Page 28 of Daughter of No Worlds

“So,” he said, at last, “you’re from…?”

“Threll.”

“And how old are you?”

“Two-ten—” I realized my mistake, too late, and corrected myself. “Twenty-one.”

“Twenty-one,” he echoed under his breath, shaking his head — as if this was a ridiculous answer. “Apprenticeships are complete at eighteen. Do you realize how peculiar this entire situation is?”

I tried not to let Max see that I didn’t understand, but apparently I failed, because he added, “Strange. Unusual.”

“Enough.”

“To be clear,allof this is very, very strange.”

“Nura said of me that I cannot join Orders without training. Even though I’m too old.”

I didn't bother to hide my irritation.

A smirk flitted across Max’s mouth. “I’m glad you have enough sense to be frustrated by that bureaucratic stupidity.”

“I did not come here to be sent back away.”

“‘Here,’ to Ara, or ‘here,’ to my house?”

“Both.”

He let out a breath of a chuckle, as if this answer were simply an amusing joke, and finished his glass of wine. Poured another.

“Sorry, how rude of me.” He lifted the bottle. “Would you like some?”

“No, thank you.” My gaze flicked to the walls, and the empty wine bottles that lined one of the shelves.

Noted.

But I needed more information about this man, if I was going to understand what he wanted. If I was going to figure out how to make myself invaluable.

I put my spoon down and took a sip of tea. Even that was spicy, making my nose burn. “How are you knowing Nura?” I asked, with calculated casualness. “Is she a friend?”

Max snorted. “She’s the second-highest ranking member of the Orders. Everyone knows Nura.”

Oh, I did hear that bitterness. I smiled slyly at him. “You know her another way, I think.”

“We fought together during the war, if you must know.” Max straightened, narrowing his eyes. “But you’re awfully bold for someone who dumped herself atmyhouse and refused to leave.”

“I can’t leave. What war?” I knew very little about Ara’s recent history.

But Max ignored my question. “Youcanleave. You can do anything you want.”

I paused. All at once, it hit me: for the first time in my life, that statement wastrue.

But then, that realization drowned beneath an onslaught of images. Esmaris’s dying face. Serel’s goodbye eyes. The incriminating burn of his departing kiss on my cheek.

Guilt clenched in my stomach. No. I wasn’t free. Not really. Not yet.

“I need to join the Orders,” I said. “Nura says I must be here for doing this. So no, I cannot leave.”

“Bad goal. For two reasons.” Max raised a finger. “One, because you shouldn’t join the Orders. I wish I hadn’t.” Another finger. “And two. Because I’m not going to train you. It’s not personal, it’s just a matter of principle.”

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