Huntress by Malinda Lo Page B

“Did you grow up there, then? What was it like?”
    Shae pulled a leather-bound flask from her knapsack and sat down on the dusty wooden floor, cross-legged. “It was a good childhood,” she answered, taking a swig from the flask and offering it to Kaede. “You’re not too young for this, are you?”
    Out of the corner of her eye, Taisin saw Kaede sit down, leaning her back against the cold wall. “Do you think I’m too young?” Kaede said.
    “One never knows. Would you like some?”
    “Not for me. At the Academy, we don’t indulge.”
    “You’re not at the Academy anymore.”
    “True,” Kaede agreed, but she did not take it.
    “Taisin,” Shae called. “None for you, either, I imagine?”
    “No, thank you,” Taisin answered, feeling uncomfortable. She didn’t know what to make of Shae. They had said very little to each other all day, and they didn’t seem to have much in common. But she could tell that Kaede liked her, and that made Taisin feel oddly jealous of the guard. Annoyed at herself, Taisin pulled out the Book of Rituals from her knapsack, telling herself that she should review it. She climbed onto the bed and opened the book in her lap, squinting at the page in the dim light.
    “There are stories about the Great Wood,” Kaede was saying.
    “What have you heard?” Shae asked.
    “I’ve heard that things work differently in the Great Wood. That people get lost, even if they have a map. That magic goes awry there; rituals go bad. That sort of thing.”
    “I’ve heard those things, too.”
    “Are they true?”
    Shae did not answer immediately, and when she did speak, her words were measured. “Every story, I think, has a grain of truth to it. But sometimes, people are misled by what they believe, and they see what they think they should see, not what is actually there.”
    “That could be said of almost anything in life.”
    “That doesn’t mean it’s not true.” Shae paused for a moment. “I’ll tell you this much. The Wood is a special place. It was difficult for me to leave it. Every day I spend away from it, I miss it. For me—for my family—things make more sense when we are at home there beneath the trees.”
    “Then why did you leave?”
    “There was nothing for me to do at home. My family is not rich, and King Cai offers a steady wage to his guards.”
    There was no shame in her voice, only a matter-of-factness that made Taisin wish she could be as easy about her own family background as Shae was about hers. But Shae was a guard in service to the King; it didn’t matter who her parents were. Taisin wanted to be a sage, and few of them were lowborn. Taisin knew she was lucky that the Academy had taken her, for her family could not afford to pay for her education. It was a compliment to her talent, yes, but it was also a reminder that she owed the Academy a great debt.
    “Why did you decide to become a guard?” Kaede said.
    “I like action,” Shae said, a smile in her voice. “I had no talent for the sagehood, and besides, the King makes it easy to join his Guard. When the recruiters came to Jilin two years ago, it seemed like a good thing to do.” Shae shrugged. “I’ve liked it well enough so far, though I didn’t think I’d be away from home for so long.” There was a pause, and Taisin heard Shae putting the flask away, lacing shut her knapsack. “How old are you, then?” the guard asked.
    “I will be eighteen at midsummer,” Kaede replied.
    “You’ll celebrate your birthday at the Fairy Queen’s palace.”
    “I suppose so.”
    Shae yawned. “I’m exhausted. There are many nights ahead of us; we can talk more later. I’m going to sleep.”
    “Would you like me to turn down the lamp?” asked Taisin, blushing when she realized her question showed that she had been listening.
    Shae smiled at her, and it was such a friendly smile that Taisin was ashamed for feeling jealous. “I can sleep in broad daylight,” Shae said, getting up and gathering her