The School between Winter and Fairyland

by Heather Fawcett

  “Just turns out that I want a lot of things,” she said. “More than I thought.”

  I hope the others aren’t being horrible.

  “How did you guess?” She sighed. “Not exactly horrible, I suppose.”

  For the most part, the other Inglenook students didn’t seem to know what to make of her. If Gawain or Winifred caught her eye, they looked away again. The rest mostly kept on ignoring her, as if she were still just a servant and Hallowtide had never happened—some even seemed to be making a point of it, as if by joining them she’d given them some grievous insult. She’d overheard one boy making fun of the way she talked.

  They’ll come around, Cai said. Actually, I take that back. Some of them will come around. I don’t know if you’d noticed, but Inglenook’s full of snobs.

  Autumn let out a snort of laughter. Still, she couldn’t help thinking how much nicer it would have been to have a friend among all those magicians.

  Cai was quiet for a moment. I miss you, Autumn.

  “I miss you, too,” she whispered. “Why did you come back?”

  I came to say goodbye.

  “Oh.” Autumn’s hands knotted in her lap. “Where are you going?”

  North. Far from Eryree. Far from any people.

  “The Boreal Wastes?”

  I think so. He still sounded like Cai, thoughtful and calm, tapping a book with his fingertip. But so deep into the Wastes that they stop being the Wastes and become the blank place on the maps. The rest of our family lives there.

  “I don’t understand,” Autumn said. “Why don’t you just stay here, Cai?”

  I can’t. He settled on the patch of grass beside Choo, who flopped onto his back with delight. Not just because I love the forest. Because I don’t want to hurt anyone.

  Autumn wiped her face on her sleeve. “You stupid hero.”

  I guess so, Cai said with a sigh. Autumn, will you do one more thing for me?

  “Course I will. Anything.”

  Will you look after Blue? His voice caught. She doesn’t have anyone else here.

  Autumn nodded. She thought for a moment. “She has the other Cai.”

  Right. He sounded awkward. I keep forgetting about him. How strange is that? What’s he like?

  Autumn sighed. “He’s all right, I guess.”

  He could probably use a friend, too.

  “You just can’t stop worrying about other people, can you? Winter’s already made friends with him. They get along like fire and hay—the other Cai likes to talk, and Winter likes to listen. They’ve both been through a lot, and Gran says it’s good for them to be friends.” Autumn sat up straighter. “Cai, you have to do something for me too.”

  Of course.

  “You have to promise to visit me.” Cai started to speak, but Autumn spoke over him. “I know you have to go. I don’t mean soon. But one day. Because you’re my best friend, and when I think about never seeing you again—” She swallowed.

  I know, Cai said quietly.

  “Promise that you’ll visit,” she said. “Even if it’s just when I’m very old and my hair is even whiter than it is now. You can be my omen.”

  Autumn—

  “Promise,” she said fiercely.

  I promise.

  Something rustled deeper in the forest. I have to go, Cai said. She could sense the forest pulling at him, even now. But the old longing in his voice wasn’t mixed with worry anymore. He didn’t have to worry about the forest now—he was part of it.

  You make me wish I could stay, Cai said. You’re the only person who’s ever done that, apart from Blue.

  Autumn felt a gentle touch on her hand like a cool wind. Then the forest went still. Birds returned to the trees, murmuring their sleepy twilight songs.

  She sat there for a long time. The forest was darkness woven into darkness, the only light coming from the few stars poking through the treetops.

  Something rustled through the underbrush. She whirled around, thinking Cai had changed his mind. But it was just a fox, an old one by the looks of it. He studied her for a long moment with his golden eyes, one paw in the air, trying to decide if she was friend or foe. He seemed to make up his mind and trotted across the clearing, so close she could have caught him in her arms, before disappearing into the darkness.

  A little later, someone settled on the rock beside her. “You missed supper,” Winter said. “Don’t worry, though. I managed to wrestle some fish and potatoes away from Emys.”

  Autumn sniffled into his shoulder. A thought occurred to her, prompted by her growling stomach. “Is there any seabread left?”

  “I hid the loaf Seren brought over this morning. It’s under your bed.”

  Autumn laughed. She drew back and gave him a look. “Did you know Cai would visit me today?”

  Winter raised his eyebrows a little. “I know everything about you.”

  Autumn snorted. “Including my future.”

  “Oh, sure. Knowing the future’s the easiest thing in the world.” Winter tapped his temple mysteriously. “I can see your future right now. It’s wet.”

  “Wet?”

  Winter leaped off the rock and sent a snowball flying. It hit her square in the face.

  Autumn was up almost as soon as the snowball connected. Winter had a head start, but she caught up to him easily—though he was almost her size again, her legs were still longer than his. She tripped him, sending him sprawling into a snowbank. He yelped and threw another snowball, which went wide. Choo ran circles around them, barking madly, while the Gentlewood grumbled and rustled its leaves at the noise, and they ran laughing and shouting back to the cottage.