Fire Study
Page 36

“If Leif had been my lover instead of my brother, would she have let us stay together?”
“I do not know,” Moon Man said.
“Perhaps the ghosts dislike improper behavior,” Leif said, laughing.
Moon Man went to his room down the hall to check if Tauno or Marrok had left us a message. I mulled over Leif’s comment as we put our few belongings on the beds.
“Is it considered improper if Valek and I…? You know.”
“Yelena,” Leif said with mock indignation. “Don’t tell me you and Valek—”
“Just answer the question.”
“Some clans like the Bloodgood Clan are very strict and require a couple to be married before living together. Others, like the Zaltanas, prefer a couple to marry, but don’t get upset if they’re not. Then there are the Sandseeds who don’t even believe in marriage. They just do what they want.” He spread his arms wide. “With their aversion to wearing clothes, I don’t understand why the Sandseed Clan isn’t overrun with children.”
“We are careful with our seeds of life,” Moon Man said from the doorway. “I did not find a note. Do you want to take a walk through the city? I need…” His gaze traveled around the room. “It is better for me outside.”
Leif licked his lips. “I don’t know. I don’t want to miss dinner. That vegetable stew’ll be smelling good.”
“Do not worry. We will hear the bell. The entire city knows when the Three Ghosts Inn is having dinner.”
We left the inn and wandered through the streets. I used my magic at different locations to find a sign of the Vermin, but there were just too many people around. Their thoughts and emotions crashed against me, and I blocked them out to avoid being overwhelmed. Leif, too, was inundated with smells. We searched the city and listened for any snippets of information.
A sparkle drew my gaze. Rows and rows of glass animals were displayed inside a store window. The beautiful jewel colors of the statues radiated as if a fire had been captured within their cores. They reminded me of Tula . She had sculpted animals with glass from her family’s factory. Had she created these animals? Was this her family’s store?
I peered through the window but couldn’t see past the display. Should I go in and ask? Perhaps her family wouldn’t want to see me again. Considering what had happened to Tula and her sister, Opal, I wouldn’t blame them for hating me. After all, the only reason Opal had been kidnapped after Tula had died had been to exchange her life for mine. At the time, I had thought Ferde held Opal, but it had been Alea Daviian, seeking revenge for the death of her brother, Mogkan. Another man whose death I had been part of.
In Ixia, Mogkan had been power-hungry. He had taken control of not only Commander Ambrose’s mind, but the minds of thirty innocent people. He deserved to die, but Alea had failed to see it my way, and now she was also dead. I sighed. I should stay far away from Opal and her family.
Death followed me. And perhaps ghosts as well? Was Alea or Mogkan’s ghost haunting me? I held my hands out and turned in a circle, spinning my arms. Nothing.
Leif and Moon Man were engaged in a debate half a block away. I stepped toward them.
“Yelena!” a voice called from behind.
A woman carrying a small crate hustled along the sidewalk. A white kerchief covered her hair, and, even though soot smudged her face and hands, I recognized Opal’s bright smile and I couldn’t resist giving her a quick hug.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I have some business.” Before she could ask what kind, I hurried on. “Is this your family’s store?” I pointed to the glass shop.
“Oh no. Our factory is on the east side of town, practically in the plains. We sell our glassware through a bunch of stores in Booruby. You have to come visit us!” She twisted her hands together. “That is, if you want to.” She averted her face. “I mean after what I did…”
Opal yanked her focus from the ground and met mine with a sudden intensity.
The shy, uncertain girl who had come to the Keep transformed in front of my eyes. “Let me make it up to you. You will come visit.”
“You did nothing wrong,” I said with conviction. “You have nothing to make up for.”
“But I pricked you with Curare!”
“Alea forced you. And I must admit, that was a pretty good trick.” I had thought once Opal was freed, the danger was gone. A near fatal mistake.
“But—”
“You can’t let the past ruin your future. Let’s call it even and start anew.”
“Agreed. Can you come to dinner this evening?” she asked. Then her mouth dropped in shock and she stepped back.
Moon Man loomed behind me, blocking the sunlight.
“You’ll not be missing dinner,” Leif said, copying Mrs. Floranne’s lilt.
Opal relaxed a bit when she saw Leif. “You can come too. And…your friend?”
I understood Opal’s fear. At first glance, Moon Man resembled Ferde. But Opal had only gotten a brief glimpse of Ferde through her sister’s memories so she could not really compare the two. I introduced her to the Story Weaver.
“I think I should wait for Tauno and Marrok to return,” Moon Man said. “You and Leif go. I will see you later tonight.”
Moon Man raised his eyebrows, giving me a signal. I opened my mind to him.
Perhaps her family will have some information about the Vermin. Ask them.