When she reached Yarrow’s cottage, the door was locked. Terlu knocked.
“Who is it?” he called.
“It’s Terlu.”
“Who else?”
“Just me.”
She heard a chair scrape on the wood floor. The door opened, and he popped his head out, looked down the snowy road, and then retreated. She scooted inside and hung up her coat while he shut and locked the door behind her.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t imagine that they’d all come.”
He snorted. It didn’t sound like an I-don’t-believe-you snort, more of an I’m-unhappy-with-the-situation, which made her feel a tiny bit hopeful. Maybe it would be better once the arrivals were settled inand had their own cottages fixed up again? She hoped they didn’t disturb any of the papers or notebooks in Laiken’s workroom. She had the most important ones with her here on Yarrow’s desk, but there could be more that she’d need to reference.
If she was even going to be able to work more magic.
There were now alotmore eyes. She wasn’t certain she’d be able to proceed with their experiments without drawing attention. It was bad enough that the sentient plants were awake and busily casting spells to fix the cracks in the greenhouse glass.Maybe they’ll assume it was Laiken who taught the plants magic?Or maybe this family of gardeners wouldn’t care, so long as the greenhouses were being fixed? She was depending on a lot of “maybes.”
“They don’t have anywhere else to go,” Terlu said. For that reason, they might keep her secret, if (when) they discovered it. It wouldn’t be in their best interest to draw imperial investigators to the island… if therewereimperial investigators anymore. According to Marin and the new arrivals, the empire had fallen. What did that mean for its laws and for its law enforcement? Who was in charge now, and how did they feel about unlicensed magic? She added that to the list of questions to ask Yarrow’s relatives, subtly. “And at least here you know they’re safe.”
“They’re acting as if they’ve come home,” Yarrow said, crossing to the window and looking out it, as if expecting a relative to pop out from behind a pine tree. “Yet every single one of them abandoned this place and didn’t look back.”
She’d sailed away from Eano and hadn’t returned, but she still thought of it as home. Her childhood home, at least. It would always have a place in her heart, even if her future wasn’t there. She thought of Ree, so happy on Marin’s boat—he’d found his place. “You don’t know how they felt about it or how they feel now. You could try talking to them.”
Another snort.
“You don’t have to forgive them, but they could help. You’ve afamily full of gardeners eager to make this place somewhere they can live. Use that.”
“I just… don’t want anything to change.”
Gently, she said, “I think things will have to change.” The sailboat disgorging so many new arrivals, each with their own hopes and dreams and plans, ensured that. “The empire fell. Everything’s changed.” The only question washowit had changed.
“Not for me it hasn’t. Everyone else can do what they want, but I want to continue to experiment with the greenhouse spells.” He must have seen hesitation in her expression because he added, “Unless you don’t want… I mean, you can do as you please, of course.”
She tried to sort out how to respond: She wanted to keep trying with the spells, but should she? Was it wise, right now? Or would it be smarter to wait? But if she waited, how many more greenhouses would die? What she was doing was important. More than that, it wasright.
But would all of their new arrivals see it that way?
“It’s not just us and the plants anymore,” Terlu said.
“We could pretend it is,” Yarrow said. “With a bit of effort, I believe we can completely ignore my family and act as if they don’t exist.”
Terlu laughed.
He didn’t laugh with her.
“Oh, wait—you’re serious. That’s neither healthy nor practical, but even if we did… there could still be imperial investigators out there, searching for lawbreakers, maybe even searching specifically for me. We don’t know what’s changed with the revolution. It could be worse, not better.”
Yarrow took her hands. “I wouldn’t let them take you.”
“You couldn’t stop them.”
“Then we’d be statues together.” He’d moved closer, only inches away. “They’d have to make a double pedestal for both of us, because I won’t let go.”
Her throat felt thick, and her eyes heated and blurred. That was… well, terrible, but also beautiful and sweet and perfect. She blinked hard, trying not to cry.
Spotting something outside, Yarrow suddenly released her hands, crossed to the door, and opened it. Emeral waltzed in, his tail held high and his wings folded on his back.
