Cold Steel

“Indeed it would not,” said Serena in the manner of a woman who has lived all her life with the highest expectations of her rank and station. “The mansa of Four Moons House cannot appear looking as if he works as a common laborer.”

Bee coughed. “Even if he does.”

“In another year or two, everything will be different,” I said placatingly. I had cleverly placed the two dash jackets I knew he would choose at the top of the chest: the fireworks and a damask whose orange and brown evoked colors popular among radical laborers. His decision to sell his beloved clothes had so agitated him that I was able to set those two and yet two more aside before the steward took away the chest.

Fortunately we then were called to the front of the house to eat our dinner of porridge, turnips, and a stew of fish, onion, and tomato. Afterward we helped settle the children and elders into the wagons that would convey everyone to troll town for the Hallows Festival. The household was going to spend the night and day within the maze of troll town, hidden from the Wild Hunt. The children were as excited as hornets.

Bee took my hands. “It seems unfair you cannot shelter in the troll maze as the rest of us do. I don’t like to leave you alone.” She bent a too-wary gaze on me, forehead all a-wrinkle. “Are you sure you’re well, Cat? I swear to you there is a tone in your voice that makes me wonder if something is wrong.”

I kissed her. “I do get to fretting on Hallows’ Night about you, Bee. Even though I know you are safe in the troll maze, I can’t help but worry. Don’t be concerned for me. I promised Rory I would spend the night teaching him how to cheat at cards.”

“Are you sure, Cat? I just feel there’s something you’re not telling me.”

The Blessed Tanit was merciful. The wagons were ready to go, so I did not have to answer. I kissed her again as my heart broke and my smile never wavered. Off they went. I waved until I thought my arm would fall off.

“My sweet Catherine, you have avoided speaking to me all day.” He stepped up behind me, slipping his arms around me.

“I thought you went with them!”

“Without a kiss? I think not. After all, love, I think perhaps I shall stay with you—”

“No!” My hard-won peace shattered. The boiling miasma of anger and terror and shame erupted like an engine that, after steaming along in such a delicate balance for so long, had at last overheated. “You have to go to troll town! He knows your blood! He threatened you!”

“Love, love, that’s not what I meant. I will go to troll town and you will spend Hallows’ Night and Day at the law offices, as we agreed. I just thought how accustomed I am becoming to falling asleep each night and waking up each morning with you in my arms. It seems hard to face a night alone. So with everyone gone and nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon…”

My pounding heart and ragged breathing slowly calmed. “Oh.”

He chased me with kisses all the way back to the mansa’s study.

Afterward we lay on the mat in the corner of the room in the corner of the quiet building, and he kissed me so tenderly I almost wept.

“I know your secret, love,” he whispered against my ear.

My breath faltered. I pressed my face against his cheek, shuddering, for I had no idea how I was going to get through this now.

His smile brushed like love against my skin. “How many of my dash jackets did you hide?”

The air went out of me. I shut my eyes. “Only six besides the four I set aside already,” I murmured hoarsely, as my mind whispered a prayer of thanks to the Blessed Tanit, protector of women. “We’d better go, Vai.”

I dressed in the jacket I had made new out of what was torn. I buttoned on my spruce-green skirt that was so good for striding in, laced up my sturdy boots that had carried me through such a long journey, and set on my head the jaunty Amazon’s shako I had picked up on the battlefield from a fallen sister. I took only my locket and my sword. I twined my fingers intimately through his and savored the pleasure of walking hand in hand with him through the streets of Havery. A few people ran their final errands, but mostly the streets were empty as all made ready to shut their doors and light their candles against Hallows’ Night.

“I do like it here,” I said. “Although Aunty Djeneba’s boardinghouse is still my favorite place. You have some other scheme in mind, Vai. What is it?”

“We have two buildings,” he said, “so why not two schoolrooms? It seems wrong to me that those poor young fire mages were killed precisely because James Drake offered them a future they could not otherwise have. Cold mages were treated in the Antilles something like fire mages are treated here, with scorn and suspicion. Surely mages can work together as equals. What is to stop us from establishing an academy in which we see what may come about if we act in concert rather than in antipathy?”