Page 135 of Insolence
Our charges groan in protest.
At last, the Observatory’s domed roof comes into view at the top of the steep trail. Once inside, the girls exclaim over the impressive brass telescope. The instrument is nearly two floors tall. It was prepped ahead of our arrival.
Tonight it points downriver instead of at the stars.
Maida explains how to adjust the focus before surveying the room. “Well? Who’s first?”
Cordelia steps onto the raised platform. Presses one eye to the viewing lens and says, breathless, “Oh! I wasn’t expecting that!” Bright yellow excitement halos the dark coils piled atop her head.
Maida grins. “And what do you see, pray tell?”
“Are those lanterns? On the river?”
“It’s a First Night tradition in this part of the realm,” I say, guessing she’s not from around here. That, or this small pocket of common knowledge was too entangled with what got erased for whatever reason.
“That’s not all, is it?” Maida prompts.
“No,” Cordelia chuckles.
Tiss looks on, the red and black humming in her aura belying the curiosity on her face. Sadrie’s browsing the tall cubby unit crammed full of star charts. Ghisele leans against a bookcase and waits, swaying between boredom and impatience—and I don’t need her aura to read that on her.
“It’s almost as if…” Still peering through the lens, Cordelia searches for words. “It’s as if I’m transported there myself. Standing right on the water. I could nearly reach out and touch the lanterns.” Beaming, she peeks over her shoulder. “It’s incredible.”
Maida gives a girlish laugh, clasping her hands beneath her chin. Ghisele rolls her eyes.
“May I see?” Tiss steps onto the platform. She waits for Cordelia to cede the instrument, then gasps when she peers through the viewing lens. Her aura flashes a brief yellow-green from the hazy mix of anger and fear that’s been clinging to her since around midnight. “I feel like I’m standing right on the water.”
“Can I see?” Sadrie puts her eye to the instrument once Tiss steps aside. A delighted squeal follows. “Goddess, it’s like I’mright there. How does it work?”
“Go on.” I glance at Maida. “ I know you’re dying to tell them.”
“Alchemical enhancement.” She strolls to the telescope. “I was curious if I could Alter the beastly thing and turn it into an illusion projection tool. Mind you, this was nearly half adecade ago. I had Kael fashion these out of Signet Silver.” She trails her hands over the filigree embellishments wrapping the instrument’s lower half. “While the prioress is responsible for making your tokens, she did train me in enough Alchemy to project simple illusions. I did it right over there.” Beaming, Maida motions to her small alchemy table tucked in its alcove on the near wall. I’m leaning against the heavy desk that sits across from it.
Sadrie and Cordelia make appreciative noises. Tiss presses her eye to the lens once more, humming in awe.
“I’m nowhere near Mother Deirdre’s proficiency, but combined with your tokens, it accomplishes what I set out to do.”
“If we remove our tokens,” Cordelia asks, “will it operate as a normal telescope?”
“It will!” Maida swells with an endearing sort of pride. “Although it’s spectacular to experience the illusion when studying the stars, if I do say so myself.”
“This is your favorite part of First Night, isn’t it?” I smile at her.
“Of course it is, Elodie,” she huffs as if I’m daft to have asked. But she’s glowing anyway.
“Wowee,” Ghisele mutters. She heard this all last year, of course.
“Articulate as always,” I say to her.
My apprentice swings her head toward Maida. “I suppose you needed to fill your timesomehow, being stuck on this mountain for so long.” She shifts her acerbic gaze to me. “Isthatmore to your liking?”
“What’s the matter, Ghisele?” Tiss glowers, stepping off the platform. “Can’t bear not being the center of attention for once?”
Hand around her bracelet, Cordelia scans the air around both girls’ heads while Sadrie gives a low whistle.
“I could say the same to you,” Ghisele snaps, her own aura flaring red. “Nobody enjoys a teacher’s pet—aside from the teacher.”
“Ghisele, that’s enough,” Maida says.
