Maria Snyder - Sea Glass

I peered through a slit in my eyelids. My entire family sat or stood around the room. They talked. They argued. My mother interrogated Kade. By the poor guy’s panicked expression, I knew her questions had to be of a personal nature. Mara whispered to Leif. Ahir and my father discussed glass.

No Zitora or Janco. I hoped their absence was due to anything other than death. I closed my eyes, letting the voices flow over me. Though pleased to be alive, I had no energy for the inevitable questions. In my mind, I calculated how many travel days my parents needed to arrive in Hubal, assuming I remained in the town. Nine days on horseback at the minimum, and Kade would need ten.

Too tired to muster any energy to be concerned over the length of my sleep, I dozed. The next time the voices interrupted, I remained awake long enough to tally a list of woes. My muscles ached and my head throbbed.

Later Kade’s voice roused me enough to open my eyes all the way. He sat on the edge of my bed, holding my hand. His other fingers stroked my cheek. Deep lines of concern creased his haggard face. “…eat or you’ll wither away.”

My heavy eyelids drifted shut.

“Come on, Opal,” he pleaded. “Don’t leave me.”

I struggled to meet his gaze. I’d caused so much trouble. “Zitora?”

“She’s fine,” he rushed to assure me.

“Janco?”

“A pain in the ass, but otherwise fine.”

“Did I…die?”

“No. Just utter and complete exhaustion. But you will if you don’t start eating solid food. Yelena can’t sustain you forever.”

“Yelena?”

“She came as soon as she heard the news.”

She shouldn’t be here. She had more important things to do. “What happened—”

“I’m not telling you any more unless you eat.” Kade reached for a bowl on the table next to my bed. “Your mother’s soup.” He waved the spoon under my nose. “It’s your favorite.”

“You’re mean.” But I let him feed me because I was unable to move my arms. The simple act of swallowing exhausted me. I would have to ask my questions the next time I woke.

Each time I opened my eyes, Kade fed me and answered a few questions. I only “roused” for Kade because I didn’t have the strength to deal with anyone else.

“You were unconscious for twelve days. You’re in a room at the Dolomite Inn. The owner has given us all rooms and the use of the kitchen while we’re here,” Kade explained for a full bowl of soup.

“Once she recovered from her injuries, Zitora contacted the Council. After Yelena helped you, she switched both Devlen and Ulrick and Tama and Akako back to their rightful bodies,” Kade said for a bowl of creamy chowder.

“Ulrick, Tricky and the others have been arrested. Janco tracked down Aubin. The Council will decide their fate,” Kade offered for soup and a slice of bread.

“The Council is awarding you a commendation for your help in exposing Akako’s illicit deeds and the blood magic,” he said for soup and apple butter smeared on toast.

“The Council has voted to let you keep all the diamonds. You won’t have to worry about money anymore. You can languish on a beach and surf for the rest of your life,” he said for half a bowl of beef stew.

A full serving of stew netted me permission to stand up and move around. Finally ready to face them, I asked about the rest of my family.

“Your mother—”

“I’m sure she isn’t being very patient.”

He tried to keep his expression neutral. “I have to update her on your progress hourly. And she isn’t…happy with me at the moment.”

“Why?”

“Actually, she’s annoyed at Mara and Leif, too. All because we let you run off to Fulgor.”

At that time, no one would have stopped me. “But you didn’t—”

“Oh, and by the way,” Kade added as if just remembering, “we have to spend half of my next off-season with your parents and half with mine.”

I gave him a pained look.

“Not my fault. I had to promise my mother I’d be back when I left to join you in Fulgor. Imagine my surprise when you weren’t there.”

“Sorry. You should have sent me a message.”

“And be told to stay away?”

A valid point. And I didn’t have to be told why my mother wished me home.

A touch on my forehead revived me. Zitora cupped my face in her hands and warmth invaded my body.

“You look much better,” she said. “You should be out of here and causing trouble in no time.” A tired amusement lit her eyes.

“Not anymore. No magic left, so no more trouble.”

She sobered. “True. You can’t access the power source. Your glass magic is gone.” She covered my hand with hers. “Does that upset you?”

“No. I’m relieved. Now I’m just a regular nobody. No longer a problem. No longer a danger. No longer useful to Sitia.”

Zitora squeezed. “I won’t agree to any of those statements. You will never be a ‘regular nobody.’ Your deeds for Sitia have extended beyond the regular and into the extraordinary.”

I opened my mouth, but she shushed me.

“You may speak when I’m done,” she said in a stern voice.

“Yes, sir.” I pressed my lips together.

“Even when the entire Council, all your peers and I didn’t believe you about Devlen, you persisted—an admirable quality. And you will always have people concerned about you. You haven’t seen everyone who has gathered in this small town, waiting for good news.”

“Of course, my family—”

“Hush! I’m not done. Although I didn’t know you were related to two soldiers from Fulgor. They risked a court-martial to be here. Are Nic and Eve distant cousins?” She paused to drive the point home. “I’ll address the ‘no longer a danger’ and ‘not useful’ at the same time. Because you could be both.” Zitora held my gaze, making sure I paid attention. “You could be a danger to all magicians in Sitia and you could be very useful. The question is, will you?”

“Will I what?”

“When you siphoned the magic in the room, you grabbed it all. Yelena hasn’t been healing you.”

I sat up horrified. “I stole your magic too!” Kill me now!

“No. Not at all. You didn’t touch me,” she hurried to assure me.

I collapsed on my pillows with relief.

“Sorry. I’m trying to tell you gently and not doing a good job of it.”

I gasped dramatically. “You mean you aren’t perfect!”

“Far from it.” She sat on the chair by my bed and stared at her hands. “You’re not the only one who makes mistakes.” She rubbed her stomach.

We were quiet for a moment.

“Why hasn’t Yelena been healing me?” I asked.

“She can’t. Leif earns the credit with keeping you alive. All those tonics he forced down your throat sustained you.”

“But Kade said—”

“Kade doesn’t know. No one except Leif and Yelena knows. We didn’t want to tell Leif, but he is way too smart for his own good and he guessed.”

At this point I wanted to shake her. “Know what!”

“You’re now immune to magic.”

I blinked. My mouth opened. Questions lodged in my throat. “How…” The word squeaked out. No others followed as I recalled a distant memory and answered my own question.

The last bit of magic I had channeled had been the null shield surrounding Zitora. It had come to me, but I must have collapsed before sending it through the orb.

“But I can’t access magic. I don’t know how to maintain it,” I said.

“According to Yelena, you don’t need to worry about maintaining your immunity. She wouldn’t explain why, but she said it’s a part of you like your soul. No effort required. However…”

I braced myself for horrible news.