She studies me, her expression inscrutable. What if I got the menu wrong entirely? The cook must repeat meals often. Maybe I should have claimed I couldn’t reach as far as this evening. But then Master Kyra gives me a small, tired smile. “Well done, Saskia. You missed the spiced apples, but I’m impressed you were able to reach as far as the first part of the meal. You’re making excellent progress.”

I suddenly feel weightless. Buoyant.

I’m coming for you, Latham. And there isn’t anything you can do to stop me.

Chapter Six

Life at Ivory Hall falls into a comfortable rhythm. I continue to train with Master Kyra—holding back just enough to avoid suspicion while trying to perfect my craft, attend seminars in the workshop with the other apprentices, and eat meals in the dining hall with Tessa and her friends—they haven’t quite started to feel like my friends yet.

Tessa keeps her word and doesn’t tell Norah about the spell book. Bram hasn’t either, but I’m still cautious. Declan’s betrayal is never far from my mind.

But not having anyone to confide in is a slow acid that eats away at me and leaves an aching hole in the middle of my chest. Each night as I fall asleep, I imagine I’m talking to Ami. That we’re sitting on the banks of the Shard, dragging our toes through the water, as I discuss my problems. In my mind, I tell her about my options one by one, and she picks them up, examines them, and offers her opinion before setting them down again.

I could break into Master Latham’s old office and search for clues there, I tell her. As far as I know, he hasn’t been replaced yet, and his belongings should still be there. Maybe I’ll find some clue about Avalina, the girl he fell in love with in his youth.

My imagined Ami scoffs at the idea. If he managed to sneak into your bedroom to leave the spell book, I doubt he would be so careless as to leave anything incriminating behind.

I could try to find a set of bones powerful enough to attempt a reading on him and discover his location.

Ami shakes her head at this, too. And she’s right. With the protective magic he has at his disposal, seeing him in a reading is likely impossible.

“Are you still awake?” Tessa asks softly. We turned off the lights hours ago, and my imagination has been so full of Ami that for a moment I think Tessa’s voice belongs to her. A wave of joy swells in my chest before crashing into disappointment.

“I’m awake,” I say, turning on my side to face her, though she’s nothing more than a shape in the dark. “What’s keeping you up?”