Calculating how long I had until the wedding, I rushed to gather my things. Twenty-five days until the nuptials. I needed ten days to reach the heart of Stormdancer lands, leaving me fifteen days to talk to Kade and arrive in Booruby with enough time to avoid giving my mother a heart attack. It would be close.
As I raced to pack my saddlebags, I wondered exactly what I would say to Kade. At least I had ten days to think it over.
After a hurried goodbye to Valek, Ari and Janco, I saddled Quartz and spurred her into a gallop. All the things I left undone in Fulgor would have to wait. I owed Nic and Eve an explanation. Councilor Moon should be informed about Wirral and her new assistant. Devlen… Unlike my feelings for Kade, confusion about him twisted inside me. I planned to unknot my emotions and sort it out on the way to Kade’s.
As I traveled around Fulgor, I sent a message to Nic and Eve. I assured them I was fine, informed them that Tama’s assistant worked for Finn and asked them to tell Devlen I was okay.
I discovered traveling by yourself for an extended period of time was lonely and it was easy to lapse into bouts of self-pity. Stopping at inns along the way, I listened to the gossip in the common room, hoping for some useful information. Perhaps even a clue to Finn’s location.
The major complaints centered on the Council’s inability to deal with the glass messenger crisis. I almost choked on my food when a man sitting nearby used the word crisis. They thought a Sitia-wide search for another glass magician should be launched and they grumbled over having to go back to the old way of doing things.
Good thing no one recognized me with my short, dirty blond hair or I would be worried for my safety. Janco’s comment about half of Sitia hating me replayed in my mind. And who hated me enough to pay so much for my blood? During the trip, I couldn’t name anyone. Well…anyone alive.
I also couldn’t prepare for what I needed to say to Kade. And I failed to decide about Devlen. Without them with me, I couldn’t make a connection. Logic said one thing, but being in their presence had a different effect. I hoped I would find the proper words.
After ten long days on the road, I found the lane to Kade’s parents’ farm. The two-story wooden house had been painted blue at one point. The roof sagged in the middle and rocking chairs filled a large wraparound porch.
Fields of indigo plants spread from the house on both sides, and what appeared to be a workshop or factory sat behind it. The place felt deserted, but as I guided Quartz to the porch, a woman stepped out.
Tall and lean, her resemblance to Kade was undeniable. She dried her hands on her apron, which covered a pair of dark brown pants. Her tan shirt was peppered with blue stains.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
I dismounted and approached. “I’m looking for Kade. You must be his mother. I’m Opal Cowan.” I smiled and held out my hand.
“Uh-huh.” She glanced at Quartz. “I see you have one of those fancy Sandseed horses, too. Something wrong with a dependable and hardworking Stormdance horse?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Hooking a thumb, she indicated the field to the right. “He’s out harvesting with his father.” Without another word, she returned to the house.
I lowered my hand, wondering what Kade had told her about me. Scanning the field, I saw no signs of Kade or his father, but the land rose in the distance and then dropped from sight. I mounted Quartz and patted her neck. Then I asked her to find Kade.
Since she was a fancy Sandseed horse, she had no trouble understanding me and finding Kade by his smell. He hunched over a tall green plant, cutting leaves off. His shirt lay on the ground in a heap and sweat shone on his back. His skin had tanned in the sun to a deep golden color.
Another nice perk with a fancy Sandseed horse, she didn’t make any noise when walking on dirt so neither Kade nor his father heard us approach.
I hesitated to call to him. After his mother’s cold reception, I worried he would frown or ignore me. But Quartz wasn’t shy. She neighed a loud hello. Both men stopped and turned around in surprise. I held my breath as Kade squinted into the sunlight in confusion. I tugged at the short strands of my hair. Would he even recognize me?
Moonlight whinnied and ran up to us, happy to see Quartz. I dismounted and removed her saddle so she could spend time with the big black horse—another Sandseed.
And then Kade smiled. My world brightened and I didn’t hesitate this time, rushing to him. He pressed me to his chest for a moment, then tried to pry me off, claiming his sweat would stain my shirt, but I clung a little longer, breathing in his scent. Even this far inland he smelled like the sea.
“I’m guessing this is Opal,” his father said.
I finally stepped away to greet Kade’s father. Shorter than Kade, he had a full beard streaked with white, and a mess of white hair that fell to his shoulders. His stocky build was the opposite of his son’s thinner frame.
Kade said, “Opal, meet my father, Igarian.”
“Call me Ink.” He shook my hand. “Everyone else does.”
“Why?” I asked.
He swept a hand out, indicating the plants. “Because of my job.”
Kade coughed. “He’s being modest. He’s known for the quality of his indigo. Most of his fellow farmers claim he has ink in his veins instead of blood.”
Ink dismissed Kade’s comments. “My boy likes to exaggerate. It’s easy to raise indigo when it always rains just when the soil dries out.” He beamed at Kade with a proud smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get these leaves into the shed.”
When Kade moved to help, Ink shooed him away. “I can do it, boy. Spend some time with your friend. Give her a tour of the farm.” Ink whistled for Moonlight. The horse trotted over and let him hitch the cart full of leaves onto his harness.
My opinion of Ink rose. Moonlight liked so few people. He drove the Keep’s Stable Master crazy by refusing all the students. So far, he tolerated Janco and Ulrick, before Ulrick became addicted to blood magic. And, I realized Devlen had also been able to ride him when his soul was in Ulrick’s body. I wondered if Moonlight would let Devlen ride him now.
Quartz followed Moonlight as he headed back toward the house. I watched her until she was gone from view. Without Ink and the horses, an awkward silence formed between us.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Kade said.
“I would have come sooner…” Would I? “Your letter was…delayed.”
He wiped his brow with a rag and shrugged his shirt on. “Delayed how?” he asked.
“It’s a long, complicated story.”
“Will it explain your hair?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll take the extended tour.” A hint of a smile quirked and humor flashed in his amber-colored eyes.
Relieved by his reception, I returned his smile. The sunlight glinted from the gold and red highlights in his brown hair. It had grown long enough to be pulled into a ponytail.
As we walked through the indigo fields, I told Kade of my adventures in Fulgor and at the prison, including Valek’s and Janco’s involvement and about visiting Devlen, but not about kissing Devlen.
Kade had remained silent during the whole story. “Opal, why do you want to reclaim your magic? It has given you nothing but trouble.”
He had a point. “I’m lost without it,” I admitted. “I feel useless.”
“Your immunity—”
“Is worthless.”
“Only this Finn knows. And besides, don’t you think you’ve done enough? You almost died and those who know how to use blood magic are gone.” He took my hand in his. “After Mara’s wedding, stay with me. Come to the coast and make orbs with Helen. We’ll take long walks on the beach. I know a few isolated coves.”
Tempting. “What about Finn?”
“Let Valek and his people hunt him down.”
“I can’t. I need to be involved. At least until I know if I can either reclaim my magic or not.”
“And then?”
“I don’t know,” I said. Seeing the pain in his eyes, I stopped and faced him. “You said I came into your life like a hot season squall. Do you really think I’d be content to take long walks on the beach?”