Lilette hesitated before reaching out her hand. Nassa dropped the seed into her palm. She opened a little bag, spilled black soil across Lilette’s palm, and drizzled it with a bit of water.
The water seeped through the soil, pooling in her palm. Something within her seemed to wake, stirring to the sounds of the wind and water. She sang softly.
Take in light,
Take in air.
Spread thy roots,
Thy leaves grow fair.
A shoot of green poked through the soil. Roots spread across Lilette’s palm, soaking up the water. Two leaves appeared, and a flower grew between them.
Nassa gaped at the plant. “You only sang once!”
Enthralled with the power coursing through her, Lilette didn’t immediately register the shock in Nassa’s voice. But at the wary look on the older woman’s face, the thrill seeped away like water through rocks.
“Sing it into seed. We’ll need the pesnit if someone develops a fever.”
Lilette sang again and the pretty flower aged, the leaves going a darker, older green before turning brown around the edges. She sang again and the flower curled up like a dead spider. A shriveled petal drifted down to the dirt on her palm.
Nassa caught the falling seeds in her hand and let out a breath. “Well, that’s a more normal reaction. It usually takes three songs to achieve results—it’s why we have guardians. We are powerful, but we’re not fast. We balance each other.” She held open a small leather bag. “Put the soil back. We can reuse it.”
Lilette scraped the soil into the bag and brushed her hands together to dust off the remnants. Nassa tightened the drawstrings. “Well then, I’d estimate you between a level six and seven—very strong, and you’ll certainly be a solid seven by the time we finish your voice lessons.”
They practiced singing for hours, long after Jolin had returned and disappeared below decks, until Lilette could no longer hit the high notes and her throat felt tight and dry. After announcing that the lesson was over, Nassa studied Lilette with a calculating gleam in her eyes. “We’ll have to start you as a witchling, but you’ll advance quickly to an apprentice. Practice your scales every morning. I’ll join you after the midday meal and we’ll work some more on your pitch, power, and delivery.” She didn’t give Lilette time to ask questions. She simply stood, brushed off the back of her dress, and walked away.
Lilette’s skin was beginning to burn in the relentless sun. She reluctantly moved down to the stuffy hold, where she spotted Jolin separating hundreds of seeds into squares of cloth spread out in front of her. She looked miserable. She didn’t glance up as Lilette dropped down beside her and wrapped her arms around her knees. Lilette wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her arm and asked, “Is it this hot in Grove City?”
Jolin dropped a few more seeds into a piece of cloth. “Keepers control the weather, so it’s pretty much perfect. It rains every night, with a gentle breeze and pleasant sunshine every day.”
“It sounds wonderful.”
When Jolin didn’t respond, Lilette took a deep breath and ventured, “I’m sorry about what Nassa said.”
“She’s a leech. She knows you could easily become one of the most powerful women on Haven, and she’ll use you to further her own plans.”
Lilette watched Jolin painstakingly sort a few seeds the size of a grain of sand. “I don’t like her.”
“Neither do I, but she’s the best at what she does.” Jolin’s voice held more than a touch of bitterness.
“She’s wrong. You’re not a waste.”
“I know,” Jolin said softly. “But it . . .”
“Hurts that others see you that way,” Lilette finished.
Jolin turned away. “It isn’t fair,” she said so quietly Lilette could barely hear her over the sounds of the waves against the hull. “I should be Head of Plants—I deserve it. But without the song, I’m nothing.”
Lilette took her time answering. “If the witches cannot recognize you for the brilliant woman you are—if they’re blinded by power—then they are fools.”
Jolin wiped at her eyes. “It doesn’t help when a woman as beautiful as you has a voice like that, while mine is as plain as my face.” She blanched as if she couldn’t believe she’d been so blunt.
“I’m not perfect, and neither are you,” Lilette replied, barely containing her sudden anger. “Let’s just leave it at that.”
Jolin grunted. “Beauty and power go hand in hand. Just be glad you’re on the powerful end of things.”
Lilette chuckled darkly. “Because being beautiful has made my life better?” She ran her hands through her hair and lifted it off her sweating neck. “People use me—nothing more.”