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“Like what?” Luna disentangled herself, giving both of us a cheeky grin. “Kind, thoughtful, and friendly?”
“Yes, that.” A smile tugged at my lips, the disastrous start to the day fading from my mind.
“Sorry, did I overstep?” Luna grimaced at Serena. “You feel like an old friend, and not just because of Delphine. It’s a strange sort of bond, healing someone when they’re close to death. I sometimes forget that the patient doesn’t always feel the same way. Especially since you had to leave Caltor so soon afterward.”
Serena’s and my eyes met, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing, remembering the extensive injuries she’d suffered at Grey’s hands.
Luna broke me out of the moment, bumping my shoulder with hers.
“Today is supposed to be a happy day! No thinking sad thoughts!”
I laughed and reached for the cake, digging one finger into the icing. As I tasted the sweet confection, I gave a hum of pleasure.
“Delicious.”
“Delphine!” Luna tried to look reproving but failed when she broke into giggles. “I guess you are the birthday girl, so you can do whatever you want.”
Serena smiled as well, the expression more hesitant as she glanced between Luna and me.
“I hopeyou’renot going to try to claim you came all this way for my birthday,” I said to Serena. “Did you come with Clay?”
I glanced across at the older man who was still deep in conversation with Hayes and Amara, the expressions on their faces suggesting the topic had turned more serious. Clay lived in Ostaria, which was the closest city to Tarin, but it wasn’t close enough for me to think he and Serena would know each other—especially given Serena wasn’t a healer.
Serena shook her head. “I met him five minutes ago while we were waiting for you to arrive.”
I winced. “Sorry I was late.”
“You don’t have to be sorry on your birthday,” Luna said. “I’m pretty sure it’s a rule.”
“I had no idea you were so into birthdays.” I shook my head. “If I had, I would have been more prepared.”
Luna grinned unapologetically. “We didn’t have a lot of access to new things in my settlement growing up, but my mother always made an effort with our birthdays. I don’t know how she managed it, but she always found enough ingredients for a feast, and she would make us presents herself.”
Her words brought up thoughts of my own mother and the small celebrations we would have every year on my birthday. Tears pricked at my eyes as I realized it was my first birthday without her.
But I didn’t wish myself back home. Despite the passing months, I still hadn’t worked out my complicated feelings toward my father. He had always been a warm presence on my birthdays, and yet, the whole time, he had been secretly holding me back, letting his fear hold sway over my life.
I shook my head, forcing my thoughts back to Luna. She talked about her parents often since she clearly missed them both. She had supported their decision to move to Calista six months before, however. They had only stayed in Tarona for so long to support her, and she had grown comfortable enough in the Tartoran capital not to need them anymore.
She had assured me it was better for them to go on ahead so many times that I could tell she had mixed feelings about it. But since she would be joining them after her graduation, it wouldn’t be a long separation. She had never wavered in her loyalty to Calista, so I knew we would be losing her to the newly created Calistan Mages’ Guild once she became a proficient.
Luna was one of the members of the secret settlement who had remained across the border during Calista’s years of devastation. They had survived in the wasteland by raiding Tartora, but all had now been forgiven. The Tartoran Mages’ Guild had even agreed to train many of the settlement youngsters on behalf of the new Calistan Guild in exchange for the influx of new power the settlers brought to our Guild and Tartora in general.
I had heard people speak of the recent changes in the Guild, but getting to know Luna had made it seem possible those changes were real. If the Guild was now overflowing with young people like her, how could it possibly stay the same?
“Will your clinic be all right without you?” Hayes asked from across the room.
There was an odd tone to the otherwise friendly question that caught my attention, making me look across at the small huddle of master mages. Hayes was looking at Clay with an expression I couldn’t interpret.
Clay responded with his usual smile, however, giving no sign he had picked up the underlying discordant note.
“I think Tara is relieved I won’t be there to cause her any problems. She’s convinced I’m the root of all the clinic’s problems, and I’m sure my absence will only prove her right. I’ll no doubt return to find everything in absolute order.”
I grinned at the memory of the woman who ran Clay’s clinic for him. I’d never met anyone who gave such an impression of competence and order.
Amara laughed, and after a moment, Hayes chuckled as well. Whatever I had picked up from him earlier seemed to disappear, his usual good humor returning. He looked our way, his eyes catching on Luna, who was trying to silently signal to him.
For a moment he looked confused, but then his brow cleared, and he gestured for the other two with him to join us by the table.
