“Hush,” Amily interrupted, raising her hand. “You are not to apologize for not being here. You are not to apologize because you haven’t been out doing your father’s work. Your father managed that perfectly well before you were old enough to help. And it’s time for you to do your own work.”

“She’s a-right,” Mags said, putting his arm around Amily’s waist and holding her tightly. “Perry’s been doin’ all right, an’ wut Perry cain’t do, Auntie Minda’s littles can, an’ wut they cain’t do, I got plenny people i’Haven t’pick up. But you—” He pointed a finger at Abi. “On’y you c’n do wut Abi c’n do. Didn’ ye prove that already? Nobody been able t’figger out how t’ rebuild that blamed bridge, but you did! We need ye t’ do thet, not creep aroun’ t’Fair.”

For a moment she thought she might cry at those comforting words. “I was afraid you were disappointed, that I wasn’t like you or Mama, that I wasn’t a Herald or at least helping you like Perry—”

Mags laughed. “Pleny’a Heralds. On’y need one King’s Own. Perry’ll make a good King’s Spy, an’ Lord Jorthun wut used ta’ be King’s Spy was niver a Herald. There’s on’y one Abi, wi’ th’ Gift t’ see how thin’s stay up or fall down. You go right on bein’ thet Abi. ’Sides, it’s nice t’hev some’un I c’n brag on wi’out givin’ away a secret!”

•   •   •

There had been quite a bit more of that from both her parents before Abi went to bed, sure now that she had not disappointed anyone. The talk had been a huge relief, erasing a burden she hadn’t even been aware she had been carrying—and yet it had been one that had been eating at her for a very long time, ever since she’d started her Master Work, in fact. It had been at that moment that she had understood she was no longer involved in the Artificers and Builders because she wanted to use her abilities to help her father but because this was something she desperately wanted for herself. This bridge had become like a living thing for her, something beautiful as well as useful that she felt she had to see created—and besides that, it was something she wanted her name on, in public, for everyone to see. And as long as all she did was work for her father, creeping in the shadows, doing things she couldn’t talk about, she would never be recognized for what she was capable of.