Fran put her food tray next to Mei’s. “Where’s Mags?”
Mei shrugged. “Not with you?”
“You know we don’t take the same classes.” Fran sat down. “I was hoping to talk to her.”
“What about?” Mei moved to let a servant hurriedly place a steaming cup of tea in front of Fran. “You see her every morning.”
“I do, but these just arrived.” Fran pulled out two envelopes, one white, one indigo. She tapped the indigo. “I’ve been asked to join you at the Tower.”
Mei smiled. She needed someone around who talked about something other than magic. “Good.”
“Yes, but…” Fran sighed. “I mean it’s mainly going through records, matching them to receipts, making sure that the Tower’s spending the Throne’s money right, being the Exchequer’s eyes and ears.”
Mei tilted her head. “How? Will you follow me and Dwayne around everywhere?”
“Ha, I hope not.” Fran reached over and squeezed Mei’s hand. “I love you like a sister, and Dwayne isn’t bad, but he spends all his time studying, and you’ve pressed boot leather to practically every cobblestone in the city. I do not have the patience or the strength for either.”
“Not every cobblestone.”
Fran cocked an eyebrow. “Where were you this morning?”
“The south riverbank.”
“Why?” Fran held her other hand up. “No, I know you were looking for your brother, but I’ve no reason to be anywhere near the wall.”
Mei eyed Fran, noticing the wind Qe’s attempt to change the topic. Normally, Maggie would pursue the obvious question, but she wasn’t here so Mei had to ask, “Didn’t you want this?”
“I wanted something like this, but…” Fran squirmed. “I wanted to work at the Exchequer where all the action is. The Tower is just you, Lady Pol, and Dwayne. Put together we could barely fill a rowboat!” She looked down. “I’m being foolish, aren’t I?”
Mei shrugged. “You had what you wanted, and then it was taken away. It’s not foolish to want it back.”
That was a pretty good description of what had happened to Mei, and she didn’t feel foolish.
“But I’m complaining about a perfectly good opportunity because it is only mostly what I want.”
Mei patted Fran on the back. “You and I can talk all the time.”
“Dwayne won’t mind?”
Mei shook her head. “He’ll be in the basement working.”
“Hmm…” Fran picked at her food. “I do want to hang out with you more. And I’ll be working under Lady Pol, almost like her apprentice. Even my mother can’t complain.”
That didn’t sound like real enthusiasm, but Mei would take it. “So you’ll do it?”
Fran straightened in her seat. “Promise me two things.”
“Okay.”
“One, you must let me design you a better uniform. You cannot imagine how much effort I expend on not commenting on this tragedy you wear everyday. And not just you, the whole office.”
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Mei nodded. Easy enough.
“Two, I must not be hurt.”
Mei nodded again.
“I mean it. If I’m hurt, not even the Lightning Bolt of the East could survive my mother’s wrath.”
Mei squeezed Fran’s hand. “You will not be hurt. I promise.”
“Good.” Fran pulled her hand away to pick up her tea. “I only ask because you’ve only been here a month or so, and the two of you have gotten attacked thrice. I only want a tiny bit of excitement, just enough for good stories, not enough for scars. Understand?”
“Understood,” said Mei. “Do you want to run away before or after?”
“Before is preferable.” Fran sipped her tea. “Unless you can arrange for a certain handsome knight to whisk me away?”
Mei’s eyes met Fran’s. “You can choose between me or Dwayne.”
“I choose you.”
“Done.”
“Done.”
They held each other’s gazes until the giggling exploded out of them. After getting herself back under control, Mei asked, “What’s in the other one?”
“Oh, this?” Fran gestured at the white envelope. “Umm… Let’s wait for Magdala, shall we?”
Mei pulled the envelope towards herself. There were three names written on it: hers, Maggie’s and, “Saundra!”
“I know,” said Fran. “I’m dying to know what she wrote.”
“Why? You’ve never met her.”
“I had Mags send a sketch I made of our Harvest Ball outfits. I have to know what she thought of them.” Fran eyed the envelope. “We shouldn’t open it, should we?”
