kind found beneath pavers in the street. It wasn’t the most elegant thing to train with—and when given the choice, Kell would go for rocks over dirt—but it was abundant. Kell watched as Hastra scooped up a palmful of earth, and made a small indent with his finger before dropping in the seed. He then dipped his other hand into the bowl of water, and pressed it down over the dirt, packing the seed and soil between his palms into a ball. Hastra closed his eyes, and his lips began to move. Kell felt a subtle warmth in the air between them, a sensation he knew well from his time with Tieren.
And then, still murmuring, Hastra began to slowly open his hands, the mound of damp earth cupped like an egg between them.
Kell watched, transfixed, as a pale green stem crept up through the moistened earth. The stem grew an inch, then two, twisting up into the air. Leaves began to unfurl, their surface a dark purple, before a white spherical bloom emerged.
Hastra trailed off, looking pleased.
“What is it?” asked Kell.
“Acina,” said the guard. “Its leaves are good for pain.”
“That’s amazing.”
The young guard shrugged. “My mum and dad were not happy when I chose to be a guard instead.”
“I can imagine.” Kell wanted to tell Hastra that he was wasted here. That his talent was far too precious to be thrown away in favor of a sword and some armor. But then, if a person’s value alone should determine their place, what argument did Kell have for wanting more?
“But that’s just because they don’t know,” continued Hastra sunnily. “They probably think I’m doing street patrol in the sha. They’ll be proud, when they hear I’m guarding you, sir. Besides, I made a deal with my father,” he added. “I’ll join the sanctuary, eventually. But I’ve wanted to be a royal guard as long as I can remember. I knew I wouldn’t be happy, not until I tried. Can’t think of a worse thing, than wondering what would have been. So I thought, why not have both? The sanctuary will still have me, when I’m good and ready.”
“And if you die before then?”
Hastra’s cheery mood didn’t dampen. “Then someone else will get my gift. And hopefully they’ll be less stubborn. That’s what my mother says.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “I tend the courtyards, though, when no one’s looking.”
Kell smiled. The palace grounds had looked suspiciously lush, for this time of year. Hastra straightened, his gaze flicking to the stairs. “We should go—”
“We still have time,” Kell assured him, getting to his feet.
“How do you know?” asked Hastra. “We can’t hear the bells down here, and there are no windows to gauge the light.”
“Magic,” said Kell, and then, when Hastra’s eyes widened, he gestured to the hourglass sitting on the table with his other tools. “And that.”
There was still sand in the glass, and Kell wasn’t ready to face the world above just yet. “Let’s go again.”
Hastra took up his position. “Yes, sir.”
“Call me Kamerov,” said Kell, slipping the helmet back over his head.
IV
Sessa Av!
The words ran across the tops of the scrying boards throughout London.
Two days!
The city was counting down.
Two days until the Essen Tasch!
Two days, and Lila Bard had a problem.
She’d hoped there’d be an obvious chink in the system, a way to threaten or bribe her way onto the tournament roster, or snag a wild card spot, but apparently the champions had all been chosen weeks ago. There were twelve names on that list, and two alternates, which meant if Lila Bard wanted a chance to play—and she did—she was going to have to steal a name.
Lila had nicked plenty of things in her time, but an identity wasn’t one of them. Sure, she’d taken up pseudonyms, played a variety of made-up parts, but she’d never impersonated anyone real.
And of course, she couldn’t simply impersonate them. She’d have to replace them.
Not worth it, warned a voice in her head, that pesky, pragmatic one that sounded too much like Kell. Maybe it was madness. Maybe she should just take her place in the stands and cheer for her captain, earn a few extra coins in the betting pools. It wouldn’t be an unpleasant way to spend the week. And after all, what place did she have in the ring? She’d only been practicing a few months.
But.
There was that one word, lodged in her skin like a splinter.
But.
But she was restless.
But she wanted a thrill.
But it would be a challenge.
And when