by Kaylin Lee
There. I’d rather the necklace be cold all the time than torment me by flickering on and off the way it had that morning.
“Alba! There you are!”
I tucked the locket into my dress’s neckline before glancing over my shoulder. “Mom? What are you doing here?”
She strode toward me and held out a crumpled envelope, her lips pressed in a thin line. “When were you going to tell me what happened?”
I stood, drawing my shawl over my chest. Did she know about the locket? “What? I haven’t done any—”
“Lady Galanos!” She shook the envelope. “She’s furious! And you— She—”
Voices echoed in the stairwell, and she fell silent. We watched a group of noisy young Procus ladies enter the room, the shop’s proprietor following behind them, balancing two enormous trays of coffees and pastries.
My mom stepped closer, her expression more frightened than I’d ever seen it. “We need to speak privately. Right now.”
I shivered and pulled my shawl tighter. Had Lady Galanos done something? Hadn’t it been enough to humiliate me, to make Alaric end things between us? “We can go on the roof. It’s too cold for anyone else to be up there now.”
The roof of Curious Confections held a smattering of rusty, metal chairs, all of them too wet from the previous day’s rain to be of any use to us. I huddled beside my mom several steps from the door, which she insisted on shutting to be sure no one would overhear us from the stairs.
When she finally handed me the envelope, my breath caught. The broken seal looked exactly like the simple arrow emblem that decorated my father’s sentinel gear.
“Did something happen to Dad?” My voice was barely above a whisper, my throat suddenly so constricted it was hard to breathe.
“No.” My mom eyes were bright. “It’s not about him, honey. It’s about you.”
Chapter 5
The letter from the Sentinels was bland, concise, and terrifying.
Alba Mattas,
You have been assigned to the 19th Sentinels Team as an attached healer. Please report to Sentinel Headquarters tomorrow at first light for their next mission into the Badlands. Your team leader will provide uniform, gear, and provisions for the Badlands at the time of your departure.
Why were the words swimming on the page? “I thought the Sentinels didn’t allow any mages stronger than a tracker on their teams. That’s the whole point of their mission—to fight mages without depending on magic.” My voice shook. I couldn’t look away from the letter. “And they have their own medics. They don’t need a healer mage.”
“I know. That’s why you’re considered attached, not a member of the team.” My mom released a breath. “I spent the morning talking to every official I could find. The orders came from high up in the Asylian government. Apparently, Lady Galanos wants you out of the city and away from her son, and she’s pulling in favors to ensure it happens tomorrow.”
“Away from her son? That’s ridiculous! Alaric broke up with me yesterday at their villa. He told me to leave the moment his mother voiced her disapproval. There’s no danger he will change his mind, or whatever she thinks.” I rubbed my temples.
My mom scoffed. “I don’t think it’s about him anymore. She’s offended that he brought a mage home to meet her, and a beautiful one at that. Her pride demands payment.”
“Payment!” I ran my hand through my hair, shivering as wind whipped across the rooftop. “Mom, this is insane. Why should I pay for a simple flirtation? I don’t even love him.” My cheeks heated. “You were right yesterday. I guess I just liked the idea of him.”
Her smile was wistful. “You always have.”
I read the letter again, folded it, and slid it back into the envelope. A mission? Tomorrow, at first light? The dissonant words refused to settle in my mind. “I hate to say this. I know he’s done so much for us, and we’re not supposed to take advantage of the relationship. I know, I know. But what about asking for an intervention from—”
“Prince Estevan?” My mom shook her head. “I sent him a note the moment I received that letter. I heard back from him just before I came here.”
“What did he say?”
“That you’re safer in the Badlands.”
The envelope slipped from my fingers, but my mother caught it. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Until she loses interest and moves on, Lady Galanos will be a danger to you.”
“But this is Asylia! We have a legal code, for Theros’s sake! She can’t just … what? Kill me? Because her son said I was beautiful?”
