Page 63 of Daughter of No Worlds

“I will go,” I said.

Max, who had been mid-complaint, snapped his mouth shut.

“I thought you would seize the opportunity,” Nura said, looking pleased.

“I will go,” I repeated, “ifZeryth Aldris will bring my friend back to Ara with him when he leaves Threll.”

I spoke smoothly, confidently, even though I felt just like I had when I was a little girl demanding my freedom from Esmaris with my fifty sad silver pieces. I’m sure my presence at this city was nothing of value to them. But if it was, they wouldn’t get it without giving me something in return. Not when there were so many things I still needed.

I carefully avoided Max’s gaze, though I could feel it searing a charred hole in the center of my forehead — stark contrast to Nura’s, glassy ice that glistened with faint sheen of amusement.

“Members of the Orders need to follow directives without the luxury of conditions,” she said.

“Firstly, that does not seem to be true.” I gestured to Max. “Secondly, you made very clear that I am not member of the Orders. Not yet.”

Nura’s eyes betrayed silent laughter. “Oh, Max. She really has learned a lot from you, hasn’t she?” Then, to me, “Everyone in this room knows that you need us more than we need you. And yet, if I understand you correctly, you’re asking me to inconvenience one of our most important members on one of our most important missions for you?”

“You ask for my help, so I ask for yours.” I leaned forward. Max’s words still pounded in my ears.I would never leave him there. Well, I wouldn’t either. Never. “And this is not forme. This is for decency. You already denied thousands of people help. You said it was too much. Now I ask for one person. Is that still too much? Or are the Orders less powerful than they say to be?”

Silence. I half expected Nura to look angry, but she didn’t. Instead, she peered at me with one shallow wrinkle of thought between her eyebrows, a faint smirk tightening one corner of her mouth.

“Fine. Give me a name and we’ll see what Zeryth can do.”

My heart lifted.

“And in return,” Nura went on, “I expect to see you tomorrow at the gates of Tairn. Is this a deal?”

I did not hesitate. “Yes.”

Max stood there in rare, conspicuous silence.

“Your friend is lucky to have you.” Nura crossed her arms, tilted her chin thoughtfully. “Be careful, though, Tisaanah. It’s easy to manipulate people who want one thing more than anything else.”

I nodded solemnly as if this were new information, happy to be underestimated. But really, I knew this better than anyone. I just didn’t have the luxury of choices.

* * *

The sun throbbedat the back of my neck as I squinted at the cottage. Beside me, Miraselle cooed over some peonies, stroking the petals between her fingers. I have no idea where she went when she wasn’t wandering around Max’s garden, but she always seemed to materialize whenever I found myself outside by myself. This was fine by me — as odd as she was, I liked Miraselle. She was easy to be around and one of the few people who did not make me feel painfully aware of my accent, because she was the only Aran I’d met whose vocabulary was even smaller than my own.

Shortly after I made my agreement with Nura, she had turned to Max — who had been atypically quiet — and asked to speak to him alone. It was an obvious signal for me to leave, so I had retreated out to the gardens to practice on my own.

Still, I kept casting glances at that house as the minutes ticked by. My curiosity clawed at me.

Some time later, they emerged. Nura only waved her hand to me from a distance before whisking herself away, which I chose not to find insulting. Max didn’t so much as look at her before marching toward me.

Miraselle leapt to her feet. “Good morning, Max! Isn’t it a beautiful day today?”

“What. Thehell.Were you thinking?” Max snapped his face to me with a set jaw, words sizzling out between clenched teeth.

“What was I thinking?” I almost laughed. “What else would I do?”

“That’s not how this works. You think you won something in there?”

“No,” I said. “Not completely. But I needed to try.”

Miraselle crowded closer, her beautiful face drawn into overwrought concern. That woman had no sense of personal space. “Max, why are you so sad?”

Max put up his hands, gently pushing her away. “Miraselle—” he snapped, then stopped himself, letting out a breath. “Three steps, please. That’s all I ask. Three steps of space.”

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