“Yeah, is that redred I smell?”
“I made enough for two, wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“Wasn’t sure I’d be here.”
Jond had said he might visit Lio on Ardae, but he didn’t show. The new Sandstorm probably had their own tradition for the holiday, but she was still disappointed not to see his lopsided grin. Sylah was surprised to feel a spark of resentment toward the new Sandstorm.
They moved into the comfortable routine of setting up for dinner, Sylah getting the crockery out from under the sink, while her mother poured the firerum.
When it was time to eat, neither of them acknowledged it was Ardae. Instead, they looked into each other’s eyes for a brief moment, their glasses held high.
“To those we lost,” Lio whispered.
It had been six years to the day since her family died.
Sylah pushed all thoughts of another world from her mind and let herself feel the grief she had kept at bay all day.
Grief is like a scab, each day you heal a little more, the blood clotting, the skin stitching together. But once a year you peel back the protective crust, each time expecting a scar, but instead the blood still gushes forth.
Sylah welcomed the pain; she deserved it and more besides.
—
Sylah was a little drunk by the time she returned to the Keep. She swerved more than usual as she led Boey across the Tongue but made it back to the stables safely.
She was late for their training session, so she went straight to the tower.
“You stink of alcohol,” was the first thing Anoor said as Sylah entered the room.
“Sure do.”
“Where’ve you been?”
“Dropping off your clothes.”
“And trading them for…firerum?” Anoor had a hand on her hip.
“No.” Sylah went over and tweaked her nose. Anoor recoiled but laughed. “I drank the firerum after I gave away your stuff. Did you have a good Ardae?”
“Same as usual. Though this time my grandmother spoke to me a bit. I think she’s oddly proud of my progress in the Aktibar.”
“She should be. No one can believe how well you’re doing. I believe it, of course. I’ve seen you work hard.”
“You think I work hard?” Anoor asked, her hazel eyes glittering.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You just said that.”
“No, I didn’t. Oh—” Sylah clapped her hands. “I found something. I found more evidence that there’s a big secret that the wardens are hiding.” Sylah withdrew the journal from her basket and filled Anoor in.
“The guild of truth is all about hiding the truth? No wonder they’re all so sly.” Anoor rocked back and forth on her heels.
“I tried to look for Hassa, but she’s disappeared.”
“Maybe she’s gone to the mainland.”
Sylah scoffed then paused. “What if this is the mainland? And the Wardens’ Empire is a fictitious world someone had made up?”