Still, she pulled on her cloak and left her room. They met up with Fordham, Noda, and Roake a floor up, waiting together in a landing.

“See, I told you that I’d get her to come with us,” Audria said.

Fordham’s eyes were only for Kerrigan as he shot her a look that she couldn’t read. Noda cheered, and Roake just winked. She couldn’t help but grin. Kerrigan followed the lot of them through the mountain. She gathered where they were going first. Long before Audria pulled the door open and gestured behind her.

“Ta-da!” Audria said.

The others gaped at the lush greenhouse beyond. Thousands of marks’ worth of glass lined the walls and ceiling of the incredible structure. It had been the work of magnificent ancient earth Fae masters. They’d designed the building to not only produce crops year-round for the mountain, but also for medicinal use. Kerrigan had spent one or two nights here with Lyam, trying out the forbidden herbs and laughing at the ceiling all night. They’d gotten in so much trouble. She clutched at her skirt, where his compass lay in her pocket, as it always did now. A constant reminder.

But that night was gone, and what lay ahead were new friendships.

“I’ve never been in here,” Noda whispered reverently, lighting a few faerie lights to illuminate the path.

“It’s massive,” Roake added.

Audria pulled a bottle from the bag at her hip. “I thought we could loosen up a bit.”

Fordham shook his head. “Who would have guessed you were the troublemaker?”

“I am more than just a title,” Audria said indignantly, tilting her nose up.

“What kind of faerie punch is that?” Kerrigan asked, stepping inside and letting the door close behind her.

“I’ve no idea,” she said with a laugh, linking arms with Kerrigan and winding through the plant life until they came upon the small circle at its center that was used for lessons. “I filched it out of the storeroom and didn’t even bother looking.”

“And you said this wouldn’t be trouble.”

“It’s the middle of the night. No one saw me take it, and no one is going to find us.”

The words cast a spell about the greenhouse. As if by saying them aloud, they were true.

They dragged cushions into a small circle and drew their faerie lights in close, so just the five of them were brightened. Audria passed around the faerie punch. She’d apparently taken a few bottles. Not conspicuous at all.

“We’re all frazzled, and we need the break,” Audria insisted.