My mom gripped my hand. “Not kill you, honey. Of course not. But she’s been known to use her influence in Procus circles to ruin other ladies.”
I swallowed. “Ruin?”
She raised one shoulder, looking unusually helpless. “She’ll spread vicious rumors to ostracize you and isolate you from your friends. Or to make sure you can’t find work in a good hospital. Or to cause a decent man to think twice before courting you. Probably all three. That’s what Princess Belle said.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Our society is changing, and the influence of the Procus families has lessened, but Lady Galanos still has a great deal of pull in almost every sector of the city. You’re eighteen years old, honey. You have your whole life ahead of you. But this vindictive woman could destroy your future with a few well-placed whispers.”
“So I’m safer in the Badlands.” I folded my arms and let the wind blow my shawl up into the air, suddenly too numb to feel the cold. “You agree, Mom?”
She gripped my shoulders, keeping my shawl from flying off me completely. “No one has seen the Masters or any of their curses in four years. They put you on Bri’s team, and yes, I know she is difficult to get along with, but you’ll be safe with your sister. You’ll go out together. You’ll stay with the team as they clear the assigned region and come back in two weeks. By then, Lady Galanos will have forgotten about this. It’s the right decision. Besides, one of your dad’s oldest friends will be your team leader.”
“Who?”
“Cole. The one who married Princess Belle’s sister Kaia, remember?”
“I remember. They have the city’s prettiest children.”
Mom laughed. “I’ve always thought that honor went to me and Dar, but I suppose Cole’s kids are cute enough.”
I leaned in to her embrace and swallowed the sob building in my throat. “Sorry I made such a mess of things.” I forced some lightness into my voice and sent a burst of healing magic to ease the tightness I sensed in her shoulders.
“Oh, Albs. Thanks, honey.” My mom held me tighter. “You’ll be with Bri and Cole. They’ll look out for you. You’ll do one mission, come home, and this will all have died down by then.”
I pulled back and adjusted my shawl. “And I’ll be safe out there.” I kept my tone bright. “Right?”
She nodded, but the movement was not as decisive as I would’ve liked. “I’ll help you prepare.” She tucked my shawl around my shoulders when I shivered at another gust of wind. “I’m glad you’re taking this seriously, dear. For a moment I was worried you’d see it as an opportunity to flirt with the Sentinels.”
A twinge of shame had me shifting my weight. Did my own mother think so poorly of me? “Don’t worry. The last thing I want is to marry someone like Dad.”
She flinched.
The twinge became a stabbing ache. “Mom … I’m sorry. That’s not really what I—”
“Alba.” I looked at the ground to avoid the pity in her eyes. “There is no easy path in this life, honey. Every choice exacts a price. Sometimes you don’t know what the price will be until you’ve already paid it. But I can promise you, being married to a good man eases the sting of the sacrifice.”
I had an irrational urge to rip the locket from my neck and fling it off the edge of the roof.
Instead, I clasped my hands and forced my lips to say, “I’ll just take your word on that, Mom.”
Chapter 6
Three sharp knocks rattled my door, and Bri’s harsh voice penetrated the wood. “Mom wants you to come down for more practice.” I sat up immediately, not daring to linger in bed.
I wiped at my gritty eyes. “Fine.” But her footsteps had already retreated.
My room was dark and cold, so I flicked on my luminous and stared blearily at the shimmery, jewel-toned dresses spilling out of my wardrobe. The letter had said my uniform would be waiting at the Sentinels Headquarters, but what exactly was I supposed to wear to get there?
The silly, frivolous dilemma sent a fresh wave of tears down my cheeks.
Thankful I’d bathed the night before, I braided my hair, then I slipped my plainest navy dress over my head. The sleeves were puffy and feminine, and the skirt had mage-craft ripples to make it swish about my legs as I walked. If I stayed still when we got to the compound, perhaps no one would notice.
My mom met me at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a slice of honeybread.
Bri stood by the sink, eating an apple and staring at the dark window above the sink. She didn’t seem to notice when I entered.
