Each Master Magician lived in one of the four towers of the Keep. Irys occupied the northwest tower and Bain had the southeastern one. The northeast tower belonged to Zitora Cowan, Second Magician, even though she’d retired. We all hoped she’d return. The southwest tower still remained empty. Roze Featherstone, who had been the First Magician, had lived there until she betrayed Sitia. After the Warper battle, she was killed and her soul trapped in a glass prison.
When I was no longer considered a student of the Keep, Irys offered me three floors of her tower to use. A generous offer. My few belongings had all fit on one floor, but I had since expanded to another, setting up guest quarters for visitors. So far, only my parents had used the space.
I lumbered up the three flights of steps. At least I hadn’t been gone long enough for my bedroom to be coated with dust. I glanced around. The single bed, armoire, desk, chair and night table all appeared to be undisturbed. My footsteps echoed against the hard marble walls. I hadn’t had time to install tapestries and heavy curtains to absorb the harsh sounds. Good thing since now I’d need to hear an intruder in order to wake up in time to defend myself.
Bending down, I checked under the bed and then opened the armoire. Yes, I felt silly and paranoid, but sleeping would be impossible unless I ensured no one hid in my room.
