Loelle grunted with the insult of being treated as a servant, but she nodded to me and returned to the castle.
Meanwhile, Imri said, “There are other clusters. Recalling, taking power from others. And endless possibilities for powers within the clusters we’ve already tested. We could easily have missed something.”
My eyes narrowed. “But Brillians never miss anything, do they.” I shook my head, then began walking from the field. “I’m done with these tests!”
“You’re not concentrating!” Imri scolded. “It’s obvious your mind is elsewhere.”
“And it should be obvious why!” I could scarcely hold two thoughts together with all my worries for what was happening in Reddengrad. “Has there been any word about the Dominion attack in the south? Has the battle begun?”
Wynnow nodded at Imri. “Leave us alone. You need a rest.”
I scoffed. Imri needed the rest? Why? Was it tiring for her to
scold me, demean me? Was it hard for her to be as cruel as she had been?
When we were alone, Wynnow said, “We have a Dominion tablet, and have been carefully following any news of the battles.”
My eyes widened. “You have a tablet?” When she nodded, I added, “They can’t be trusted. Everything written on them comes from Endrick himself.”
“Yes, but I believe what I’ve seen on the tablet is real.” Wynnow paced, biting her lip. “The battle is not going well. The Dominion entered Reddengrad. They fight there with giant condors, oropods, carnoxen, and a full slate of weapons. This battle’s ending has already been written.”
I took her hand in mine, hoping to make her understand how desperate I was to help them. “Speak to your mother. Convince her to send Brillian armies into Reddengrad to help them fight.”
“Brillians do not act in the interest of other countries. Only for our own.”
“Defeating the Dominion is in Brill’s interest, wherever it happens! If Reddengrad falls, you must know Endrick’s eye will turn to Brill.”
That didn’t seem to bother her. “Brill is safe from the Dominion.”
“No, it’s not. In the end, arrogance will not save you, imitating Endrick’s technologies will not save you. And if all else has been destroyed on his path to Brill, then no ally will come to save you either.” I released her hands and marched away.
“Nor, it seems, will you save us.”
Her words hit me like a knife. My muscles tightened, and I began walking again, anything to get as far from her as possible, shouting back, “That is not fair!”
“When were you ever promised that your duties would be fair? What is your magic, Kestra? How many lives must be destroyed before you care enough to find it?”
I swung around to face her. “I’m trying my best!”
“This is your best?”
Just then, the gardener’s door near us opened and Loelle came through it with a cup of tea in her hands. “I heard arguing—”
Wynnow frowned at me. “If this is truly your best, then Loelle dies.” Before I realized what was happening, she pulled out her dagger and threw it at Loelle. With the perfect aim of the Brillians, it pierced Loelle in the stomach.
“What have you done?” I cried, racing toward Loelle and catching her as she fell to the ground.
Wynnow followed me. “Maybe you haven’t found your magic because everything is too safe. Heal her.”
“We’ve tried that! I can’t heal people!”
“Loelle said she felt your magic working. Maybe you can do something more than heal. She is dying, my lady. You’d better hurry.”
I knelt beside Loelle, whose eyes were fluttering open and then closed. “Tell me what to do.”
“Pull out the knife.”
I gritted my teeth together, grabbed the handle, and said, “This will hurt, I’m so sorry.” I pulled and Loelle’s body stiffened, but she didn’t cry out.