Page 97 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

“Because he enchanted it to reveal its pages only to someone who shared his blood. When I couldn’t translate it, I had already surmised that was the reason, though, like you, I assumed it was your mother’s.”

“His blood,” she said, and Row looked at her. Any lingering doubts that his theories about her parentage hadn’t been entirely accurate evaporated at that moment.

“So, it wasn’t hers.” Zarya grabbed the book back, flipping through the entire thing, hoping she’d find something that indicated her mother had used it, too. But it had all been written in the same hand.

“I thought it was hers,” she whispered, choking on the words. She didn’t know why she was so upset, but it felt like she’d just lost another piece of her mother.

“I’m sorry,” Row said. “But you’ll always have her necklace. That was hers.”

Zarya touched the pendant that hung around her neck, and Row gave her a small smile.

“I’m sorry that it’s all I can give you of her.”

“It’s okay,” she said, wiping the corner of her eye with the back of her hand before the tear welling in the corner could fall.

“Row?” Zarya asked the man who was the closest thing she could claim as a father.

“Yes?”

“Could you tell me all your stories of your time together? You must have a lot. How long were you together?”

“Many years,” he said and then swallowed hard, the apple in his throat bobbing. “And of course. That would give me great pleasure to share everything with you, Zarya. An honor.”

Her heart clenched at the glimmer of hope in Row’s eyes. She would try to forgive him. She was so tired of being angry.

They sat together in comfortable silence as they continued sailing over the sea. Soon, the sun began to set, the ocean sparkling with light.

Apsara stood and pointed in the distance. Zarya followed the line of her finger, squinting into the falling night.

“There it is,” Apsara said.

Zarya could make out the buildings lining the coast, golden and gilded against the setting sun.

“Ranpur Island.”

The boat docked, bumping against the shore before they hopped off. Rabin stumbled his way onto the ground, falling to his knees and pressing his forehead to the earth. He sucked in several deep breaths as everyone gave him a moment to recover.

Other than Suvanna, everyone seemed to sympathize with his plight.

“Is he going to be okay?” Zarya asked. “Why does he react so strongly?”

“His magic is deeply tied to the land,” Kindle said. “I’m the same way in the cold.”

“And I struggle with heat,” Apsara added. “Our gifts bind us closely to our homes.”

“Does your magic change the further you are away?”

“Yes,” Kindle said. “That’s why you don’t find many who live outside their natural homes. Only Aazheri have the freedom to move about without similar restraints.”

“Fascinating,” Zarya said as Rabin pushed himself up. He ran a hand over his head, shaking off the last of his nausea.

“What are you all looking at?” he grumbled. “Let’s go.”

They all turned and headed out of the harbor into one of Ranpur’s bustling streets.

“We’ll need horses,” Row said.

“Where are we going next?” Zarya asked.