“Where is she?” Nathaniel blurted out.
Tara stopped dead, looking confused. “What?” she asked.
“Sienna,” Nathaniel repeated, as if she was an idiot. “What did you do, Tara?”
“What in the galaxy are you talking about?” Tara asked. “I didn't do anything to her.”
“You didn't sneak her off to a test without my permission?” Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. “Because I know you've been dying to learn more about the acridid gene, like she's some sort of farm animal on an experimental table.”
“If I wanted to do that,” Tara answered, “I could find better subjects at a much better stage in their lives. How dare you accuse me of such a thing? Why would you think I would risk my medical license to do that?”
“I wouldn't put it past you.”
“Whoa, whoa!” Laura put her arm out between the two of them. “Slow down, you two. Devon's missing, too.”
“Devon's missing, too?” This alarmed Tara. As much as she didn't get along with Nathaniel, she ran a tight ship. Her patients didn't normally wander off.
“Hold on.” Laura closed her eyes, trying to reach out. She was finding it hard to focus with so much anger in the air, and it took her half a second longer than normal. ‘Devon.’
‘Laura,’ came back his cheeky thoughts.
‘You causing trouble?’ She was casual about it, as she always was. Devon never kept secrets from her, and this time was no exception. ‘We're looking for you.’
‘Ice cream,’ he answered. ‘Just in the cafeteria. I was hungry.’
‘Any chance Sienna was hungry, too? Nathaniel's Tiro?’
‘Yep,’ came Devon's reply, and Laura's eyes flew open.
“It's okay,” she said as the world came back into focus. “They are just in cafeteria.”
“What?” Nathaniel answered, outraged. “Why would they just walk away?”
“Because they are kids, Nathaniel,” Laura shrugged. “Shall we retrieve them, Tara?”
“Just make sure they don't fall on the way back,” Tara said, glaring at Nathaniel. “Apologize.”
“This time,” Nathaniel answered. “I'm sorry.”
He was already shaking his head as they walked down to the cafeteria. He wasn't exactly running, but his heart was hammering in his chest.
“Why the hell would she do that?” he asked mostly himself. “She never does things like that. She's never more than four feet from us.”
“She has to grow up some time,” Laura replied. “Besides, it's not like they are breaking curfew or snorting illegal substances. They went to the cafeteria for ice cream.”
“She can't have ice cream,” Nathaniel muttered as they entered the cafeteria. Sure enough, sitting at one of the side tables, drawing attention to themselves with IV poles and Sienna's hospital gown, she and Devon had ice cream between them. She wasn't eating any of it, but her hands were on her chin and she was watching Devon with a look that Nathaniel knew well. It was the same look that he gave Eliza pretty much all the time.
“Ahem,” Nathaniel said behind her, and she jumped about three feet in the air.
“Hey,” Devon looked up at Nathaniel. “What's up?”
“Seriously?” Nathaniel raised his eyebrow. Sienna leaned back against his legs, looking up at him. “What are you doing?”
“Hungry?” she tried, and he gestured at the table.
“I see that,” he said. “You can't just wander off like that, all right? Whose idea was this?”
Laura met Devon's eyes across the table. She did not seem anywhere as enraged as Nathaniel was. Devon shrugged.
“Is it okay?”
“For me, it's fine,” she replied. “But you really shouldn't just take off with someone ease's Tiro, Devon.”
“Sorry, I thought everything was all right,” Devon answered. “Next time, we'll tell you.”
“I don't think there's going to be a next time,” Nathaniel answered as he reached out to help Sienna. “Is that clear?”
She said nothing, silent and probably a little embarrassed. She was clearly unstable on her feet now, the short excursion not doing her any good.
“Yeah, back to the med bay,” Nathaniel said, casting a glance at Laura.
“I'll just stay until Devon is done,” she said, sinking into the seat Sienna had vacated. “Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about,” Nathaniel replied, not blaming her. She smiled at him, and he managed to smile back as they headed off.
