Mara’s wedding, stay with me. Come to the coast and make
orbs with Helen. We’ll take long walks on the beach. I know
a few isolated coves.”
Tempting. “What about Finn?”
“Let Valek and his people hunt him down.”
“I can’t. I need to be involved. At least until I know if I can either reclaim my magic or not.”
“And
then?”
“I don’t know,” I said. Seeing the pain in his eyes, I stopped
and faced him. “You said I came into your life like a hot season squall. Do you really think I’d be content to take long walks
on the beach?”
“If we are to be together, Opal, I want to be with you, spending as much time with you as possible.”
I thought of Valek and Yelena. He had said no amount of
time or distance could break them apart. Was it too much to
expect the same from Kade? Then there was Mara and Leif.
They kept together for most of the year.
“Why?”
“You ground me. When I’m on the coast—” he gestured to
the western horizon “—and dancing, I can easily lose myself
in the storm’s energy and personality. I wanted to do just that
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after my sister died, but you kept me connected. You give me
a reason to come back.”
Kade tucked an errant strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re
kind, smart and tenacious, and I love the way you’re so quick
to help others. And there lies the problem. You rush off to
solve Sitia’s problems and you don’t need my help. But I want
to be selfish, keeping you safe with me.”
“But I wasn’t rushing off for Sitia this time. I was the one
being selfish.”
“An exception. What about next time?”
“Valek could teach—”
“I already have a job. I’d like a home and a family. Do
you?”
“Eventually, I guess.”
“Guess?” An eyebrow spiked.
“I can’t see past this…uncertainty with my blood.” And
while it was nice to think my spyglass would show me the
future if I found the right focus point, I didn’t believe it.
“Whether or not you reclaim your magic, some decisions
won’t change.”
He had a point. Yet, deep inside, I equated planning my
future to giving up; if I agreed to stay with Kade and work
for the Council, I was admitting defeat.
Kade watched me. “You’re conf licted about more than your
blood. What’s wrong?”
Time for full disclosure. I resumed walking, but the beauti-
ful scenery didn’t even register in my mind.
Matching my pace, Kade stayed next to me. After a few
moments, he asked, “How bad is it?”
“Bad.”
“Have you and Janco decided to run away to Ixia together?”
Kade joked.
He surprised a laugh from me. “I’d kill Janco before we
reach the border.” Then all my humor drained away. “You’re
not going to like this.”
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“Just tell me, Opal.”
So I did. The words rushed out.
Kade stopped in disbelief. “Devlen? You kissed Devlen?”
Feeling miserable, I nodded.
“But he… How could…?”
“I don’t know why. Maybe because he understands what
I’m going through right now.”
“I—”
“Can’t understand. I’m sorry it happened, but I can’t erase
the past. I love you. I do, but I need him right now. The search for my blood had given me a purpose. Devlen gives me hope
that if I don’t find it, I’ll be able to get on with my life.”
“With
me?”
“I’m
here.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“I knew that if I didn’t come here, we’d no longer be to-
gether. I don’t want to lose you, and I don’t want to lie to you, either. Can you just be with me for now?”
“I need to think about it,” he said. “The house is over
there.” Kade pointed. “I’ll meet you later.” He strode away.
I hovered near the back porch of the house, feeling lost and
heartsick. The unmistakable sounds of an argument reached
me. I didn’t want to eavesdrop on Kade’s parents, so I let their voices f low past me. Instead I counted the number of clotheslines strung next to the shed—more than I would expect for
three people. I was up to ten when my name was mentioned.
Unable to avoid the now-loud conversation, I sank to the steps
and rested my elbows on my knees.
“…took her sweet time,” Kade’s mother said.
A muttered reply from Ink. I covered my face with my
hands.
“…don’t care… She’s nothing but trouble.”
At least she had that right. The door squeaked and I glanced up.
Ink leaned on the frame. “Where’s Kade?” he asked.
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191
“He said he’d meet me here.”
“Don’t sit out in the sun. Come in.” Ink pushed the door
wider.
I entered a workroom. Kegs of ink rested on a long table.
Bolts of cloth littered the f loor and open barrels of liquid lined the walls. I had known Kade worked on his family’s farm
during the off-season, but had no idea exactly what they did
with the ink.
Ink didn’t give me time to ask as he led me into the kitchen
to introduce me to his wife. She stirred a pot heating on the
hearth.
“Sarrah, this is—”
“Met her already,” she said without looking up. “Go wash
up before supper.”
“Be nice. Opal’s our guest.” He shooed me from the kitchen
and into the living room. He played host, telling me to sit
down, fetching me a drink and asking how long I planned to
visit.
