Walsh had greeted us at the door and escorted us inside. He sent his assistant to fill plates for us even though we protested. The taste of oysters tainted all the food, even the bread. We sat at Walsh’s table with his brother, Fallon, Fallon’s wife and two daughters.
The youngest, Gia, sat next to me. She looked about eight years old. Her long blond hair had been woven into many thin braids, which were pulled back into a ponytail.
Walsh prattled on about the family and their accomplishments. The rest of the diners spoke in low tones.
I asked Gia what was her favorite subject in school.
Her eyes bulged like a fish out of water. She shot Walsh a terrified glance.
He gave her an indulgent smile. “Answer her, she won’t bite.”
With reluctance, Gia said, “I like math, but I like swimming the best.”
“Do you dive for oysters?” I asked.
She nodded.
Walsh said, “She’s a little fish. We can’t keep her out of the water. She dives deeper and stays down longer than most of the boys.”
Gia dipped her head as if embarrassed.
“That’s wonderful,” I said. Then I leaned close and whispered, “I’m not a good swimmer at all. The last time I was in the sea, the waves pushed me around like a bath toy.”
A smile flashed on her face. It was gone in a second, and I realized that none of the so-called Bloodroses smiled except Walsh. But even his felt fake as if he tried to sell us something we didn’t need.
“What do you do for fun?” I asked her.
She sought Walsh’s approval again. “We bake bread. We sew clothes. We tend the garden.”
All chores.
Before I could ask her another question, Walsh said, “Tell us news from the Citadel. Is Master Featherstone still First Magician or has some young hotshot passed the Master-level test?”
Wow. They’ve been out of the loop for at least five years. Leif filled him in on Roze Featherstone’s attempt to overthrow the Sitian Council with her Daviian Warpers. No one in the whole room said a word. Even Walsh remained silent for a few moments after Leif finished the story.
“My, my,” Walsh said. “And this…Soulfinder is a Zaltana? One of your cousins?”
“My sister,” Leif said.
“That’s impressive.” Walsh turned to me. “Were you there for the Warper Battle?”
“Not the battle, but I helped with the…cleanup.”
“How about you?” Walsh asked Skippy.
“No. I was on assignment in Fulgor.” Skippy sounded petulant, as if he’d rather have been at the battle.
“Lucky you,” Leif said. “It was close. Twelve magicians died fighting the Warpers.” His sobering words failed to change Skippy’s expression.
“Are you also a magician?” Walsh asked me.
“Yes.”
“Opal’s a glass magician,” Leif said. He pulled one of my messengers from his pocket.
The sea horse glowed with an inner blue fire. Its happy song vibrated in my chest.
“Interesting. What makes it shine?” Walsh asked.
At least he’d told the truth about being a magician.
“Magic,” Leif explained. “Trapped inside.”
Gia crinkled her forehead in confusion. “But I don’t see a light, Uncle.”
Fallon, his wife and other daughter couldn’t see it, either.
“Only magicians can see the glow. May I show it to the rest of your family?” Leif asked.
A calculating coldness slid behind Walsh’s eyes. “Please do.” He watched Leif present the sea horse to the others.
Aside from the general bewilderment, no one admitted to seeing the magic.
When Leif returned, Walsh said, “Now do you believe me?”
“It was never a question of belief,” Leif said. “It’s just that in the past few years, we’ve discovered magical powers in people who would have been passed over. For example, Opal’s magic. She was assessed by Master Jewelrose, and Fourth Magician found no indications of potential. But Opal’s power is rather unique, and these—” he held the seahorse up “—glass creations can find those with…latent magical powers.”
“They must speed up the process of finding the fledglings,” Walsh said. He stared at the sea horse with a speculative purse of his thin colorless lips. “It would be a handy device to have.”
“You don’t need one now.” Leif gestured to the rest of the dining room. “I’ve assessed all your family members. Unless some are missing?”
“No. All are here.” Walsh straightened for a moment, then leaned back. Lacing his fingers together, he rested them in his lap. “You’re right. I’ve no need for it.”
His body language contradicted his words. Considering how worried he was about pirates and thieves, I suspected he lied to us about his people. A few guards must have been out patrolling the grounds.
While we finished dinner, I glanced around, counting tables. I estimated two hundred and forty people were in the room.
Walsh escorted us to the guest cottage. “It’s been a lovely evening, but we wake at dawn to harvest the oysters. Please feel free to avail yourselves of the bathhouse. I’ll instruct Brand to stay nearby in case you need anything.” He said good-night and left.
Leif waited a few minutes before calling us over. We discussed the odd dinner.
“He lied about everyone being in the room,” Leif said.
I agreed, telling him my estimate.
“Shoot. Wish I’d thought of that.” Leif shook his head. “I used magic and he knew it.”
“What’s next?” I asked.
“We’ll avail ourselves of his hospitality and take a look around.”
Leif’s plan didn’t account for Brand being so…helpful. The guard led us to the bathhouse, gave us towels and robes to use and waited for us to finish. On the way back to the cottage, he talked about how self-sufficient the family was and how they only bought a few raw materials from the market. He lit the lanterns inside. Telling us good-night, he left. I doubted he went far.
“And now?” I asked Leif.
“Plan B.” He crossed to the bed and wiggled under the blankets.
I combed my wet hair. Wishing my clothes were cleaner, I prepared to go to sleep.
Skippy glanced from Leif to me and back. “Plan B?” he asked.
“Wait until the middle of the night, and sneak out to investigate,” Leif said, but kept his eyes closed.
“What about Brand?”
“Opal, do you have your goodies with you?” Leif asked.
“Of course.”
“Then we’ll send Brand a little present to keep him occupied. No worries, Skippy. Opal and I have done this a million times.”
“A million. Right.” Skippy didn’t sound convinced. “Just so I know. How many real times?”
Leif’s answer was a soft snore.
I thought back. We had used my glass spiders and bees when the Storm Thieves attacked us. And one of my spiders had saved my sister. “Two.”
“Wonderful.”
I detected a lack of sincerity in Skippy’s reply.
Leif shook my shoulder. “Opal, wake up.”
I peeked through heavy eyelids. Darkness filled the cottage. I swatted at his hand. “Go away.”
“Come on. We need to move. Now.”
The urgency in his voice roused me. “What happened?”
“Walsh has done more than lie to us.”
“How—”
“Didn’t you feel it?” Skippy asked me with an incredulous tone.
“Feel what?”
“The wild magician flashed with an unbelievable amount of power so close I can taste it,” Leif said.
18
BRAND NO LONGER HOVERED NEAR OUR COTTAGE, BUT TWO NEW guards circled the building. I crushed six glass spiders and sent them to distract our guards.
A yelp followed a cry. “…see the size of that—”
“Over there! Huge sand spiders! We’d better…” The ring of steel sounded, masking the guard’s words. “…poisonous bite. Get the one on the left, I’ll take right.”
As soon as the guards were lured away, we slipped out. Leif headed straight for the long building on the south coast—the one Walsh claimed mirrored the oyster operation on the north side.