“Just like who?” asked Lady Rhazat.

“Just like walking from one room into another. What is this place?”

“I told you, dear boy, it’s my home.” She smiled sweetly and took his hand. “And now it’s yours, too.”

Mika stared at her, expecting her to laugh like it was a joke. But she didn’t, just smiled like she was his mother. He pulled his hand away and stood up. “I’m sorry, Majesty. I appreciate your hospitality, but I must get back to Master Thero. He’ll be worried about me.”

“Master Thero?”

“The wizard I’m apprenticed to.” The words slipped out before he thought better of it.

“You’re a wizard’s apprentice?” she exclaimed in delight. “Come, show me a trick.”

Master Thero hated it when anyone said that, but Mika didn’t want to be rude. Besides, he reasoned, if he did as she asked, she’d be more likely to let him go, wouldn’t she?

He looked around, then tried to levitate his wooden fork. Nothing happened. He tried again, then gave up, perplexed. “I can usually do that spell.”

“Perhaps you’re too tired!” she said with a fond, kind smile. “Would you like to see a trick I can do?”

“Yes, please,” he replied meekly.

At a flick of her finger, a great whirlwind roared into being around them, whipping their hair around, knocking dishes from the table, and blowing out all the candles around the room. Plunged into darkness, Mika clung to the seat of his chair, very frightened now.

“Can you light the candles again, dear Mika?” Lady Rhazat asked as the wind died down as suddenly as it had come.

Mika whispered the spell and snapped his fingers, but again, nothing. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty—”

“No matter, my dear.” The candles flared to life around the room and he saw Rhazat sitting where she had been, as if nothing had happened.

“You’re a wizard, too?”

“I am. What fun I’ll have, teaching you all I know! I can tell you’re going to be a very powerful wizard when you grow up—with the right training, of course.”

Mika blinked back tears. “But I want to go back to my master. I want to go home.”

She shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid that’s not possible, my love. Once you come to this place, you cannot leave it. If you run away, you’ll die of hunger and thirst, just as you almost did before I found you and took you in. I wish you could go home, my dear, but alas, that’s how things are.”

She’s lying, Mika realized. Alec had gotten out. So would he, somehow. For now, though, he’d have to be a nightrunner himself, and play the part, as Seregil said.

“Thank you for taking me in, Your Majesty,” he said, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “I guess I’m your apprentice now.”