Page 75 of A Sky of Emerald Stars

“You spoke of lesser and greater magics,” I said, turning from Maez and ignoring her smug expression. “Can your magic unlock any door like you did in the cell?”

“Ooh, that’s a good question.” Maez went to prop her elbowson the table but missed one and nearly smacked herself in the face. I moved her glass away from her.

“Only doors locked by our magic can be unlocked by them,” Navin said. “But we can sing people to sleep and then nick the keys off of them, if that helps?”

Memories of Ora and Navin singing as we fell asleep in the wagon played over in my mind. I’d never slept as soundly nor fallen asleep as quickly as I had on Galen den’ Mora. I’d thought maybe it was the rocking motion, but now it was clear it was their songs.

“And what if there’s ten armed guards and not one?” I asked.

He stared at the ceiling, weighing the question before answering, “I don’t know about ten. The greater the number of people, the harder it is.”

“How many of you are strong enough to conjure monsters?” Maez asked.

Navin shook his head again. “The greater magics are forb—”

“I know, I know, conjuring monsters comes at a great cost,” she said in a mocking tone. “Butit could be powerful for us, too.”

“Sawyn wasn’t powerful for us. She was powerful against us,” Navin said darkly.

“But what if the songs that control your monsters could control sorcerers, too?” Maez countered. “Has anyone ever tried?”

“It’s not exactly something they could experiment on, Maez,” I said. “It’s an interesting theory though—controlling sorcerers, now maybethatcould win a war.”

“These ideas could get a lot of people hurt,” Navin cut in.

“Or it could save them,” I replied. “If King Nero discovers that Ora is more than just a meaningful person to Calla,” I said. “If he learns that Ora possesses this knowledge, there’d be mountains of bodies...”

The three of us collectively shuddered.

Maez grabbed all the bowls and stacked them. “Sowhyare we still going to Rikesh?”

“Because we are pretending to offer me to Tadei to steal the Onyx Wolves’ treasure,” I said.

Maez’s tongue licked her back molar, confused.“Because...”Her eyes narrowed at me as she took a sip of the water I’d swapped for her drink.

I looked at Navin. “Because Navin promised his husband.”

Water flew across the table, a giant spray of it coating the wood. “Hishusband?” Maez shouted and Navin pinched the bridge of his nose.

Maez moved to stand, and I grabbed her by the shoulder and roughly shoved her back into her chair. “Defend my honor another day,” I snarled.

“You lying piece of shit,” Maez snapped. “Was nothing you told us real?”

“Maez!” I shouted. She glared at me. “Do you think I didn’t already go over all this?”

“ButIdidn’t,” she snapped.

“Three things I’ve told you were true,” Navin said, answering her questions. “I am a musician. I travel the continent in Galen den’ Mora.” His warm eyes landed on me. “And I’m in love with your best friend.”

Now was my turn to nearly spit my drink all over the table. I shoved my teacup away and rocked back in my chair, staring at him wide-eyed. “Whendid you tell her this?”

“In Taigos,” Maez answered for him. “When you were sleeping.”

My mouth fell open as I twisted back and forth between the two of them. “Maez knew before I did?” Without looking, I shifted my drink farther away as Maez grabbed for my cup.

She rolled her eyes, making her whole drunken body wobble, before she twirled an accusatory finger a little too close to my face. “Can we please circle back to how your human ismarried?”

I slapped her hand away. “Can we please circle back to how you didn’t tell me he told you helovedme?”

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