“Good point. We’ll just have to be more vigilant.”

I thought I would never get back to sleep after all the excitement, but I did. Leif woke me two hours before dawn.

“It’s been quiet. But stay close to the horses,” he said.

“What if the dogs come back or…” I couldn’t say Tricky’s name out loud.

“Tell Rusalka to cry, and she’ll wake everyone again.”

“Magical attack?”

“Same thing, but if you can’t talk, the horses are sensitive to magic and she’ll let me know. Sandseed horses are very protective. Keep them between you and an attacker and I’ll be there in no time.” Leif yawned.

I checked the enclosure. The horses leaned together, sleeping. Scanning the road and surroundings, I paced. Jittery anxiety pulsed through my veins. I didn’t like feeling as if danger stalked me. Nothing I could do about it, which added to my conviction of not being in control. My hands twitched for a punty iron with a slug of molten glass on the end—a formidable weapon.

Instead, I pulled my sais. Flicking the blades out and in, I practiced offensive strikes and defensive moves. The activity warmed me and I removed my cloak. Before I knew it, the dark sky paled, announcing dawn’s imminent arrival.

I fed the horses a bucket of grain and checked their water buckets. Satisfied all was well, I slipped through the gate and fumbled with the latch, muttering under my breath over the complex catch.

Without warning, an arm snaked around my neck. “Cry!” I yelled as the arm locked tight, pressing against my windpipe.

17

RUSALKA’S LOUD SQUEAL pierced the air. The pressure on my neck eased a bit. I shifted my h*ps to the left and rammed my right elbow into the man holding me. Then I stomped on his foot. He yelped and released me. I spun and stopped.

“Ulrick! What are you doing here?”

He rubbed his stomach, glaring. “Changed my mind.” He huffed. “Thought you might—hey!”

The tip of Leif’s sword jabbed Ulrick’s arm. “Step away from her,” he ordered. Although he was shorter than Ulrick by a good foot, Leif’s fierce countenance and powerful build made an impression. Ulrick hurried to comply.

I waved Leif off. “It’s okay. I know him.” Rounding on Ulrick, I demanded, “Why did you attack me?”

“To prove a point.”

I waited.

“You were out here all by yourself. An easy target…or so I thought.” He looked behind me. The others had come outside. Woken by Rusalka’s warning, they clutched stones. “Still, if I had a dagger, I could have stabbed you before you said a word.”

“Do the horses know him?” Leif asked.

Quartz did; Ulrick had been at the stables with me many times. “Yes. Why?”

“He wouldn’t have gotten close to you if he was a stranger. The horses would have warned you.” Leif studied Ulrick. “Didn’t think I could protect Opal?”

“I didn’t know who was with her. I just thought one more person couldn’t hurt and I wanted to help with ordering the kiln.”

I introduced him to Leif.

Ulrick’s surprise turned contemplative. “The Soulfinder’s brother?”

Leif huffed in annoyance. “Yep, that’s me—The Soulfinder’s Brother. Opal forgot to use my new name. I’m sure if he knew I was The Soulfinder’s Brother, he wouldn’t have worried about you. After all, Leif Zaltana isn’t anybody of consequence.” He kept muttering as he returned to the shelter to make breakfast.

“Is he truly angry at me, or just being sarcastic?” Ulrick asked.

“Probably both.”

“Great.”

“He’ll get over it. It’s hard having a famous sibling, and being judged by others based on that relationship. I grew up being Mara’s Younger Sister. No one knew my name. In fact, when we met in your mother’s factory—”

Ulrick groaned. “I immediately associated you with Mara. I’m sorry. I should know better—my mother and sister are famous. No matter what the rest of my siblings and I crafted with glass, it was always compared with our mother’s. I’ll apologize to Leif.”

“Good idea. Now what about your promise never to return to Booruby?”

“I’m still not visiting my family, but I wanted to help. There’s nothing more to do and Aydan is quite content with his new assistant.”

I looked around. “How did you get here? Do you have a horse?”

He ducked his head, and stuttered with guilt and chagrin. “I…uh…borrowed a horse from the Keep’s stables.”

“Borrowed?”

“He was one of the extras who hadn’t been claimed by a student. I left a note for Stable Master.”

“A note!”

“It was late; I didn’t want to wake him.” The excuse was weak.

I laughed. “Didn’t want to face him is more like it.”

“That, too.”

“So where is he?”

“I tied him to a bush over that rise.” Ulrick pointed down the road. “I figured you stopped here, but I wanted to check your defenses before bringing him here. I’d better go get him.”

When Ulrick led the horse over the rise, I almost fainted. The all-black stallion had an unmistakable white moon on his forehead—Moonlight.

“There’s a reason no one claimed Moonlight,” I said, as Ulrick removed the saddle.