Page 28 of Grave Situation

“I have brawn,” I mutter. Shit. I didn’t even think about provisions. Maybe she’s the brawnandthe brains. How are we even going to do this? With Leicht along, the sensible option would be to fly to where we’re going, but the stone already said no to that. Am I walking? Do I need to talk to every person I encounter, or will the stone be more specific than that? And if I’m walking, what are Tia and Leicht supposed to do? Circle above me the whole way? Because that won’t attract attention at all.

The impatient hum of the stone in my head is entirely unwelcome. It seems distance isn’t any impediment to its ability to read my thoughts.

Growling, I turn to the door. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Master Samoine is waitingfor us in his chambers. Tia follows me in, then stops dead at the sight of the open box on the desk and the stone within.

“Holy…” Her exhale is long and unsteady. “Part of me was hoping you made it up.”

I close the door. “I wish.”

“Has he told you everything?” Master asks my sister, ignoring me.

“I think so, but you know what he’s like. He always leaves something out.”

“I donot!” Why is everyone against me today?

The stone pulses in my head, reassuring me that it’s on my side. Somehow, I don’t find that particularly comforting.

While Tia and Master Samoine talk, I sit at the desk and begin making the list of healers I know. It’s not too long, but probably longer than it would be for other mages my age. I’ve had a lot of incidents that required healing over my years here. Plus, you never know when you might need a healer on your side, so I’ve gone out of my way to be friendly when I run into them, same as with the guards and the kitchen staff.

The last name I add to the list is Jaimin Kahwyn’s. It’s not likely to be him—when you get down to it, I can only say I “know” him in the loosest possible definition, and he’s too important a healer to be running around on errands. But this isn’t the kind of situation where I can assume I know the answers, so I scribble his name at the bottom anyway, then push the list away.

“Done?” Master asks, and I look up to see him and Tia watching me.

“Yes. Are you done picking apart every word I said?”

“We are,” he answers gravely. “And well done. You actually did tell her everything.”

Sometimes I hate all the people in my life.

“So… what now? How are we doing this? Is Leicht going to fly us all, or?—”

~No~

“Okay, so not that.” I address the stone. “But you do know that Leicht can fly a whole lot faster than I can walk, right?”

~Yes~

“If I had to guess,” Master suggests, “you and the healer, whoever they are, will travel on horseback. Tia and Leicht will be your scout—they’ll be able to see danger coming from a long way off.”

~Yes~

“Horseback?” I. Am. Appalled. “No.”

Tia sighs. “Talon?—”

“No. No. Absolutely not. I became a mage so I would never have to ride a horse, ever.”

Master blinks at me a few times, then turns to Tia. “This is new information. Can he not ride?”

“He can ride. Passably well, even. Enough not to get thrown off, anyway. He just doesn’t like it.”

“Hecan hear you and speak for himself, thank you very much. And I amnotriding a horse for days on end.” I shudder at the very thought. “Or at all.”

“It’s unfortunate that you feel that way, since the stone has decided you will, in fact, be riding a horse. For days on end.” Master Samoine pauses dramatically. “Perhaps even weeks or months.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I accuse. “You sadistic old bastard.”

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