“Ella dropped the honeybread off last night via courier,” Mom said quietly. “She and Weslan will come to the compound to see you off this morning.”
I nodded. “That’s so sweet of her.” I managed a smile that felt semi-genuine. “I’ll miss her.”
Mom set a simple, short, black tunic on the table. “This is to wear under your uniform. They’ll give you regulation underclothes, of course, but … just in case.”
I fingered the tunic’s hem. Sure enough, it was heavy and rock-hard. I lifted it and pretended to gauge the weight. “Let me guess—four—no, five obcillo crystals sewn into it. The Sentinels’ crystals aren’t good enough, huh?”
Her expression grew severe. “Seven crystals. Don’t take it off. Ever. Will you promise me?”
My smile faded. “Of course. Thanks, Mom.”
“Now show me again what we practiced last night. I want you to do it at least ten more times before we leave.”
My shoulders sagged. “I’m exhausted. I’ve barely had time to restore my magic from last night!”
“You’ll be tired in the Badlands too,” she said flatly. “Show me. Now.”
I lifted my hand and shot a haphazard burst of magic at the drawing room door, slamming it shut, grimacing at the awkward, clumsy feel of the motion. “How was that?”
“Sloppy. Open it slowly, with more control.”
“I’ll try.” I lifted my hand again and sent out more magic, this time with instructions to turn the knob and pull the door toward me.
I hated using my magic on anything other than healing. I’d been training to be a healer since we’d discovered my power when I was barely out of childhood. I’d never bothered exploring any of the other fields, not even now that Asylian mages were allowed to pursue more than one specialty. After years of specialized training, it was downright difficult to use my magic in a new way. “Was that better?”
“Slightly. Close it, forcefully again, but this time, make sure your magic takes a perfectly straight path. I want to see the entirety of your burst used against the door. No wasted magic.”
I tried to concentrate, but I was already so tired I had to lean on my other elbow. When I finally shot out a burst of magic, it hit the door dead-center, but the gentle shutting movement was not exactly forceful.
“Please take this seriously!” My mom pressed her hands to her temples. “If you can’t even shut a parlor door, how are you going to knock an attacker unconscious?”
“I’m trying! And I’m not sure I could ever do that, even if I had strong enough magic. I took the healer’s vow just last week. I’m supposed to heal everyone in need, not kill them!”
Her nostrils flared. “If a moment comes when you have to choose between your life and the life of your attacker, you had better use your magic, Alba Mattas. Every last drop of it. Do you hear me?”
I wanted to cry again. “Yes,” I ground out. “I’m just saying—”
“It’s time to go.” Bri’s face was blank, her voice toneless and disinterested. “Get your stuff.”
Mom opened her mouth to argue, but for once, I was happy to be interrupted. “Fine. I just need to get my coat and boots.”
I stormed upstairs, shoved my feet into the boots I’d worn yesterday, and tugged on the jacket I’d worn to the Galanos family compound. When I reached the kitchen, I stopped short.
Bri stood silently in the center of the kitchen, her eyes shut, her lips in a thin line. Her body was perfectly still, like she was trying not to move.
“Bri—”
Her eyes snapped open. Her usual cold, empty expression returned. “Come on. We’ll be late.” Before I could respond, she was gone.
I followed her down the front hallway and slid into the back seat of my mom’s fomecoach while Bri took the front passenger seat. I fidgeted with the skirt of my dress. “I’m ready.”
My mom nodded. “Then off we go.” She squeezed the steering wheel and took off down the lane.
The wet, early-morning streets glittered under the luminous streetlamps on every block. The sky was mostly dark, but a hint of blue tinted the eastern edge of the horizon, appearing in gaps between buildings as we sped through the Mage Division to the Royal Precinct.
The new compound for the Sentinels had been built two years earlier across from the royal palace. The force originally established to fight a suspected mage rebellion was now the group most qualified to defend the city against the Masters. In the past five years, they’d far outgrown their dusty, claustrophobic headquarters in the palace basement.
