I slid the kiln’s door open a crack. Bright orange light seared my vision. I squinted and poked a pontil iron in the molten glass-filled cauldron, spinning the metal rod to check the consistency of the melt. Molten glass gathered on the end of the rod like taffy and I removed the iron. Turning the rod to keep the glass from drooping and dripping onto the floor, I studied the slug. It glowed as if alive, pulsing with a deep orange light.
If Mara answered my question, I didn’t hear her. It felt wonderful to hold such potential in my hands again. It had been so long. I sat at the gaffer’s bench and picked up metal tweezers to shape the glass before it hardened. Since I hadn’t used a hollow blowpipe, I couldn’t insert magic inside. But maybe I could try—”
“Stop right there,” a voice called.
Mara sat on the edge of the table with her hands over her mouth, staring at the door. A moment passed before I realized a guard aimed a crossbow at me. Piecov had spread his arms wide to show he was unarmed.
“Step away from the bench,” the man ordered.
I abandoned my piece and moved a few feet away.
“Hands where I can see them.”
I raised my hands. Interesting how annoyance pulsed through my veins instead of fear. His alarm was evident by the sweat staining the fabric under his arms. What did he think I was going to do?
He called out an all clear over his shoulder, and moved aside. The arrow remained pointed at me. Irys and Zitora entered the shop. By this time, anger had replaced my annoyance.
“Make sure you have a null shield in place. I might try to escape.” I didn’t bother to cover my sarcasm or fury.
Zitora and Irys exchanged a look. They had erected a null shield. As Janco would say, holy snow cats!
“Opal, why didn’t you report to my office when you finished with the horses?” Zitora asked.
Aha! Understanding dawned. My stop in the glass shop looked suspicious if they believed I had turned rogue. My anger cooled and disappointment twinged deep in my chest. How could Zitora believe I’d turned rogue?
“I couldn’t resist. I figured it would be a long time before I would be allowed to come here.”
“Allowed?” Mara recovered from her surprise. “Why wouldn’t she be allowed?” Outrage fueled her words. “Without her, you wouldn’t have—”
“Mara.” I drew a breath and released it. “They have a good reason.” I stepped forward and a loud pop pierced the air. A force slammed into my shoulder, knocking me to the floor. Dazed, I stared at the shattered glass next to me. The piece I had left on the rod had cooled too fast and cracked off.
Unfortunately, the noise startled the guard and he’d shot me with an arrow.
9
PAIN RADIATED FROM MY LEFT SHOULDER, SHOOTING DOWN MY arm and ringing my neck. Legs appeared, voices queried and my vision blurred. Hands helped me to stand and I stumbled until an arm wrapped around me. Supported, I lurched to the infirmary with no real memory of the trip.
Healer Hayes’s mouth moved, but I didn’t understand his words. My sister squeezed my hand. I blinked at her in surprise. Nice of her to come along, I opened my mouth to thank her, but Healer Hayes touched the arrow’s shaft and my world turned black.
An insistent poking jabbed my shoulder, each thrust a painful burning spike as if a hot needle gouged my skin. I swatted my torturer with my right hand because my left arm was stuck.
“Stop it, Opal, or I’ll tie down your other arm,” Healer Hayes said.
I peered at him through slits in my eyelids. He fussed with white bandages stained red.
“It hurts.”
“The arrow head went deep, damaging tissue, muscle and bone. I hope you’ll regain use of your left arm.”
I gaped at him. The pain was a mere inconvenience compared with the prospect of a useless arm. How would I work with glass?
“There.” He finished wrapping my shoulder and helped prop a few pillows behind my head. “Are you hungry?”
My stomach felt as if I had swallowed a bucket of sand. “No.”
He sprinkled a white powder into a glass and poured water over it. Handing it to me, he said, “Drink this for the pain, and make sure you consume plenty of liquids today. Tomorrow you will eat.” He set the water pitcher down on the wooden table by my bed.
“How long will I have to stay?” The utilitarian room reminded me of when my sister Tula had been murdered over five years ago. She had been so close to a full physical recovery when her attacker returned to the infirmary to finish the job.