Mei frowned. Obviously, Fran wanted to do exactly that. “I can open-”
“It’s not like it’s a letter from Dwayne, right? I know Mags says they’re just friends, but the way they looked at each last night is not how ‘just friends’ look at each other.”
Mei agreed. However, “I thought this was about Saundra?”
“You’re right. Let’s open it.”
Mei pulled the letter out of reach. “I will. I’ll also read it first.”
“You’re right. That’s sensible.” Fran held herself still. “I mean maybe there’s a secret in there I don’t need to know.”
Mei was more concerned that she’d never see the letter again if Fran got a hold of it. After slicing open the envelope, Mei set herself to the task of deciphering Saundra’s blocky handwriting.
Dear Lady Gallus and Miss Ma,
I have good news: I’m coming to Bradford! I and the others just finished our combat training (I got to learn how to wield a pike!), so now we’re being sent to Bradford to “learn how to hold spoons” or something. I have to admit I ain’t am not looking forward to it, not after what you told me about the Tarpan dinner, but at least I’ll get to see you both.
Oh, more good news: the axes are done! I’m right jealous of Mei’s. It looks it’ll fly out of your hand. Langseth really outdid herself. I did put make a suggestion for yours though, Lady Gallus. I think it’ll fit how you fight. Hope you like it.
Your friend,
Saundra Taylor
P.S. Was that really what you wore to the Ball? I wish I could have seen it.
P.S.A Is the third girl your roommate, Lady Gallus? She’s so elegant! Did she really make your dresses?
It was good that the axes were done, even better Saundra was coming to town. They had a lot to catch up on.
“Well?” asked Fran, who’d watched Mei like a hawk the whole time she’d been reading.
“Here.” Mei handed it over the letter.
After Fran breezed through the letter, possibly more than once, she clutched it to her chest. “She thinks I’m elegant.”
“Yes. She has eyes.”
Fran threw a glare Mei’s way. “Surely, Mag wore a dress down in Walcrest.”
Maggie had not used the word “elegant” to describe her first meeting with Saundra. “Sweaty” and “undone” had been prominent. “Yes, she did.”
“Well, nevermind.” Fran put the letter back into its envelope and, after a longing look, handed it back to Mei. “I’m glad those axes are finally on their way. I swear Mag mutters about them in her sleep.”
“She definitely does.”
Mei looked down at her half empty plate. Fran was going to join the Tower. It wouldn’t be bad to ask. “Fran, do you know where the Magisterium docks are?”
“The docks?” Fran put down her fork. “South Campus. Rosetti Building.”
Mei stared. That name implied the docks were on campus, even though the Brad was prinwirs away. “They’re here? How?”
“We made them. About three queens ago, the Sages got tired of going all the way to the river, so they ordered Earth Qe to cut a canal from there to here.”
“And where do they meet?”
“Just east of Bradford. Why? Wait.” Fran studied Mei. “This is about Huan, isn’t it?”
Mei nodded.
“Okay.” Fran leaned back in her seat. “So you’ll want to get into Rosetti. You can’t, not tonight, not alone.”
“Why not?’
“It’s exam season.”
Mei frowned. “So students study there?”
“No.” A grin grew on Fran’s face. “We party there. If you go there dressed in that tragedy you call a uniform, you’ll get kicked out and never even see who’s guarding Rosetti itself.”
“I can get past them.”
Fran’s eyes glittered. “Or you can just walk in. Tonight’s theme is ‘What you’d never wear’ and I have the perfect costumes for all three of us.”
“Three?”
“I will not allow Magdala to get away with standing us up for lunch.”
Mei leaned in. “There will be danger. I promised.”
“I won’t go into the boathouse.” Fran patted her hand. “Neither of us will. But we can get you past the party. Besides, after last night, you both need a break.”
Mei let out a breath. “Does that mean we’re inviting Dwayne?”
“Cups, no,” said Fran. “He doesn’t have the time. Haven’t you heard? He’s to take the Qe Master’s Examination in a week.”