Chapter 20

20

LECTURE NOTES FROM THE ART OF BLACKSMITHING III:

A dagger must undergo the “true test.” Professor Shovak will stab the blade into a wooden surface and expect it to stand. If it doesn’t, that’s an automatic fail . “A useless blade is a useless fight.”

T he rain let up, giving way to mist as she and Leora approached the gates of Central Secondary Academy. The school stood on a field bordered by trees the size of mountains, which was a welcomed contrast to the gravel-ridden streets behind her.

Thessa recognized the two CSA guards, who halted them.

She lied, sort of. “I’m here to pick up my final project. Professor Shovak said he left it in the workshop.”

And just like that, the gates opened.

School grounds were open year-round for boarding students. Thessa had spent the last four summers strolling through this campus. Most days she preferred the library, but only because the forge was fireless between terms.

Instead of taking the gravel path towards the school’s main entrance, she led Leora around the back of the building. “We can talk now, there’s no guards this way.”

“Tess, that was horrific. Are you okay?”

Thessa shook her head. “I know. I’m not sure, honestly. I’m really sorry.”

“But none of what happened is your fault. Well, all last night I kept thinking it had to be about your magic, but this morning everything changed. I don’t care about the serpents anymore. I want to know if the Supremes know how violent their guards are.” Leora paused, exhaling. “What are they going to do to them? To Emiel?”

Thessa wasn’t sure how to say they would likely never be released. She wasn’t sure if Soren had been hoping for incineration over imprisonment, but it’d seemed like it.

She said, “I wish I could say I was surprised. Emiel should be okay if he continues to cooperate. He seems to understand the ways here better than Soren does.”

Leora went quiet.

Thessa lowered her head and apologized again.

“Stop apologizing for this continent and their senselessness.”

She still didn’t feel good about it.

Leora asked, “Where are we going?”

She pointed to the stone-clad workshop with a long metal pipe jutting out the top. The door was painted green, with the lettering CSA chiseled into the wood. Thessa’s smile was small, but it was there. “My favorite place in Gravenport.”

As they approached, Leora cocked a brow. “Are you taking me to another dungeon?”

Thessa swung the door open. “Not funny. ”

The space was quiet and empty. Rays of natural light shining through the windows illuminated her workbench, as if to say, this seat is open. Thessa walked toward it. Her eyes moved to the silent forge in the center of the room, and then softened at the memories it evoked. Those were the only flames worthy of her admiration.

“Welcome to the workshop.” Thessa pulled an extra stool across her workbench then plopped atop hers. “We can rest here for a little while. No one comes in during the summer.”

Leora looked around the room before settling into her stool, perhaps unimpressed with the soot-stained floorboards. “This … is your favorite place?”

“This place showed me how to turn my misery into something useful.”

Thessa tapped her oak workbench then turned in her seat, scanning the familiar space. Something shiny caught her eye on Professor Shovak’s desk.

Leora was talking about Emiel, but Thessa’s attention was locked. She shot up and paced over, plucking her dagger free. She grinned, wondering how long it had stood upright like that?

Back at her workbench Thessa went on about daggers, and Professor Shovak’s theatrics, until Leora cut her off.

“As much as I want to hear more,” Leora said politely, “I should open these.” She placed the three letters atop the table.

Thessa agreed, sliding the dagger in her boot.

After sorting them by date, Leora used her sharp fingernail—painted Celestial white with shimmering stardust—to flick away each wax seal.

Leora opened the first one and read aloud. “It’s from my aunt. Our sweet Leora, we’ve sent messages to all the docks up the western coast of Sanabria to stay alert for a missing vessel. We are so sorry this has happened, say the word and we will travel to meet you, we’ll bring you home .”

Leora skimmed the rest before trading it for the next one. As she read the words to herself, her eyes widened with shock. When she set the letter down, her tears fell with it.

Her parents' vessel had never returned.

Thessa slid her hand atop Leora’s to say, I am with you.

The final letter was thick. With tears streaming down her face, Leora breathed in before opening it. After a moment, she dropped the letter and its contents. One of the smaller pieces fell to the floor, like a feather.

Thessa retrieved it, unable to unsee the numbers and signatures. She placed the inked parchment on the table. “Looks like you won’t be needing to work at the townhouse any longer.” It was funding unlike Thessa had ever seen, well off didn’t describe Leora, she was extremely wealthy.

Leora explained how the funding department had closed her parents’ account and signed over the value to their next of kin. Her parents’ fortune was now hers, and her aunt was overseeing her estate until told otherwise.

Estate?

“I’ll write the moment I can.” Leora pressed, “I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to update my chancellor, I’ll write to her as well. Thessa, you realize what this means?”

“You’re moving back home?”

“Sort of,” Leora smirked as she said it. “We’re going to find somewhere to live together and you’re moving in with me.”

Now Thessa was crying. She objected, “Don’t think for a moment I’ll let you stay in Andera when your heart is in Sanabria. What about Trinity Tertiary, your aunt, the palmae?”

“Tess, I have no desire to travel by sea. I am where I am supposed to be.” She paused, wiping her eyes. “I prayed for hours in that dungeon; the goddess showed me the way.”

“You can’t stay,” Thessa urged her.

Leora pushed right back. “Of course I can. But first I need your help.”

“Right, we need to get back to Mabelton.”

“Before that.”

Thessa raised an eyebrow. “Anything.”