“Until I say you can go.” He patted my hand. “You’re going to need your full strength to face the Council.”
His reminder inflamed my injury. I gulped a few mouthfuls of the bitter water. When he left the room, a guard outside the door moved aside to let him pass. Great. I tried to laugh but it hurt too much. Of all the scenarios I had imagined about my return, being shot by an arrow hadn’t been one of them.
I dozed off and on. Without a window in my room, I couldn’t tell the time. Mara’s strident voice pierced the fog of my thoughts.
“…her sister and if you don’t let me in, I’m going to—”
Her threat was cut off by Hayes’s soothing voice. Then the door flew open and Mara swept into the room laden with a basketful of…stuff. Hayes was two feet behind her. She demanded a prognosis, firing questions at Hayes until she was satisfied.
“Right now, rest is the—” he tried.
“She’ll get plenty of rest,” Mara assured him. “I’ll make sure of that.” She shooed him out the door, then unpacked books, a blanket, biscuits and the glass fox Tula had crafted for my birthday. Mara placed the fox on the table and bustled about with the other items. I studied the little guy. I’d never been able to achieve the same exquisite details with my animals. Those lifelike touches made Tula’s statues sought by collectors.
“Leif sent Yelena a message to return. Healer Hayes is a dear, but you need her healing powers to fix that shoulder,” Mara said.
“Mara—”
“I have given Zitora strict orders that you not be questioned unless I’m there.”
“But—”
“And I’ve sent a message to Mother and Father. The more supporters you have around you the better.”
I gaped at her as if she’d grown wings. “Wow, you have changed. You’re more—”
“What?” She crossed her arms, waiting. She had pulled her long, curly hair into a bun, exposing more of her heart-shaped face.
“Bossy.”
She sighed. “I had to be. You disappeared and no one would tell me what was going on. I badgered Zitora until she caved. But then she still only gave me vague snippets of information.” Frustration laced her voice. She paced in the small room. “I wanted to help you, but I didn’t know where you were.” Mara halted and glared at me. “It was a nightmare for me, a repeat of when Tula was kidnapped. I didn’t want to stand around waiting to be told you had died, but I was forced to. Just like with Tula.”
The truth of her words hit me. I had been so focused on finding Ulrick, I hadn’t even thought about her. “I’m sorry I caused you so much grief. It was very inconsiderate. But you shouldn’t have bothered Yelena, and this is the busy season for Mother and Father.”
“Nonsense. Strength in numbers, my dear.” And just like that she forgave me.
She settled on the single chair by my bedside, wriggling into a comfortable position. Her intention to stay clear, Mara laid a warm hand on my forehead. “No fever for now. Good. Go to sleep, Opal. I’ll be here to watch over you.”
My protest died on my lips. When Tula had been recovering from Ferde’s assault, Mara had stayed home to work in the factory with our brother, Ahir, while I was whisked to the Citadel by Master Jewelrose. Yelena had wanted my help in “waking” Tula. Her trauma had been so severe, her mind had retreated to a fond memory. With Yelena, I traveled through her thoughts and convinced her to return to consciousness.
Tula and I had always been close. Being abo
ut eighteen months apart in age, we had been inseparable. We either idolized Mara or were jealous of her. She was the oldest and could do no wrong, acting more like a mother than a sibling. Her beauty and the constant flock of admirers didn’t help our feelings. Our brother received attention because he was the baby.
As I drifted to sleep, I realized Tula and my actions growing up had isolated Mara. I promised I would try to rectify the relationship.
Janco’s complaints woke me. “Bout time. I’ve been here for an hour.”
I cracked an eye open. Janco lounged in the chair with his feet propped on my bed.
“Can’t leave you for one night.” He tsked. “Shot by friendly fire. It sucks to be you.”
“How nice of you to spare my feelings. Any other little joyful nuggets you care to comment on?”
“Sheesh, you’re grumpy in the morning.” He sulked.
“Where’s Mara?”
