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I stared at her for a moment before remembering she hadn’t been raised in Tartora. It was understandable she didn’t know our kingdom’s geography in great detail.
“It’s our north-easternmost city,” Hayes said absently. “On the coast, close to the border with Calista. North of Eldrida, the coastline is unnavigable, but south is safe to sail. There are limited safe harbors, though, and Eldrida is the largest of those. It serves as both a fishing center and a trading hub for the towns of the eastern hills. The eastern section of Tartora is good grazing land, but it’s isolated from the rest of the kingdom by both the Viridian River and the dense forest that runs along its eastern bank.”
Luna nodded, but I could tell from the glazed look in her eyes that she hadn’t absorbed the impromptu lesson. No wonder she still didn’t know Tartora’s cities.
“The important point is that it’s as close to Grey’s base as we’re going to get this side of the border,” I said. “At least in terms of a large enough population that we won’t draw attention.”
Amara sighed. “I suppose I’ll have to accept that plan. But make sure the king and the Guild know I won’t be pressuring my apprentice into anything. And even if she’s willing, I may still choose to withhold my permission.”
I clenched my teeth, trying to read her expression. Would she really do that? I wanted to go, but if she refused me permission to leave, then going anyway would make me a reneger, like Nik.
I slowly relaxed my jaw. Nothing was happening immediately. I had time to convince her.
“In that case, Luna and I will leave for the capital in the morning.” Hayes gestured for the door. “The rest of us should leave so our apprentices can get some sleep.”
Clay nodded. “I’ll head to the capital with you, of course.” He followed Hayes out of the room, the two of them making travel plans as they walked.
Amara stood as if to follow them but stopped to give me a stern look. “No lying awake all night stressing, Delphine! We’ll leave tomorrow as well, after I’ve consulted with Anka. So get as much rest as you can. You know what it’s like when we’re traveling. It might be a while until you find a bed as comfortable as this one.”
I stood. “We’re leaving just like that? But what about Nik? Don’t we need to talk with him further? He’s the one who knows where Grey’s base is located.”
Amara gave me an exasperated look. “Don’t worry. If there’s one thing Nikolas is good at, it’s taking action. You heard him—he’ll be ready. And there’s no way he’ll be going to the capital with the others, so I have no doubt that—like it or not—we’ll be seeing him on the road.”
She gave me a look that was too knowing—as if she was well aware which of those two categories I fit into—and then departed. Ember slipped through the closing gap in her wake, escaping for her nightly hunt before Amara closed the door.
“I know he’s a reneger, but he’s devastatingly handsome, isn’t he,” Luna whispered, punctuating her words with a giggle.
I hurried into my nightclothes to hide the flush in my cheeks.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, voice muffled by my clothes.
Luna laughed again. “You’re not fooling anyone, Delphine! I saw all those loaded glances between you. The two of you were just as bad as those other three.”
I emerged from my battle with my garments and sat on my bed, my eyes fixed on her.
“Do you know about the history between Hayes and Amara? There’s something there, right? It’s not just my imagination?”
Luna slid into her bed but lay on her side, her head propped up on her elbow and her eyes conspiratorially bright.
“Hayes has never spoken about her as anything more than an old friend, but I know there’s more to it than that. I have eyes, after all.”
I slipped between my sheets, also turning onto my side so I could look across at Luna with wide eyes. “Are you saying he feels more for her than friendship?”
She dropped her voice to a whisper although we were the only ones in the room. “No one has told me directly, but I heard rumors at the Guild. Apparently they were apprentices at the same time, and Hayes was wildly in love with her!”
“What?” I gasped, clutching my blankets. But even as I felt the thrill of it, my more sensible self questioned Luna’s excited interpretation.
It seemed hard to imagine anyone whispering such things about Hayes. But even if it wasn’t quite the dramatic love story she was imagining, it seemed possible Hayes could have cared for Amara when they were young.
“Apparently lots of them were in love with her,” Luna said, “since Amara was so outstanding. But she didn’t have any patience for most of them, or for the Guild itself even. She was always speaking up against the way things were done. She only had time for two of her peers—” She paused in what was clearly meant to be dramatic tension before announcing, “Hayes and Clay!”
“Are you saying Clay was in love with her as well?” My mouth fell open.
“Apparently he wasn’t as obvious about it, but most people think he must have been.”
“So what about Amara? Did she have feelings for either of them?”
“She was good friends with Clay, but apparently she was closer to Hayes. According to the reports, they spent most of their time outside of class together. Some people even say that’s why Clay left the capital and settled in Ostaria.”
