or become a hedgewitch orââ
âItâs not enough,â the girl said.
Headmistress Hanna raised her eyebrows. She wasnât often interrupted.
âIâm sorry, maâam, but my village had a hedgewitch. She died. Itâs not enough. I want to learn more than how to make charms and chant a few simple commands. I want to learn . . .â As if intimidated by the headmistressâs expression, the girl petered out and ducked her head.
âYou may not be able to,â Hanna said, more gently. âWe all have limits.â
âThen please, I want to find them.â
Hanna nodded. Sheâd intended to talk this girl out of staying. Sheâd watched the test, seen her performance, and while she had shown some intelligence and leadership ability, she hadnât shown much raw power, not like the first girl through the maze,Merecot. That was a girl with power. But it might be nice to have a student with some actual maturity and real-world experience, for a change. The headmistress hoped she wasnât becoming soft. She couldnât afford to let sentiment weaken her decisions. It wasnât fair to the girl, or to Aratay. âIt is your choice, then. You have passed, and you may stay. But if you do, be prepared to work harder than youâve ever worked before. And tell your little sister to be prepared to bury you if you fail.â
The girl bowed. âThank you, maâam.â
âDonât thank me,â Headmistress Hanna said. âThis is not kindness.â
D ALEINA WANTED TO DANCE OUT OF THE HEADMISTRESS â S OFFICE . Sheâd passed! She couldnât wait to see Arin and hear her say, âTold you so!â Running down the stairs two at a time, she blew past the other applicants, who were still waiting for their audience with Headmistress Hanna.
âNew students, this way,â a woman commanded, and Daleina veered in the direction she pointed. She charged through an archway and then halted.
This wasnât outside. It was in.
Below her, above her, and all around her was the academy. It was a circle of trees whose trunks had been fused together into a ring and whose bark had been smoothed and polished to gleam like marble, a hollow tower with rooms within the walls. Spiral stairs ran up the inner ring, edged with ornate vine-coated banisters that looked like lace. On each level, the stairs produced a platform that cut into the air and also recessed into an archway that led into the interior of the tree. Along the stairs were windows as well, all edged with intricate designs. She guessed they were student rooms, or classrooms. High above, the trees stretched to frame a perfect circle of blue sky.
Far below, on the forest floor, was the practice ring. Sheâd heard about this: the famous academy ring. So many heirs had trained here: Heir Malliyn, who was said to have fought three rogue water spirits at once and created the Elder River; Heir Rubina, who became the third queen of Aratay and built the first palace;Heir Saphiral, who founded the first border guards and (according to legend) kept back an avalanche for long enough to save everyone except herself; and of course Her Majesty, Queen Fara. It looked like a manicured garden, with a waterfall that trickled down from a spout in one of the trees, and mossy paths between bloom-covered rocks. A thick grove of seemingly mature trees was in the center. Their leaves were lush summer green, in defiance of the season. If the stories were to be believed, these trees could have been grown in a single afternoon and could be felled by dawn. The practice ring was ever-changing, under the constant manipulation of the students. All her tests would be there, as well as some of her classes. She pictured herself there, wielding her power with ease, like an heir in the tales. . . .
A woman in blue thrust a stack of clothes at her. âClean yourself. Baths are two levels down. Deposit your
âItâs not enough,â the girl said.
Headmistress Hanna raised her eyebrows. She wasnât often interrupted.
âIâm sorry, maâam, but my village had a hedgewitch. She died. Itâs not enough. I want to learn more than how to make charms and chant a few simple commands. I want to learn . . .â As if intimidated by the headmistressâs expression, the girl petered out and ducked her head.
âYou may not be able to,â Hanna said, more gently. âWe all have limits.â
âThen please, I want to find them.â
Hanna nodded. Sheâd intended to talk this girl out of staying. Sheâd watched the test, seen her performance, and while she had shown some intelligence and leadership ability, she hadnât shown much raw power, not like the first girl through the maze,Merecot. That was a girl with power. But it might be nice to have a student with some actual maturity and real-world experience, for a change. The headmistress hoped she wasnât becoming soft. She couldnât afford to let sentiment weaken her decisions. It wasnât fair to the girl, or to Aratay. âIt is your choice, then. You have passed, and you may stay. But if you do, be prepared to work harder than youâve ever worked before. And tell your little sister to be prepared to bury you if you fail.â
The girl bowed. âThank you, maâam.â
âDonât thank me,â Headmistress Hanna said. âThis is not kindness.â
D ALEINA WANTED TO DANCE OUT OF THE HEADMISTRESS â S OFFICE . Sheâd passed! She couldnât wait to see Arin and hear her say, âTold you so!â Running down the stairs two at a time, she blew past the other applicants, who were still waiting for their audience with Headmistress Hanna.
âNew students, this way,â a woman commanded, and Daleina veered in the direction she pointed. She charged through an archway and then halted.
This wasnât outside. It was in.
Below her, above her, and all around her was the academy. It was a circle of trees whose trunks had been fused together into a ring and whose bark had been smoothed and polished to gleam like marble, a hollow tower with rooms within the walls. Spiral stairs ran up the inner ring, edged with ornate vine-coated banisters that looked like lace. On each level, the stairs produced a platform that cut into the air and also recessed into an archway that led into the interior of the tree. Along the stairs were windows as well, all edged with intricate designs. She guessed they were student rooms, or classrooms. High above, the trees stretched to frame a perfect circle of blue sky.
Far below, on the forest floor, was the practice ring. Sheâd heard about this: the famous academy ring. So many heirs had trained here: Heir Malliyn, who was said to have fought three rogue water spirits at once and created the Elder River; Heir Rubina, who became the third queen of Aratay and built the first palace;Heir Saphiral, who founded the first border guards and (according to legend) kept back an avalanche for long enough to save everyone except herself; and of course Her Majesty, Queen Fara. It looked like a manicured garden, with a waterfall that trickled down from a spout in one of the trees, and mossy paths between bloom-covered rocks. A thick grove of seemingly mature trees was in the center. Their leaves were lush summer green, in defiance of the season. If the stories were to be believed, these trees could have been grown in a single afternoon and could be felled by dawn. The practice ring was ever-changing, under the constant manipulation of the students. All her tests would be there, as well as some of her classes. She pictured herself there, wielding her power with ease, like an heir in the tales. . . .
A woman in blue thrust a stack of clothes at her. âClean yourself. Baths are two levels down. Deposit your
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