“Well, the charity is gone. And I like your idea. You had offered to support my business before. Is it still good?”
“I didn’t offer. Gressa made the proposal. And yes, it is still good.”
“Excellent. I would like to set up a workshop in Fulgor, then. Can you let the Council know my decision? Tell them I’m willing to help out whenever they need my special…services. Oh, and ask them to return my diamonds to me. I’m going to need capital.”
She whistled in appreciation. “Considering the Council isn’t going to be happy with you leaving, that’s very bold.”
Bold. I liked it. “I’m being proactive.”
While the boldness still flowed in my blood, I knocked at Zitora’s office. She had ignored me long enough.
“Come in, Opal,” she called through the door.
I strode into the room. Little had changed since I was here almost a year ago. She sat behind her desk as the late-afternoon sun streamed through the window. I stopped before her desk.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Oh! You want to help me now? It’s too late. I’m going to help myself.”
Her gaze flattened and she pressed her lips into a tight line. “What do you want?”
A small voice in the back of my mind warned me to shut up, but I smashed it with a surge of emotion. “To inform you I’m leaving the Keep. I’m not going to work for the Council. Instead, I’m setting up shop with Gressa in Fulgor.”
She kept her body rigid. “Why are you telling me? I’m not your mentor.”
Cold. “I thought you might be happy, considering you and Tama Moon are friends. I’ll be supporting the Moon economy.”
“You can’t trust Gressa or Councilor Moon.”
“Why not?” I waited, maintaining an expectant expression.
“I can’t tell you—”
“Of course not. Why would you tell poor deluded Opal? The one who embarrassed you in front of the Council.”
“That’s enough. Do you really think the Council will just let you go?”
“Why not? You did.”
She stood, but I held my ground.
“Who do you think you are to question my decisions?” she asked.
“I’m Opal Cowan. I used to be your student until you turned your back on me.”
“I distanced myself for your protection.”
“Easy excuse. Tell me the truth for once. Admit it, you’re mad at me for not telling you everything that happened in Ixia.”
“Leave now, Opal. I have work to do.” She settled back into her chair.
“No. I’m not letting you ignore me. I want answers. If not out of anger, then why else did you support Tama’s claim that Ulrick worked undercover? You know it’s a lie.”
“Because Tama did assign him. I talked to her at length. He hadn’t been hit on the head by his sister. Together they visited Tama.” She drew in a breath. “Opal, do you know how ridiculous you’re being? Yelena confirmed it’s impossible for Ulrick and Devlen to switch souls.”
“That’s sweet. You talked to Tama and Yelena. But you never talked to me. We’ve been through a lot together. Don’t I get the same courtesy?”
“Just drop it, Opal. I realize your pride has been injured, but just admit you’ve been tricked and move on.”
“Guess I’m not worth the effort.” I paused. “Since I’m no longer your student, I can disregard your advice. In that instance, you taught me well.”
“What are you doing?” Yelena demanded as soon as I opened my door.
“Packing,” I said, returning to my living area. A few crates rested on the table, and my saddlebags hung over the back of a chair. Packs stuffed with clothes littered the floor. Bearing in mind that I had lived in the Keep for five years, I didn’t own many things.
“Are you crazy?”
“According to you…Yes!” I sorted through a stack of books, making two piles. One to keep, and the other to donate to the incoming apprentice class.
“The Council—”
“I don’t care what the Council says. They’ll have to arrest me or let me go. I’m prepared for both.”
“Why are you going with Councilor Moon?”
“Why not? She offered to support me. And since the whole Devlen/Ulrick mystery has been solved, I’ve no worries.” I studied Yelena’s expression. “Unless you have something else to tell me?”
Her face remained impassive. “The Council won’t return the diamonds.”
“Too bad.” I wrapped Tula’s fox statue and Helen’s glass Stormdancer in a sheet.
“How are you going to afford to make your messengers? You’ll need equipment and supplies. Perhaps you should go home to Booruby and work in your family’s factory.”
Her suggestion had merit. In a normal situation, I would heed her advice. Nothing about this endeavor was normal. “Gressa offered to let me use her glass equipment and supplies. I will reimburse her when I earn enough money.”
“You’re going to get hurt,” she warned.
I shrugged. Not like I hadn’t been hurt before. “Then I’ll stay on snake alert.”
“Snake alert?”
“When I lived at home, we used to have a snake alert the first cold night of the season. The hot kilns were guaranteed to draw in poisonous fer-de-lance snakes. Armed with machetes, my family would kill as many as possible. It reduced the number of snakes living close to us. We couldn’t get rid of them all, but it helped.” I returned to my packing.
“Isn’t that how your uncle died?” Yelena asked.
“Yep. Uncle Werner went left when he should have gone right. But he was well aware of the danger and made an honest mistake. Much better than being surprised.”
“What about Kade?”
“Smart man. I should have listened to him when he advised me to keep quiet about my new power. Once I set up my shop and stockpile enough messengers, I’m planning to visit him.”
“Opal, you know what I meant.” Her frustration had grown to a dangerous level. “He won’t approve.”
“I don’t need his approval. Do you seek Valek’s consent every time you embark on a mission?”
Her chagrined expression answered for her. After a few more attempts to change my mind, she left. I sagged with relief. If I could endure Yelena’s lecture, then Mara’s should be easier.
Wrong again. Mara sliced into me. I was being selfish. Chop. I was being greedy. Chop. I was being stupid. Chop.
“Mara, stop,” I said. “If I stay here, I’ll be miserable.”
She inhaled a breath as if to reply, but released it in one long sigh. “You need to do this?”
“Yes.”
“Will it make you happy?”
“I’m not sure happy is the right word.”
She considered. “Will it help you return to my carefree, trusting sister? You remember the one? Before her trip to Ixia with Ulrick?”
My response lodged in the back of my throat. “Don’t you mean Devlen?”
Her hands pressed together as misery twisted her face. “Didn’t Yelena talk to you about her experiment?”
Obviously Leif had told Mara. I wondered how many more knew. “She told me.”
“You don’t believe her?”
“Nope.”
“But she’s the Soulfinder, she’d know.”
“Maybe.”
Mara stepped back as if my lack of trust was contagious. “Do you think she’s lying to you?”
“No. I think she gave up too soon.”
“Opal, she cares about you. Why wouldn’t she put her full effort into helping you?” Outrage and disbelief warred in Mara. She rubbed her forearms in agitation.
“Don’t know. Don’t care. I’m no longer relying on her. This trip should put this whole nasty business to rest.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“Then I’ve been duped. I’ll concede the point and get on with my life despite being the world’s biggest idiot.”
“Opal, you’re not…” Another huff escaped her lips. “I hate to agree with you, but you do need to take this trip. Just remember, you have me, Ahir, Mother and Father all willing to support you no matter what. You will message us if you need us. You will be very careful.”