Viola sounded hopeful, and Barclay didn’t want to disappoint his friend. So he avoided the question.
“That depends,” Barclay answered. “Will Runa still be imprisoned for murder when we return?”
“I’m being serious.” She reached onto the ground and scooped up several green walnuts. “You could be a great Lore Keeper, you know.”
Barclaydidknow that, and that was what made it so hard. He could become the apprentice to an incredible, famous Master with the Guild, and he could travel the world. His life would be one adventure after the other. Or he could return to Dullshire, a town that had never wanted him anyway. He’d have to be forever on his best behavior. No running. No dirt. No being who he really was.
“Runa said that it takes a Beast of a higher class to remove a Mark,” Barclay murmured, finally revealing his true thoughts. He gave Viola a pointed look.
“Barclay, Gravaldor isn’t a regular Beast! And without a Keeper, it’s probably impossible.”
“You don’t know that,” he countered.
“Is being a Lore Keeper really such a horrible thing?” she said, her voice rising. “Are we all just as terrible as you thought we were?”
That wasn’t it—that wasn’t it at all. But he was frustrated, so he snapped back, “Wearein a race to stop a Lore Keeper from destroying the Woods or becoming so powerful that hecoulddestroy the Woods, if he wanted to.”
“Yes, but—”
“And up until yesterday, didn’t you want to summon Gravaldor for the same reason?” he asked.
She gaped. “I wanted to bond with Gravaldor, yes, but not for the same reason Soren does. How could you even think that?”
“Then tell me the real reason,” he challenged.
“Because Cyril fired me as his student,” she said bitterly. “It didn’t matter how well I did in my Exhibition—I wasn’t good enough for his standards. I need to prove to him that I am.”
Barclay’s anger sobered. He’d suspected something bad had happened, but it didn’t make him feel any better to hear her say it. “Why not just find a new Master?” he asked.
“Because I didn’t pick him—my father did. That’s why I can’t find another Lore Keeper Master. Ineedto convince Cyril he made a mistake. I’m the daughter of the Grand Keeper. Failure isn’t an option. Not in my family.”
Barclay didn’t pretend to be an expert on family, but Master Pilzmann was the closest thing to a father he’d ever had, and he couldn’t imagine Master Pilzmann being so cruel. And Viola might not have been entered in the Exhibition, but Barclay knew she was one of the most exceptionalstudents in Sycomore, Tadg included. How could anyone think she wasn’t enough?
“My father hasthreeMythic class Beasts. He’s the most powerful Lore Keeper in the world. Nothing I’ve done has ever measured up, and I thought bonding with a Legendary Beast was the only thing to convince him that I was enough.”
“The way I see it,” Tadg said behind them, making both of them jolt and turn around. Barclay spilled his armful of mushrooms. “If a person or a town is willing to cast you out, then maybe they don’t deserve to have you come back.”
Barclay bent down to pick up his dinner and stow it—this time—in his satchel. “How long have you been standing there?” he grumbled.
“Long enough,” Tadg answered.
Tadg might not have been Soren’s apprentice, but that didn’t mean he’d ever been nice to Barclay. In fact, Tadg could have saved everyone a lot of confusion and trouble last night had he only explained the truth to Barclay without insulting him every other word.
“That’s big of you to say,” Barclay said gruffly.
Tadg sighed and held out his hand. “Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding. That day in the park, I saw the message Soren left Ethel on her notebook, and I thoughtallof you were working for him, up until after the practical when Soren attacked you. Who do you think stole Abel’s Hasifuss and put it in your bag?”
Barclay eyed Tadg’s hand warily. He’d seen Tadg onceconvince Ethel into shaking it only to trick her with Lore.
“That was you?” He did remember Tadg gathering the fallen items out of Barclay’s bag. That must have been when he added in the Hasifuss.
“I wanted to get back at him for calling me fish food. And I would’ve explained myself better, but I didn’t want you telling Abel and Ethel by mistake and for Soren to know I was coming after him.”
Barclay supposed that made sense. He reluctantly shook Tadg’s hand, as did Viola.
Tadg looked down into Barclay’s satchel. “What is that? Is that for dinner?”
“They’re mushrooms.”