When they were gone, she turned back to Devon. He smirked.
“What?” he asked with a grin. “I'm pretty sure I've been going to get my own food when I was in the med bay since I was eight.”
“I know that,” she replied. “And I'm fine with you running off. But clearly, there are stricter rules for other people.”
“She wanted to go,” he said. “It's not like I dragged her.”
“I hope not,” she replied. “That girl is fragile, so don't do that.”
“Mmm,” Devon answered. “She's pretty neat though.”
“Oh?” Laura raised an eyebrow. “I see.”
“What,” Devon chuckled, and Laura shook her head.
“Just be careful,” she said. “How are you feeling?”
“I'm all right,” he answered, glancing up at his IV pole. “Obviously, I really wanted ice cream, otherwise I wouldn't be out in public with this.”
“Side effect,” Laura answered with a grin. “Ice cream craving was on the list.”
“I'm sure it was,” Devon said as he took the last bite. “I think she's figured it out, by the way. Ninety-nine percent of people don't know what Hydroxon is for.”
“She would,” Laura answered. “She lives her life in the medical system. Did you want her to know the gory details?”
“I don't know,” he answered, contemplating it. “Maybe I'm all right with it.”
“That's your choice,” Laura met his eyes. “I would never tell anyone if you didn't want me to.”
“I know,” Devon smiled. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Laura said as she punched his arm. “Let's go, eh?”
“Yep.” He finished and stood up, following her back to the med bay. As Maestros went, he was pretty lucky.
Chapter 6
“Where have you been?” Eliza asked when Nathaniel finally logged on a week later. Normally, they talked every night, or every second night. But for the past week, he had virtually been out of contact.
“Ah, I'm sorry, Eliza,” he answered. “It's been a crazy week.”
“It must be if you don't answer my calls or my messages,” she replied. She was wearing her crown, indicating to Nathaniel that she had just come from throne duty, which wasn't normal. Normally, she waited until she was dressed down and alone before she spoke to him. “Is Sienna all right?”
“Much better,” he replied. “She was released a few days ago, and I think it's under control.”
“That's good, because I need you.”
“Sorry?” He leaned forward. It was very rare that Eliza ever admitted any sort of need. “What's the matter?”
“I don't quite need you to rush out here on a quest,” she answered. “But there's been some odd things happening. Possibly magically.”
“What do you mean, ‘odd?’” he asked, his brow furrowed. He realized now that she looked a little bit frightened, which she normally never did. Eliza was always calm, cool, and collected.
“Do you remember my cousin Ladd?”
Nathaniel choked. “Your cousin Ladd, who we had to execute because he tried to kill you? And who kidnapped you twice in a row before you got the job done? Yeah, he vaguely rings a bell.”
“Right,” she paused. “You're going to think I'm crazy, but there have been sightings of him.”
“No,” Nathaniel answered. “You made sure he's dead.”
“I did,” she answered. “There was no doubt that he was dead. But people keep telling me they see him, they hear his voice in their ear. Is that poss
ible? Some way between the living and the dead?”
“Uh…” Nathaniel bit his lip. “You mean, with magic?”
“I pretty much mean with anything at this point,” she said, leaning in.
“I need to look into it,” he answered. “I've never heard of it before, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I mean, we only theorized that magic could resurrect before Sienna brought you back. And even now, she's the only one who can do things like that, as far as I'm concerned.”
“So, look into it,” she answered, and he noticed the desperation in her voice. “If there is something going on, I can't just let it go. I have to be sure.”
“Eliza, calm down,” he wished he was with her right now, able to wrap his arms around her and kiss the top of her head. Normally, he didn't mind the distance. But it was moments like this that he cursed it. He wanted so badly to comfort her, to stroke her hair. But Eliza was no ordinary woman; she was queen. “Is there any other information you can give me?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I just need to make sure that I'm not going crazy.”
