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Back The Art of Exile Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Map
  4. Dedication
  5. GENESIS INSTITUTE GUILDS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  50. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  51. IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

Our eyes meet, and I catch my breath. The muscles in his neck relax and tighten with the movements of his arms, his lips softly parted, his eyes smiling. I feel the music like it’s touching me in all the places that Michael’s not touching me, and he just keeps… looking at me. Like something important is being communicated without words. Like all the things he’s not saying are loud enough to drown out the song.

And then it’s over.

Michael puts down the guitar and clears his throat. “I’ve missed this instrument,” he says, looking at the guitar as if we didn’t just share an intense, soul-bonding moment.

He searches my face and asks, “Ada, are you happy you chose to come here?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “Very happy.” And I know it’s true. I’ve already changed so much—learned so much—and I wouldn’t give up this experience for anything.

In this moment, I’m not thinking about my mission. In this moment, I would rather learn from Genesis than spy on them. And in this moment, I’m pretending as much to myself as to everyone else that that’s all I’m here to do.

I swallow. “But I’m still conflicted about which guild is right for me.”

Michael smiles. “Trust your gut. Don’t think about what anyone else would want. Listen to what the guildmasters have to say and focus on what resonates with you here.” He holds his hand against his heart. “And after Quorum, once you’ve joined a guild”—his eyes soften—“you’ll officially be a Maker.”

He reaches up to my ear, and I feel the ghost of a touch above my Sire diamond at the spot where my guildstone will go. My heart stutters, and I hold my breath.

The lock of the apartment door clicks, and Michael’s hand snaps back.

“Hi!” Georgie chirps.

“Well, I should probably be going.” Michael rises from beside me. “Your gallerie is going to be wonderful, and by this time two days from now, you’ll be a journeyman.”

15

Within the hour, Quorum will begin and my future as a Maker will be decided. I feel stiff in the formal clothes I borrowed from Georgie (which she had to alter to fit me). I’m wearing a navy balloon-sleeved blouse tucked into high-waisted black velvet trousers. And with my new high laced boots and half my hair braided into a crown atop my head, I almost look like I belong here. That is, until I realize that I’m standing in the wrong place.