“Not long,” I said. “My sister is getting married in fifteen
days and I need to be home in time to help.”
Sarrah came out to set the formal table, setting down the
plates with extra force. The bangs punctuated her ill humor.
“Can I help with supper?” I asked her.
“No.”
To break the awkward silence I asked Ink about his work.
Before he could speak, Sarrah grumped. “She knows nothing
about us.”
“Of course she doesn’t,” Ink said. “Opal’s been busy. With-
out her, they never would have fixed those orbs.”
“Tell that to Nisha and Kamlesh. I’m sure they would rather
have their children home with them, than for all of them to
be murdered.”
I missed a major connection between fixed orbs to murdered
children. Ink rubbed his temples as if this were an old argu-
ment. I caught his eye and raised my eyebrows in question.
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Maria V. Snyder
“Nisha and Kamlesh are Indra, Varun and Nodin’s parents.
Or were.” Ink hunched over the table.
Grief welled. The three glassmakers had been killed by Sir
and Tricky for the Stormdancers’ secret orb recipe—the special
sand mixture used for the glass orbs. I also had the recipe, but when Sir couldn’t force it from me, he turned to them.
; “I would like to visit them before I leave. Do they live
nearby?” I asked Ink.
“Don’t bother them,” Sarrah said. “They have no wish to
see you. Believe me.”
Lovely. Kade’s mother blamed me for their deaths. I won-
dered if Nisha and Kamlesh did, as well. At least Sarrah
couldn’t pin her daughter Kaya’s death on me. It was one of
the reasons I had become involved with discovering who had
sabotaged the orbs. Through that mission I had met Kade.
As Sarrah bustled around, I studied her. She had lost a child
a little over a year ago. My mother had been devastated when
Tula had died, but I couldn’t remember if she had been angry,
as well. The man who had killed my sister had been caught,
and so had the people responsible for Kaya’s death. Kade had
helped capture them. Did Sarrah also think I was responsible
for getting him involved? He had been caught and forced to
harvest the energy from the blizzards in Ixia. I shied away
from thinking about my role during that time.
I remembered Kade had been just as walled off as his mother.
But he had found a little peace since his sister’s death. Why?
I sorted through my memories. Kaya’s soul had been trapped
in a glass orb, existing with a storm’s energy. After escaping
Sir and Tricky, Kade had set her free. He had said goodbye.
“Did you have a good harvest this year?” I asked Ink.
Once again Sarrah jumped in. “Why do you care? Look at
those drab-colored clothes you’re wearing. We only produce
vibrant and beautiful ink here.”
I bit my tongue before I could make a nasty comment about
her brown pants and tan shirt. I really, really didn’t want to
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193
argue. Since anything I said would be misconstrued by Sarrah,
I kept quiet.
Kade returned. He wouldn’t look at me, and he didn’t notice
the tension in the room.
Supper was painful and I almost wished to be back at Wirral.
Almost. Sarrah steered the conversation and I kept my temper
in check. She reminisced over Kade’s and Kaya’s childhoods.
I noted the lack of embarrassing stories. Lucky Kade.
He, on the other hand, hardly said a word.
“They did everything together,” Sarrah said. “Even school.
Kaya hated to be in the younger class, so she studied hard and
was promoted to Kade’s group.”
Finally Ink managed to change the subject. “You mentioned
your sister, Opal. Who’s the lucky man?”
“Leif
Zaltana.”
Ink glanced at his son. “Is he the one who ate your mother’s
entire cobbler by himself ?”
“Sounds like him,” I said, smiling despite myself.
“Yes. He stopped by for a visit on his way back to the Cita-
del,” Kade said.
“A powerful magician,” Sarrah said. “He should marry an-
other Zaltana. Concentrate the power for his children. When
people marry outside their clans, it dilutes the blood.”
Did she say that on purpose? If I had hackles they would
be up. “Leif is marrying Mara for the right reason. Love.”
She dismissed my comment. “Silly sentiment. Sitia needs
more magicians. We’ve lost two Master Magicians and you
gave your magic away. Love is nice, but it’s selfish.”
I sputtered. Gave mine away? Before I could say something
I’d regret, I excused myself from the table and bolted outside.
Once there, I inhaled deep breaths to calm the fury. Was she
trying to get a reaction from me? Why did she dislike me
so much? My guilty conscience replied that she sensed I’d
hurt her son. At least I kept my temper. Fighting with Kade’s
mother would only upset him further.
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Maria V. Snyder
By the time I returned to his parents’ house, Ink and Sarrah
sat in the living room. Lanterns blazed, pushing the darkness to the far corners. Sarrah kept sewing, ignoring me. Ink glanced
up from his paper. A pair of reading glasses was perched on
the end of his nose.
