Creatures of Charm and Hunger (The Diabolist's Library #1) - Molly Tanzer Page 0,15

might want to experience a bit of it. We did at their age—and they’ve been cooped up here for years now.”

“Cooped up! They’re not chickens.”

“No, but you’re being a goose! There’s no harm in them thinking about what they want to do with their lives.”

“Yes, but—”

“I’d like to do an internship. Abroad.” Jane interrupted her elders—rude, yes, but she couldn’t bear their sniping at one another a moment longer. Usually something like this happened once or twice during Edith’s visits, but Jane really didn’t want to be the cause of a fight—not after everything that had already happened.

“See?” said Edith, but Jane cringed at the triumphant tone in her aunt’s voice.

“Well!” said Nancy. Her mother was very obviously offended, so it didn’t quite ring true when she said, “That’s fine. Where would you like to go?”

Jane didn’t know what to say, given the uncertain results of her Test, and how upset her mother was about this turn the conversation had taken.

“Go on, Jane,” said Edith. “What were you thinking?”

“I’d like to travel,” said Jane, almost whispering it. “I want to study more, but I also want to see big cities and ancient ruins and other countries. What’s left of them, at least.”

“Oh, Jane!” cried Edith. “I know the reports from the front have been terrible—and it’s true, the devastation is heartbreaking. The world will never be the same. But there’s still so much out there!”

“A big city. Very ambitious.” Nancy’s mouth was an inscrutable line. “Those internships are always highly competitive. It can be difficult to get exactly the one you want unless you’ve really impressed the Société with your work.”

Under ordinary circumstances, it would have been hard to swallow Nancy’s words, her tone, and her apparent belief that Jane might fail to sufficiently impress the Société. But coming on the heels of Jane failing her Test, it was almost too much to be endured. Jane felt her face go red, in spite of her best efforts to keep it and herself under control.

“There are always plenty of opportunities for those who want them.” Edith had noticed Jane’s distress but was pretending not to.

Nancy hadn’t noticed or didn’t care. “Yes, but included in that ‘plenty’ are internships in some rural town, even if it is a town in another country.”

“While all that’s true, I’m certain you will excel in your studies and be able to have your pick of opportunities when the time comes, Jane,” said Edith.

At the crispness in her sister’s tone, Nancy finally glanced up at Edith and then her own daughter.

“I’ve always believed my daughter is capable of achieving anything she wants,” she said. Jane knew that was Nancy’s way of apologizing, but what Jane felt wasn’t relief. It was something she couldn’t quite name: part anger, part self-loathing, part resentment.

“What have you to say about all this, Miriam?” asked Nancy, changing the subject.

Miriam stared at the dregs of her tea for a moment. When she looked up, Jane was horrified to see her friend’s eyes were red and her lower lip was trembling. Jane realized in that horrible moment that she hadn’t just upset her mother by speaking her mind, she’d upset her friend, too.

She’d ruined their evening by trying to save it.

Jane’s earlier warm feelings for Miriam went cold. It hadn’t been her intention to hurt anyone. In her haste to stop what had seemed like an impending row between sisters, she’d caused other, worse problems. She’d been trying to help—and just like her Test, she’d failed.

“I . . . I . . .” Miriam had gotten sufficient control of herself to speak, but she seemed nervous for some reason. Jane was beyond caring, though she maintained an expression of polite interest.

“Go on,” said Nancy, in a more kindly manner than she’d spoken to Jane.

“I don’t have expectations,” said Miriam, so softly they all leaned in to hear, “but if . . . if there was an internship here . . . I really love the Library—the books, I mean, and the Library itself, too. I wouldn’t mind learning more about it, not that I’m after your job, I mean, I just—”

“Miriam, first things first, there will always be a place for you here, as long as you want it,” said Nancy. “This is your home! How could you think otherwise, after all this time?”

“Yes, but internships have to be approved by the Société,” said Edith, as she inspected her apple for any bits of flesh still clinging to the core. “You know Markus’s apprentice