“And that’s where you go to university.”
“Yes.”
“How long will you be gone?” I picked at the clover again, refusing to look at him.
“A while.” I felt his lingering stare. “I’ve two more years to graduate, if all goes well.”
“Two years?”
“Indeed.”
I bit my cheek, hoping to settle my racing heart before he noticed, unsure of why my body reacted over inconsequential things such as a prince’s travels.
When I looked back up, he was still staring at me intently. “So we must make the most of the time we have,” he murmured.
“Yes,” I said. The reflection of stars shone steadily from his irises, both dark and mysterious pits I feared falling into.
He’d be gone soon, anyway.
And I had David.
I looked away. “So, water magic?” I said, getting to my feet.
A pause stretched between us before he agreed.
But as we practiced, my head remained unsteady, my mind still angry.
My heart falling when I knew it shouldn’t.
CHAPTER TWENTY
I played with a length of twine, my mind in the clouds, my soul thrumming with restless energy. My knee bounced beneath the tiny desk in the room I shared with Anna and Drea.
I should have been gone, too, helping wipe down the palace walls today. Instead, I had snuck away after finishing my section to avoid extra responsibilities. With Ella gone, I already had enough on my plate.
And it was all so very dull.
The twine rested in my hand. My calves ached, and I used my other hand to rub the muscles that protested the very idea of standing after hours of scrubbing and washing and mending.
Hours that I would never get back.
I dropped the twine and returned my attention to the stack of letters before me. I was supposed to be continuing my research, tracing who was most affected by the disease and why. These letters had been sent to Thom from Junira, where much of the research was being conducted through the University. Amouridia’s Mage Council were searching for more information about the disease as well, but with less prestige, connections, and resources,Junira bore the brunt of the work.
I broke another wax seal and scanned the physician’s note for the names of the infected, and any clear traits. I listed each in the columns Thom had crafted ahead of time for me.
Thom’s method was painfully slow. Because this project counted toward university credit, every resource requested required approval from his supervising professor. Once authorized, the professor would reach out through the mage network to access the material. It would then be sent back to the university for copying, mailed to Thom for his independent research, and eventually returned to Junira for storage.
Part of me wondered if Thom’s emphasis on using this for his treatise, on making sure his academic work was approved by the board, was slowing down the actual progress of finding a cure.
The end of my quill brushed against my lips, which were pressed together in thought.
If it were up to me alone, I would forego Junira’s involvement until research was further along. Without their mediation, I could reach out to victims, mages, and physicians throughout Amouridia by myself, and then once finished, submit all my findings at once.
Then again, I wasn’t attempting to get on the Mage Council. I was simply trying to find a cure for those dying while progress limped forward.
Besides, while Junira was afflicted, their population was much lower. I believed Amouridia was likely the earliest source of the illness, although Thom warned me against wasting time tracking the plague’s spread. I sighed, rubbing the corner of my eyes and refocusing on the Junirian physician’s words, looking for names, ages, addresses, genders, magics, occupations…
My head weighed heavily, the words on the page blurring.