“Have you heard him?” Nathaniel was almost afraid to ask.
She gave the slightest nod. “But I could have been dreaming,” she said.
“Increase your guard detail,” he said at once. “Take every precaution.”
“You think this is possible?” she asked.
“I don't know, but I'm not taking any chances.” He searched his mind. “A friend of mine – Laura – spent some time on the very outer rim with her Tiro. She was telling me about some beings out there who almost seemed to drift in and out of time and space. She's a diplomat, so working with beings who didn't recognize time presented challenges. I'll ask her if she's ever heard of anything like this.”
“Ask the whole planet,” Eliza answered. “So long as I'm not going crazy or seeing ghosts.”
“Please call me if anything else happens,” he replied. “Anything at all. I was distracted before, but I'll answer, I promise.”
“I will,” she said. They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, wanting to say more. But now did not seem the time for sappy romance or love stories. His heart was racing as he got up, disconnecting the video call. He wanted her to be safe, of course, and he wanted her to feel protected.
But this couldn't be possible.
A vague, sinking feeling entered his mind. The first time that Eliza had told him Ladd was dead by her hand had been a lie. She had kept him alive because he was the last heir to the throne, and an heirless throne was worse than a threatened one. She had lied to his face, and it had almost gotten her killed. Actually, it would have gotten her killed had Sienna been unable to save her.
She wouldn't do that again, would she?
Nathaniel shook the thought from his mind as he exited his room. It was past six p.m., and he was exhausted, but he stopped in Sienna's room.
She was curled up on her bed, typing on her tablet. It brought a smile to his face just to see her sitting there, breathing, looking up at him. He was reminded too often that she might not be there the next day.
“Hi,” he said. “I have to pop into the East Wing to see Laura for a few minutes. Do you want to come? If not, I think Desmond is just in the library.”
“Laura?” she put down her tablet. “Yes.”
He raised an eyebrow. She normally wanted to come with him, but once the sun set, she was content to just be still and quiet.
“Slowly, then,” he said as she got up. “Are you almost done with your homework?”
“Homework?” she answered. I was bidding for missions.”
“I'm sorry?” he looked at her like she had grown a third eye. “You literally just got out of the med bay.”
“I was bidding for missions that were weeks away,” she tried.
“No,” he said. “You'll leave the bidding to Desmond and me, who will decide when you are well.”
“I was only bidding on support missions,” she answered, and he raised an eyebrow.
“Really?” That surprised him. Support missions were for teams of Maestros and Tiros. One was to lead while the other hung back on the planet, usually idle. Sienna never wanted to do those missions; she was shy, but she also wanted excitement. He was surprised she even knew how to get into that tab. “How come?”
“Oh, no reason,” she answered as they walked. He could tell she still wasn't quite stable, but she was improving.
“This wouldn't have anything to do with Laura's Tiro, would it?” Nathaniel asked.
“You aren't asking Laura something just because she's pretty, are you?” Sienna answered, and he choked. Her responses were never that witty or that quick.
“Sienna…” he said, and then realized she had read his thoughts. “It is not okay to invade my thoughts.”
“You sound like Desmond,” she answered, and he rolled his eyes.
“Desmond and I may be very different, but we do share basic opinions,” he said. “Don't read my thoughts.”
She was silent for a few moments as they walked, and then her jaw hung open. “You kissed her?!”
People actually turned around to look at them in the hall. Nathaniel took her arm, pulling her into an empty classroom so that they wouldn't get gaping stares.
“No,” he said through gritted teeth.
“But I saw!” She gestured. “I saw in your mind.”
“That was just in my mind!” he cried. “What did I just say about not reading my thoughts?”
“But…” She searched her shocked brain for the right words. “What about Eliza?”
“Sienna,” he said as he ran a hand over his face. “First of all, we shouldn't even be having this conversation, and I'm sure you are well aware of that. Second of all, I have eyes in my head. I can think Laura is pretty and accidentally imagine kissing her without it being a problem.”