“Probably sleeping. I gave the poor woman a break—she’s been here for two days straight.”
Two days already. I rolled my shoulder—all I could do with my left arm wrapped tight to my body. Darts of pain radiated.
“I don’t blame her for wanting to stay with you. That was a heck of a homecoming even for the Creepy Keepy.” He brightened a bit. “But she trusts me. She wouldn’t let anyone else stay with you.”
“She’s being a bit overprotective,” I said.
“With good reason. Leif’s been running interference for you, but the Council demanded you report to them tomorrow.” He dropped his feet and sat up. Wincing, he rubbed his side. “Yelena’s here already. We had an early workout, but she’s planning on seeing you later this morning.”
My stomach flipped with mixed emotions. Happy Yelena had arrived and terrified about the Council session.
Healer Hayes entered the room and shooed Janco out so he could change my bandage. He frowned and hemmed as he worked.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him.
“It’s healing. But it’s slow.” His lips pressed together as if he chewed on a thought. “You need to know why.”
My heart beat a faster rhythm. The news had to be bad. I waited as he struggled to find the right words.
“I couldn’t use magic to heal you,” he said.
“Why not?”
“The Masters have erected a null shield around you. No one can work magic through a shield, so your shoulder will have to heal on its own. Sorry.”
I didn’t have the energy to be upset. It wasn’t a surprise. It felt more like a betrayal. I’ve been living in the Keep for five years, working with the Masters on various projects and risking my life. Couldn’t they even give me the benefit of the doubt?
“And sorry about this.” Hayes sliced my bound arm free.
Pain exploded as the weight of my arm dragged on my shoulder. He worked fast and placed my elbow into a sling, but not fast enough to prevent tears from flooding my vision.
He brushed my hair from my eyes when he finished. “How about some good news?” He smiled. “You can go back to your own quarters this afternoon.”
I worried when Yelena didn’t visit, but, as promised, Hayes discharged me. My return to my own quarters should have been a relief, except for my entourage. Two guards, Mara and Janco followed me to my rooms.
Mara fussed about, opened the shutters, changed the linens and dusted. Janco sat on the couch and muttered about the audacity of the guards who remained outside my door.
The apprentice quarters were all identical—a bedroom and living area with a stone hearth. One simple armchair and small couch faced the fireplace on the left side of the room. A wooden table and two chairs occupied the right side of the room, and the bedroom contained a single bed, an armoire and a desk.
“Where are my saddlebags?” I asked Mara.
She stopped for a moment as if deciding. “Confiscated along with your cloak. Sorry, I tried to reason with them.”
I fumed silently and it was a respite when Mara and Janco finally left. Pacing my rooms, I wanted to…What? My shoulder throbbed. I couldn’t work with glass. Zitora hadn’t visited me. I’d been ordered to remain in my quarters until my hearing tomorrow.
The Council session would be my chance to prove myself. I rummaged around my desk for parchment and ink. Good thing I wrote with my right hand. Sitting, I detailed everything that had happened, including conversations. Tama Moon’s hypothetical situation of using my talents as leverage didn’t seem so wrong to me now.
Reviewing the talk with Tama, I realized the actions of the Master Magicians were extreme. If they didn’t know about my ability to siphon magic, then why would Zitora and Irys bring an armed guard with them to the glass shop? Why did they have a null shield around me? Because they knew. And there was only one logical person who could have told them. Councilor Tama Moon.
After a sleepless night caused by worry—where was Yelena?—and pain—the whole left side of my body ached—I reported to the Council as instructed, entering the cavernous great hall in the Council Building. I apologized to the eleven Council members and three Master Magicians for not following a direct order. I attempted to explain my actions, but from their hostility, I knew they had formed their own conclusions and nothing I said would change their minds.
I expected the harsh reprimand. I expected the fear and the comments on my character or lack thereof. I anticipated the disbelief about the Warpers and the blood magic.
What I failed to expect was Zitora and Yelena’s silence, and Councilor Tama Moon’s ruthless undermining of my credibility.
