Page 66 of The Iron Dagger
Curiosity overtook her, and Hara brushed her fingertips over the surface. They sank into the stone as though it were air, and Hara gasped.
“Isn’t it fascinating? Melietta could feel inside, too,” said Sarai.
The piece was small, and so she could only reach as far as her knuckles, but then liquid met her fingertips. She quickly withdrew her hand and put the stone down.
“It’s called sorbite. It is a rare type of scrying material that also absorbs magic.”
The liquid she felt within the stone must have been a physical manifestation of the spirit world, thought Hara. “What do you mean that it absorbs magic?”
“When Melietta touched it, it became a magnet and turned other materials around it into magnets, even non-metals,” said Sarai. “I suppose when you touch it, it could give others the ability to See and could act as a healing or pain-relieving substance. But the power only stays as long as you make contact with it.”
Sarai carefully placed what looked like the piece of mist back into its drawer.
“I want to perform some experiments with it since my amplifier has only been tested on metals.”
“How does your amplifier work?” asked Hara, genuinely curious. She’d heard about the ability to multiply objects, but she was impressed that Sarai had found a way to do it by non-magical means. A proud and pleased expression came overSarai’s face as she took a round glass flask full of clear liquid from a shelf.
“Here it is,” she said, placing it before Hara. “It took many rounds of distillation, starting with Windsong water. Melietta helped shape its power, so now it can multiply any magnetic metal.” Sarai pulled out a box full of gray lumps the size of cherries. “These all started as dust and shavings.”
“Very impressive,” said Hara, seeing the pride Sarai felt for these lumps of iron and nickel. It seemed odd that Sarai would use water from the Windsong fountain to do her experiments. As far as Hara knew, the water came from the mighty river Morais that flowed through Perule, but was otherwise unremarkable. “You use the fountain water?”
“Yes, we use the fountain water here in the palace because it’s convenient, but the whole city uses the river. It’s distilled and treated to be used for different purposes.”
Hara remembered the man in the courtyard filling the autocars. She wondered if the Ilmarinen had known about the river’s extraordinary properties.
“Would you mind very much if I pulled you away from your Recruiter duties to help me run some tests every now and then?” asked Sarai sheepishly.
“Of course, I would be happy to,” said Hara.
“Oh, thank you. I will be sure to explain to Turnswallow if he complains so you will not have to take his reprimands.”
“Brave of you,” said Hara, and Sarai gave her a sidelong smile.
“Not as brave as you rubbing shoulders with Eleanora Falk. I’ve never seen her consort with a witch before.”
“I saved her son from a near-death experience, so she has deigned to tolerate me. And unfortunately, I think she is trying to play matchmaker.”
Sarai covered her mouth to hide her shocked smile. “Oh no, Hara.”
“Oh, yes,” said Hara, and something about Sarai’s reaction made her remember Lady Eleanora’s scathing remarks. She had a feeling Sarai’s side of the story would be slightly more objective. “What happened to make her despise you so?”
“She tried to do the same thing with me,” said Sarai. “Gideon and I courted for a while. It was more of a flirtation, really, but Eleanora noticed and sank her teeth in. I ticked all of her boxes for a perfect little wife for her precious son.”
It was all falling into place now. Hara tried to ignore the small lick of jealousy. “And you rejected him?”
“No! He never even came close to asking for my hand. I rejected Eleanora because she made a proposal of marriage on his behalf.”
Hara gasped. “She didn’t!”
“She did. I told her flat out that I was not willing to be tied to the Falk name. They are the greediest, most conniving family I have ever known.”
The image of Gideon pressing a knife to the old shopkeeper’s neck as he robbed him bloomed in Hara’s mind. She could not disagree with Sarai.
“So, that is why she hates me. I’m still invited to all the functions, as my rank and family entitles me. Eleanora would never dare tell anyone why we had a falling out—it would be too embarrassing for her.”
“And your feelings for Gideon?” asked Hara, trying not to sound too interested.
“Withered up as soon as I got a taste of Eleanora’s wrath,” she said. “He understood, and we’ve been polite acquaintances ever since.”
