Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits

by Robin McKinley

  ʺOh, dear,ʺ said Ralas.

  ʺThere is certainly no one here who can teach him what you can teach him,ʺ said Storkhal, still smooth.

  ʺNo,ʺ she agreed. Cladharg twitched but didn’t say anything. ʺErn, what do you think?ʺ

  What did I think? I had no idea what I thought. I had no more idea now how Sippy and I had got Hereyta in and out of the Firespace than I had when we’d first come in here and sat down at this table and the old guy whose name I had forgotten had asked me how I’d done it. But I did know I was Ralas’ apprentice, which I hadn’t known then. And she said I was going to be a healer. And Hereyta . . . and the other dragons . . .

  ʺRalas,ʺ I said wistfully, ʺwould you really hate it here?ʺ

  Ralas looked around the table and back at me. She was smiling again, and if it was a wry smile, it was also amused. ʺFate finds you out,ʺ she said. ʺI knew I wouldn’t stay at Birchhome forever—but I did think I’d have three more years. And the Academy is the last place . . . I’ll have to tell Fran I need her at Birchhome three years early.ʺ

  ʺWe’ll have to go back to Birchhome for me to talk to Mum and Dad too, but I’m pretty sure I can talk them round,ʺ I said, and I was surprised at how strong and clear my voice was. ʺI still want to be your apprentice more than anything else—but I want to find out what happened during First Flight. And I need Hereyta to do that. And I don’t think there’s room for Hereyta in Birchhome.ʺ

  Ralas laughed. ʺNo. But we might ask if she’d come for a visit some day.ʺ