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Chapters (46)
  1. Welcome
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-one
  25. Chapter Twenty-two
  26. Chapter Twenty-three
  27. Chapter Twenty-four
  28. Chapter Twenty-five
  29. Chapter Twenty-six
  30. Chapter Twenty-seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-one
  35. Chapter Thirty-two
  36. Chapter Thirty-three
  37. Chapter Thirty-four
  38. Chapter Thirty-five
  39. Chapter Thirty-six
  40. Chapter Thirty-seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-nine
  43. Acknowledgements
  44. Books by Karen Miller
  45. Copyright
  46. Front Cover Image

But not yet. Let the dust settle on this College business. Let him see I’ve not fallen into a heartbroken decline. And then, once he’s stopped hovering…

She’d thought about little else most of the night, and while she walked to the artisanry. Six more months, she’d decided. That was all she needed. Six months taking advantage of Lady Ancilla Grie’s patronage and learning what little there remained for Arndel to teach her. Then she’d look for a new artisanry, in the northern or western districts, say. A goodly distance from Batava, at any rate. An artisanry that would appreciate her talents, that would pay her what she was truly worth and give her room to grow.

And when she found it, she wouldn’t tell Remmie. She’d slip out of their cottage in the dead of night, leaving an apologetic note and a promise she’d be fine. So he could live his life, and she could live hers, and they could care for each other from a sensible distance.

He deserves to be happy, to have a family, not struggle along always caught in my wake. And since he won’t free himself, I have to do it for him.

He’d be furious, of course. He might even, for once, hold a genuine grudge. But she’d rather live with him angry than go on watching him deny his own happiness for her sake.

If I don’t do this, I’ll start to hate him for caring.

And if that ever happened, her heart really would break.

Drifting to a halt she closed her eyes and tilted her face to the sun. Still bruised, still shaken, but at the same time oddly at peace.

“Mage Lindin? Mage Lindin!”

So much for peace. Breathing out her resentment, beating down her stubborn pride, Barl schooled her expression to polite enquiry and turned.

“Yes, Artisan Master?”

Arndel was wearing his swallowed-hedgehog face. “What are you doing out here?” he demanded, striding across the grass toward her. “Have you finished Lady Grie’s clock?”

“I have, Artisan Master.”

“Then why did you not—”

“Master Arndel, I was just coming to fetch you.”

Halting, he snorted. “Indeed.” His face pinched even tighter. “You’re to take the clock to Lady Grie. She is sending a carriage. Come now and show me it won’t disgrace the artisanry.”

She was to take the clock? By herself? But before she could ask, Arndel marched off toward the workroom, and all she could do was hurry after him, perplexed.

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

I’m told your brother is a man for whom teaching is a passion, Mage Lindin. Would you agree?”