On my way down to the main cavern, I checked in on Kade. He was still sound asleep and I wondered how late he had stayed up the night before. Most of the people who slept around the cook fire remained motionless in their cots. For a second, I panicked, thinking they had all been hit with Curare. But then Leif rolled over and Wick snored.
I scanned the sleepers, searching for Skippy. Not the type to rub elbows with the masses, he must have taken a cot up to one of the empty caves for privacy. Since we arrived at The Cliffs, he had been keeping a low profile. I didn’t mind. It was a nice break not having him by my side all the time.
Not wanting to bother anyone in the common room, I headed to the stables to check on the horses. I found Raiden filling their buckets with fresh water.
“Good thing we have this spring back here,” Raiden said. “Otherwise, we’d have to cart in a tankful of drinkable water every season.”
I helped him feed the horses and muck out the stalls. Quartz nuzzled my ear before eating her breakfast. They all needed exercise. I would ask Kade about riding them to the location where Heli found the sea glass. It would save time and energy.
“Has Heli discovered anything more about the glass?” I asked Raiden.
“No. And she’s obsessed about it. It caused enough trouble, so I told her to toss it back into the sea.”
“It’s harmless now.”
Raiden shot me a dubious look.
I changed the subject. “Your new glassmakers have made some beautiful orbs.”
“Will they work?”
“They should.”
“Should isn’t an encouraging word.”
“There’s always a possibility something may go wrong.” A lesson I learned from experience, yet each time there was an element of surprise.
“Would you stake Kade’s life on it?” Raiden asked. “Because you know he’ll want to be the first one to test the new orbs out.”
I knew. “Yes, I would.”
Raiden stared out to sea for a moment. “That’s more encouraging. Especially since it’s obvious you two are a couple.”
“He hasn’t said anything to you?”
“I’ve hardly spoken to him since he returned. He’s been gone since the end of the cooling season, when he chased after the bastards who murdered Indra and her brothers.” Raiden kicked a rock into the sea. “He sent me a message explaining what happened, but it was basic facts.” He gave me a sly smile. “He’s happier now. And I don’t have to worry too much about him taking unnecessary chances and risking his life. We don’t have many Stormdancers.”
“How many are there?”
He gestured toward the cave. “What you see is what you get.”
“Five! That’s all?” And one was in training.
“We lost Kaya and Gian during the last storm season, and the year before a rookie lost control and drowned. Then with the glassmakers’ deaths, I’m surprised Tebbs even admitted she had the power.”
“She probably heard about the fabulous location and posh accommodations,” I teased.
“Hey! When I was younger, the dancers slept on the beach and cooked for themselves. Now they have cots and privacy screens and a cook. They’re spoiled.”
I laughed. We finished cleaning the stalls and headed back to the common area.
“We must be doing something right,” Raiden said. “When the word spread that we needed glassmakers, we were overwhelmed with applicants.”
“How did you decide to hire Ziven and Zetta?” I asked, glad for this opportunity.
“I wanted to invite you back to help us since you know the orb-making process, but Councilor Stormdance said you were busy.”
Busy disobeying the Council’s orders and hunting down Ulrick. No need to tell Raiden that.
When I didn’t say anything, he continued, “I whittled the field down to two families based on experience and knowledge, but, before I could announce my choice, Councilor Stormdance arrived with Ziven and Zetta. He claimed they were perfect for the job and hired them.”
“You must have been livid.”
“Livid is too tame a word.” He scowled. “The Councilor gives me the responsibility and doesn’t even ask my opinion. It was a big waste of my time.”
“Look on the bright side. They produced a high-quality orb. That’s the most important thing.”
“Yeah, yeah. Silver lining and all that, but I just wish those two had—” he waved his hands as if trying to pull the right word out of the air “—more personality. They’re too serious and suspicious. They always think you’re trying to trick them or tease them. We’re here four months a year, living together. I hope they relax now that they have the orb recipe.”
We returned to the main cave. A few people had roused. Raiden stirred the fire to life and I walked over to Heli. She bent over a table, moving the sea glass around with her fingertips.
“Anything?” I asked.
She startled.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” she said. “I should be apologizing to you. To everyone, but no one will listen. They tell me it’s not my fault.”
“It isn’t—”
“Bull. Put yourself in my place. How would you feel?”
I considered. “Lousy.”
“At least you didn’t die.”
“Heli, don’t listen to Leif. He exaggerates and revels in drama.”
“Really? Because two days ago when you were still comatose, he was alarmed. And I watched him have many serious discussions with Kade, who looked distressed.” She cocked her head to the side, peering past my shoulder. “Sort of like he looks now.”
I turned. Barefoot and with sleep-tousled hair, Kade strode toward me. His unbuttoned shirt flapped behind him. I braced for his lecture.
“As much as I enjoyed thinking all kinds of horrible possibilities about your whereabouts, do you think the next time you disappear, you could leave me a note?” Kade asked. “We can even make up a form. I’m gone because of A, Tricky, or B, Devlen, or C, fill in the blank. You can just circle a reason and leave it for me.”
“Wow. That’s some impressive sarcasm,” Heli said. “I’m glad I’m not on the receiving end this time.”
Considering all that had happened to me since I’d known Kade, I couldn’t blame him for being upset. “I’m sorry. I’ll try not to do it again.”
An eyebrow spiked. “Try?”
“Since your suggestion of making up a form actually is a good idea, I’d say try is the best I can do. I have no control over a whole list of things, but what I can control, I’ll make sure to let you know.”
His anger dissipated as he conceded the point. “You liked my form idea?” A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
“It could use a little work. I think we should put check boxes next to the list—circling the reason might take too long. With a box, I can just check and go.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
Despite my assurances that I felt fine, Leif wouldn’t approve my request.
“Rest today and you can go tomorrow,” he said.
Kade agreed. “You can help Heli with the code. Maybe find out more about the sea glass.”
I grumped, but listened and even drank a cup of Leif’s wet-dog brew with breakfast.
Heli welcomed my aid. We sorted the glass by color, by number and by letter, hoping to see a pattern. Nothing. The numbers weren’t consecutive. We tried matching the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, but none of them fit together.
“What can scratch glass?” Heli asked. She held a translucent green one.
“Diamonds can and other hard gemstones. Glass cutters have bits of diamonds on the wheel, but they’re not the nice ones used for jewelry.”
“So anyone could have done it?”
“The scratches, yes. The magic, no.”
“Did you get any sense of the magician when you neutralized them?”
Heli looked so hopeful, I hated to disappoint her. But all I felt was burning pain. “No.”
All our attempts to decipher the markings failed. Heli was determined. She had the trip back to the sea glass’s location all planned out, enlisting help from Leif to form a null shield before we reached the destination to keep everyone safe.