I kept my eyes on the back of Bri’s blonde head as my mom pulled into the guarded gates and parked the fomecoach. I’d made a concerted effort not to get to know the new compound. I didn’t want anything to do with the organization that constantly stole my father from me.
But now, I didn’t have a choice.
I climbed out of the fomecoach and stood awkwardly beside Bri as she slung her large backpack over her shoulder. A handful of lights lit the courtyard at the edge of the compound and the entrance to the large building at the center.
Mom came around the front of the fomecoach, her braid mussed. “I wish you’d practiced more,” she murmured to me. “I should have taught you that move long ago. Now—”
“I’ll be fine, Mom. Just like you said, it’s safer out there.” I patted her arm, releasing a wave of magic to soothe her frazzled nerves.
Mom frowned but was interrupted before she could speak.
“Of course she’ll be fine.” Cole, my dad’s grim-faced, muscular friend, emerged from the shadowy entrance to the main building on the compound. “You have my word, Zel. Nothing is going to happen to either of your girls on my watch.”
A golden-haired woman stepped up to his side, her hand on her enormous, pregnant belly. “He’s got this.” She smiled at Mom, then at me. Bri had already disappeared. “Besides, he’s got to be back in two weeks for this little one’s arrival.” She winked at me. “And he hasn’t missed a birth yet, so he’s not about to start this time. Are you, dear?” She nudged him teasingly.
The grin he sent her dulled the jagged edges of my gnawing anxiety. “Not a chance, Kai. Just tell that baby not to rush things.”
She tucked her hand into his. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Three men in black uniforms, laden with huge backpacks, ambled across the courtyard toward the main building, nodding to Cole as they passed.
Another man, this one with a dark, wild beard and tattooed skin, got out of the fomecoach beside ours and waved to Cole before following the other men into the building.
“Time to say our goodbyes,” Cole said, squeezing his wife’s hand. “Then we’ll meet in the 19th’s quarters inside. First floor. You’ll see the team numbers on the wall.”
I nodded, my throat dry, and faced Mom. “Guess Ella couldn’t make it,” I mumbled. The
cold locket felt heavy around my neck. I’d planned to return it to her with an apology before we left, but apparently, I wasn’t going to get that chance.
“She probably didn’t realize we’d be saying goodbye so early in the morning.” My mom reached up to smooth her hair, but it was already tucked behind her ears. “To be honest, I didn’t either. Alba …” Her eyes were suspiciously shiny.
Time for more magic. I leaned in for a hug and soothed her raw nerves again. “I’ll see you in two weeks. Try to stay out of trouble, Mom,” I joked. “I’ve heard terrible things about the Galanos family, so you should probably steer clear.”
She chuckled and shook her head, blotting the moisture in her eyes with the tips of her fingers. “I’ll miss you, Albs. See you soon. Look out for your sister.”
I couldn’t help laughing with her. Bri didn’t need anyone, least of all me. “I’ll see what I can do. Bye, Mom.” I spun on my heel and marched into the building, my skirt whishing around my legs with annoying mage-craft ripples at every step. The urge to turn around was so intense, I gritted my teeth from the effort to keep my eyes forward until the door shut behind me.
~
The 19th Sentinels Team quarters were at the end of the first hallway I found. The door was cracked open, but before I could enter, Cole stepped outside with a large, black backpack. “Here’s your gear. Uniform’s at the top.” He gestured to a door behind me. “You can change in there.”
“Thank you.” My words sounded like a croak.
“Quickly. We’re leaving soon.” Before I could reply, he returned to the team quarters, leaving me alone in the hallway.
I dressed in the plain, faded-black pants, shirt, jacket, and boots I found near the top of the pack. Then I shook my hair out of its braid and re-braided it as tightly as I could.
When I entered the team quarters, the room quieted. I felt a dozen people look me up and down. My face burned. “Hello, everyone.” I waved and edged toward my sister. “I’m Alba. Nice to meet you.”
