It’s sparked hard, here in the desert—her growing desire to be close to him. To take his hand. To know what his black hair would feel like under her fingers. To kiss his glimmering green mouth.

His Mage mouth.

Her conflict rears higher.

“He’s been...very kind,” Sparrow tries again, endeavoring to justify this unstoppable tide to both Ulluwyn and herself. Even though she has nothing concrete to be ashamed of.

Ulluwyn spits out a sound of disgust and shoots Thierren a rancid glare. “Of course he’s pretending to be kind. He wants you in his bed. But you’re a rockbat to him and nothing more. Don’t ever forget that.”

They sting, Ulluwyn’s words, dredging up Sparrow’s outrage over so many humiliating cruelties endured in the Fae Island labor camps. And in continental Gardneria.

Sparrow meets Thierren’s gaze once more, chagrin rising, since she can tell by the subtle tightening of his eyes that he heard Ulluwyn loud and clear. He gets up and strides outside. Effrey reaches up to touch his hand as he passes, and Thierren pauses to exchange an affectionate smile with the child and ruffle Effrey’s newly short and spiked dark purple hair.

Misery floods Sparrow as Ulluwyn stoppers her flask, wipes her mouth with the back of her sleeve, and rises, as well. She sends a look of distaste toward Aislinn.

“Vang Troi is wrong about this,” Ulluwyn insists to Sparrow, the tight coils of her short blue hair haloed by the late-day sun’s wash of gold. “We shouldn’t let any Mages into Noilaan. Take great care, Sparrow.” The warning in her tone sets Sparrow’s hackles rising. “Cut the Crow out of your life. You’re about to start fresh in the East. With your talent as a seamstress, you’ll find good work for good pay quickly. But you can’t ever be Noi’khin if you’ve attached yourself to a Mage. You’ll be hated as much as the Roaches are, and rightfully so.”

Ulluwyn gives Sparrow one last significant look and strides out of the cavern, and Sparrow berates herself for her desire to leave the sheltering space as well...to find Thierren.

To simply be with him this eve.

She blinks back the sting of tears as she smooths down her bedding, her thoughts circling in unceasing conflict. She pulls in a wavering breath, sits down, and just stops for a moment, staring at the glittering wall opposite her.

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you too.”