Page 75 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

I nod along to whatever Mariel is telling me, while my thoughts are on tonight. Sloan’s parents will be out at a premiere, giving us the time to catch up without being interrupted. I just hope nothing has changed since I haven’t heard from Sloan, just like we agreed.

Mariel stops, and I look at her, confused as to why we stopped just outside the refectory. She looks at me expectantly.

Did she ask me something?

“Uhm…could you repeat that?” I ask her.

“I asked you if you’d like that idea?”

What idea?I blink.Damn, I haven’t heard a thing she said.

“Uhm…sure?” It seems to be the right answer because she grins and skips through the door in front of me. I shrug and follow.

Chapter

Twenty-One

ARA

Sloan saidshe would meet me in the parlor, overviewing the gardens. Climbing the walls surrounding Sloan’s house is a breeze, and since it’s winter, the garden lies dark and deserted before me, surrounding a picturesque two-story villa, its weathered stone walls adorned with creeping ivy and bathed in the warm glow of windows and lanterns. The villa has a terracotta roof and arched balconies with wrought-iron railings.

I crouch behind the fountain in the center of the garden—its statue depicting Ura, the goddess of sea and trade—and watch the house for movement.

The scent of blooming winter jasmine drifts over from the pergola, the only sounds are distant crickets, the burbling of the fountain, and muted voices on the other side of the wall.

Sloan sits in front of the fireplace, stitching what looks like a border of little flowers onto a pillowcase. I never had the patience for that kind of work, and my mother gave up tryingafter I declared I wanted a sword for my ninth birthday. So if my future husband hopes for something like that, he will be sorely disappointed. Sloan’s movements look precise and elegant, not once stopping to undo a stitch she made.

I knock softly on the windowpane. Sloan looks up, a relieved smile splitting her face before she jumps up to let me in. She hugs me as soon as she closes the door behind me.

“Thank gods you are alive and well.” She pushes me back. “You’re alright, aren’t you?” Her gaze wanders over me like she’d be able to see anything through the layer of clothes. “You really look like a boy.” She crinkles her nose. “We can’t let them see you. You would cause all kinds of gossip meeting me like that.”

“What? Don’t you feel like having a secret affair with me?” I wiggle my eyebrows. She swats at me, laughing.

“Stop it,” she admonishes. “I would never hear the end of it. Let’s go up to my room, and you can change into one of your dresses. I hid them all in my closet.”

“Ooh, you’re living dangerously, taking me up to your room.” I chuckle.

She shushes me and checks the hallway before ushering me up the stairs. We are giggling like little girls by the time we shut the door to her room behind us.

Nelly, Sloan’s maid, nearly caught us on the way up.

Sloan collapses on her bed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Nelly’s face,” she gasps. “She totally thinks I lost it.”

“I nearly pissed my pants when she tried to sound all nonchalant about you enjoying theview,” I giggle and flop down next to her. I give my cousin’s hand an affectionate squeeze. “I’m so glad I came over. I needed that!”

“Are you not having fun at the academy?” Sloan turns her head to look at me, one eyebrow raised.

“I am, but it’s much more…serious, I guess.” I look at her and shrug.

“Really?” Sloan widens her eyes comically. “And here I thought dying was fun.”

“Smart-ass,” I mutter, which makes her giggle again.

Twenty minutes later, Sloan is up to date with what happened in my life, with a few adaptations. I left out everything about me being hurt, the punishment, and also Tate. I don’t want to worry her, and maybe I don’t want to be grilled either.

My letters are safely stashed in Sloan’s desk drawer and I stare at my reflection after changing into one of my dresses. I look both familiar and different.

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