“But what about Eliza?”
“Eliza is a galaxy away right now and she needs help,” Nathaniel said. “Which is why I'm going to ask Laura a question. Now, are you coming or not?”
She stood still, thinking. “How could you do that to Eliza?”
“I have done nothing to Eliza!” he cried. “They were thoughts, Sienna – nothing more. I'm sure Eliza has thoughts, too.”
“I'm sure she doesn't,” Sienna replied, and he rolled his eyes.
“I can leave you with Desmond in the library,” he answered. “Whatever he's doing is far less entertaining than what I'm going to investigate.”
“No,” she said. “No, take me with you. I will be quiet.”
“I don't need you to be quiet,” he answered. “I just need you to be less intrusive. Can you do that?”
She nodded, although he didn't believe her for a moment. And in a lot of ways, he didn't blame her. If he was that powerful, if it came to him that easily, would he be cautious with it? Or would he use his magic to make his life easier? Part of the reason her language had progressed as slowly as it did was because of her ability to read minds and bond with her Maestros. A witch's bond knew no language barriers, and so she had relied on them for years.
He had never seen her rely on anyone else or even be willing to go places with anyone else until that day with Devon in the cafeteria. And that worried him to no end.
“Good,” he said. “Stay close, then.”
They walked in silence for a few moments more, taking the shortcuts down the hallway to where Laura and Devon had rooms. The Academy was huge, and it was a maze for those who didn't know their way around. Connected by a seemingly never-ending loop of hallways and tunnels, an unsuspecting visitor could spend days lost inside its walls. But to Nathaniel, it was second nature to turn left or right. He soon found himself in the East Wing's common room.
Laura was curled up in a chair by the fire, paging through an old journal. She had an interest in history, as Nathaniel learned, and was always looking for journals and artifacts from the library that had not been properly documented or recorded. Devon was at th
e ping pong table with a peer, playing the game with just their magic. It was impressive, and an encouraged exercise to work on precision and timing.
Nathaniel let Sienna head toward the table as he got Laura's attention.
“Fancy meeting you here,” she said with a grin as she sat up. “Did you walk all the way from the West Wing just to see me?”
“I may have,” he answered. “If I tell you I did, will you reach back into your memory and answer some questions for me?”
She laughed. “You don't have to flatter me to ask for my help,” she said as she patted the seat beside her, “but I'll accept it.”
“Your eyes are like moonlight?” Nathaniel tried, and she smiled.
“What can I do for you, bearer of compliments?”
“Ghosts,” he said. “Possibly through a magical tunnel. Maybe time and space aren't relevant to them. Do you remember in the med bay, you were telling me about that mission you did on the outer rim?”
“Sure,” she said. “One of my favorites. Also, one of the most disturbing. I'm accepting of all alien forms, of course, but those were just eerie.”
“Time didn't matter to them, right?” he asked, trying to remember what she had said.
“They were both dead and alive – there and not at the same time,” she replied. “I mean, I was just there to talk trade negotiations with them, but wrapping my mind around what they believed and how they operated was half the battle…No, it was the whole battle. I eventually had to stop trying to understand it.”
“Can you tell me?” Nathaniel asked, sitting down. “I think it's going to help someone.”
“Sure.” She smiled as she watched Sienna flick the ping pong ball away from Devon. “Settle in.”
Chapter 7
“How did you meet her?” Laura asked, two hours later. Nathaniel had meant to just ask for advice and then go back to speak to Eliza. Instead, his conversation with Laura had spiraled into a conversation about everything imaginable. It was easy to talk to her; he didn't have to explain the things he had to explain to Eliza, like how magic made him feel or why he felt restricted at times. Laura understood with a simple look and a glance.
“A quest,” he replied with a shrug. “It was just supposed to be a normal quest, but it turned into something more.”
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