I stood awkwardly in the threshold. Kade wasn’t in sight.
“Where’s Kade?” I asked Ink.
“Checking on the horses.”
Sarrah tsked. “He wastes too much time with that animal.
Doesn’t he know as soon as a dignitary from Ixia visits, or
the Council realizes their mistake, they’ll take that Sandseed
horse back?”
Her tone of voice clearly indicated that she didn’t want an
answer, but I stepped into the room to give her one regardless.
“No one can take Moonlight from Kade. No one.”
She wouldn’t look at me so I moved closer. “Moonlight decides who he stays with.”
“He doesn’t need a horse. He was fine without one.”
“Moonlight’s been a big help around here,” Ink said then
ducked his head when his wife glowered at him. “Er…sit
down, Opal. I’ll go make up Kaya’s bed—”
“Absolutely not,” Sarrah said. She jabbed her needle at me.
Panic f lared in her eyes. “She can sleep on the couch. She’s
not allowed in Kaya’s room.”
And then all the clues clicked into place. Sarrah was afraid
Kade had replaced his love for his sister with me. At least she would be happy when Kade tells me it’s over.
Ink started to protest, but I touched his arm. “The couch
is fine. After ten days on the road, anything soft will do.”
Kade still hadn’t returned by the time Ink and Sarrah retired
for the night. I squirmed into a semicomfortable position on
the couch. The pale moonlight slipped in through the small
gap in the windows. Shadows from the curtains f lickered on
the f loor’s wooden beams.
Unable to sleep, I watched the fabric billow and sway with
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195
the cool night breeze. After a few minutes the curtains would
settle and then blow in and part as if announcing the arrival
of the wind.
A squeak woke me from a light doze. Kade’s shadow crossed
the f loor. He paused and I waited. Then the steps groaned
with his weight as he climbed the stairs.
I couldn’t blame him for giving up on me. I’d lost Kade. Despite the wrenching inside my chest, I ruminated on
the word lost as I stared at the ceiling. Lost his love, not the man since he slept upstairs. I had planned to leave early in the morning if Kade couldn’t stay with me. Why wait? I wouldn’t
be able to sleep. Not now. Quartz enjoyed traveling at night
and she had all day to rest.
But I needed to say goodbye. Tiptoeing upstairs, I paused
on the landing. Three closed doors ringed the short hallway.
Which one was his?
I stood in front of each door as I decided. A slight draft
caressed my bare toes from under the door on the right, but
air blasted my feet from the left one. Only Kade would have
his window wide-open.
Biting my lip, I tapped on the door before turning the knob
and peeking in. If he was asleep…
“I’m awake,” Kade said.
With no shirt on and wearing only short pants, he lay on
&nbs
p; top of the bedspread. A knot formed under my ribs and I
shivered.
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197
“I understand your decision. I’m leaving tonight and wanted
to say goodbye.”
He gazed out the window. And I studied his face, commit-
ting the strong line of his jaw and his smooth skin to memory.
The consequences of my quest had been very high. I turned
to go.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Home for Mara’s wedding.”
“You can’t leave so soon. If I’m going to spend time with
your family, it’s only fair you spend a few more days with
mine.”
I spun around.
He pushed up on his elbow. “I don’t want to give up on us.
This thing with Devlen isn’t love, is it?”
“No. He’s like my Story Weaver.”
“And he’ll help you?”
“Yes.”
Kade drew in a deep breath. “You know what I want and
need. And you love me.” He quirked a smile. “I can be happy
with that for now. After the wedding, you know where I’ll
be.” He patted the bed and I slid in with him. He settled back
and I snuggled in close.
“Although,” he said, “you’ll have to deal with my mother
for the next couple of days.”
Dealing with his mother seemed a mere inconvenience.
I’d been given a second chance with Kade and I wasn’t going
to blow it. My thoughts returned to my earlier assessment of
Sarrah. “I think I know why she hates me so much.”
“After one day?”
“I’ve learned a great deal about human nature from
Valek.”
“Go
on.”
“She needs to know you still love your sister. Your father
already knows you’re not trying to replace her with me. When
you released Kaya’s soul on the Northern Ice Sheet, you had a
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moment with her that your parents missed. You said goodbye,
and even I experienced her joy at finding peace. They didn’t.
I think if you tell them what happened, your mother might
feel better about us.”
“Once I decided to let her go, I never considered waiting.
So wrapped up in my own grief, I had forgotten my parents’
pain.” He looked at me. “It was a very selfish thing to do.”
“At that time, you couldn’t see past your own pain.”
“Sounds like you have some experience with this.”
It would explain my actions with Devlen. “Yes I do, and it