I smiled brightly, bitterly. “Aenah knew something the elders didn’t. Black heartsglass will always come back to you, she told me once. That is why the Faceless prized it above all. No matter what spells they cast, my heartsglass will always come back to me. It has been two months, and perhaps it will require another two before I take back all that is rightfully mine.”

Aenah told me it was acts of violence that turned one heart’s black. What she failed to elaborate on was that violence against me would have the same result. I should have known—hadn’t I seen Aenah’s grief over her dead child and her burning city, watched that instant when her own heart had succumbed to black? Hadn’t Druj shared a similar story of loss?

“What do you intend to do, Tea?”

“What do you want me to do, Khalad? Isn’t that why you’ve traveled all this way? You would not have left Likh’s side if you didn’t believe her situation was hopeless. Where do you plan to go?”

The Heartforger hung his head. “Daanoris, to start. Master kept many books there with notes on heartsglass. There might be something I could find for Likh.”

“And you chose to pay me a courtesy call along the way?”

“I was worried, Tea!”

I smiled sadly. The time for worry had passed. “I know you, Khalad. I may not have all my heartsglass yet, but I can read yours. There’s something you want from me.”

The Heartforger paused and reached into his rucksack. He pulled out a familiar pouch, and all seven bezoars spilled into my hands.

“I’m glad there are still things I can hide from you.” He smiled grimly. “I left Kion for good. The elders thought Likh would keep me there and out of trouble. Instead, I snuck into their study like we had all those months ago and took back the bezoars they stole. I couldn’t find your heartsglass—no one but Hestia seems to know where it is.”

I burst into laughter, and Khalad looked startled. “Probably buried somewhere so they never have to look at it again. Why are you giving these to me?”

“Because I am going to help you. Druj is still out there. You can still complete shadowglass if you want to.”

“Stranger’s Peak rejected me—”

“There is no rule about taking the test a second time. As I recall, Agnarr himself invited you to return. The final test—Druj said it was for love. Was it about Kalen?”

I nodded, my gaze sweeping, as it often did, to the small, makeshift cairn I had fashioned over Kalen’s grave.