Tama claimed, “Ulrick was working undercover to infiltrate the illegal operations on the northern ice sheet. And to save the Stormdancer.” Her voice resonated with authority in the vast room. “Opal was unaware of this, so her reactions to Ulrick’s cover story would be genuine. Unfortunately, he played his role too well, and she is unable to believe the real story.”
As the silence in the great hall thickened until it clung to my sweaty skin like syrup, I glanced at Yelena and Zitora, appealing to them to correct Tama, to leap to my defense, to do…something. Anything.
Zitora stood. “Councilor Moon speaks the truth.”
10
EVERY SINGLE PART OF MY BODY REACTED AS IF I HAD BEEN doused by the ice-cold runoff from the Emerald Mountains. Blindsided and ambushed, I sat in front of the Councilors and Masters unable to speak or even draw a breath.
“I’m sorry to have put you through that.” Zitora spoke to me for the first time since I was shot by the arrow. “But it was vital to the mission.” She turned to the Council. “Opal’s determination to help Ulrick, even though he didn’t need it, should be noted in her favor.”
The atmosphere in the great hall changed. A sense of relief permeated the air as the Councilors nodded and gave me sympathetic looks as if to say the poor dear had no clue, no wonder she disobeyed our orders to return. Their belief that all the Warpers were dead had been restored, and the whole nonsense about blood magic and switching souls had been explained away as a mere cover story.
Somewhat recovered, I opened my mouth to protest, but an invisible hand snapped my jaw shut. Yelena’s gaze met mine. With a slight shake of her head, she warned me to keep quiet. The force on my teeth released.
The Council launched a battery of questions about my new magical ability to siphon magic from another magician. I answered, but realized the outcome no longer rested in my hands. A bigger conspiracy lurked behind this meeting. I would either be told or not, and I ceased to care. I knew the real story and no matter what happened here or how long it took, I vowed to expose Devlen and put a stop to blood magic.
The debate raged around me, but I tuned them out. Instead, I focused on my surroundings. The great hall’s narrow windows stretched to the ceiling three stories above my head. Sunlight striped the marble floor and the Councilor’s U-shaped table, casting Councilors Greenblade’s and Zaltana’s faces in shadow. Five Council members sat along one long section of the U-shape while the r
emaining four Councilors lined the other side. Yelena and the three Master Magicians occupied the short end.
I studied the long silk tapestries hanging between the hall’s windows. One for each clan, and I noted with pride the representation of an intricate glass vase on my clan’s banner. My hometown of Booruby was famous for glassmaking.
Shifting my position, I tried to find a comfortable spot on the hard wooden stool set before the Councilor’s table. Two guards kept close watch. The wooden benches along the marble walls remained empty. The public, including Mara and Leif, had been barred from attending this session and since my parents would not arrive in time—my mother refused to ride a horse—they decided to wait to hear the Council’s decision and make plans then. Janco had been sent back to Ixia. His grumpy goodbye had come with an offer to return if I needed him whether the Councilors wanted him or not.
Yelena’s voice slashed through my numbness. “You can’t ban her from working with glass. Who will craft more messengers?”
Good to know Yelena remained on my side. Unlike Zitora, who wouldn’t meet my gaze. The words null shield and supervised caught my attention, but otherwise I allowed the conversation to flow. In my mind, I replayed my last time with Kade, remembering his kiss and the feel of his strong hands on my back.
Many horrible things had happened to me, except Kade. He was worth enduring for. I could bow to the Council’s wishes, play the obedient student and pretend I had been duped by Ulrick’s undercover story to gain trust and freedom. And real answers. The Council would know the truth eventually.
Yelena’s approval pulsed in my chest.
“…and let’s not forget the diamonds, Councilor Krystal,” Councilor Jewelrose said. “We wouldn’t have to rely on imports from Ixia anymore.”
“Only at the cost of a magician’s power, which is too high,” Krystal replied.
“We don’t know if she has to take all their magic. We could experiment—”
“Absolutely not! Remember what happened to Pazia Cloud Mist…”
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