Jolin glanced up. “There’s a scroll for you on the table.” She indicated it with a jerk of her head.
In a daze, Lilette went to the table and picked it up. On the thick, textured vellum was an embossed seal of a crescent moon in dark green wax. She broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. She’d been promoted from a witchling to an apprentice. “Did you know what this was?” she asked Jolin.
Her friend didn’t look up. “Since witchlings aren’t allowed to leave Haven unless they’re being kicked out, I imagine you’ve been advanced to an apprentice.”
Lilette glanced at Pescal, who stood just outside their door with his hands clasped behind him, and back to Jolin. “You’re coming with me?”
A grin broke out over Jolin’s face. “I sent a letter to the Heads informing them of my discovery. They’ve requested an immediate audience. I suspect they’ll want to show off my discovery at the chesli harvest.” That explained Jolin’s frantic making of more potion. “They’ll have to make me Head of Plants after this. My skill obviously exceeds Garen’s.”
When Lilette didn’t comment, Jolin made a shooing motion. “Pack your things. We’ll be ready for you to sing for this shortly.”
Lilette stared at the scroll, not really seeing it.
Jolin straightened and her gaze narrowed. “My mother went crazy again, didn’t she?”
Lilette hesitated before meeting Jolin’s gaze.
“Did she start in on the end of the world or how we’re going to save everyone?”
“Both.”
“Well then,” Jolin said, “let’s get off this island before we’re stuck spending the rest of our very short lives with her.”
Lilette wet her lips. “Jolin, I believe her.”
Jolin froze, a book in one hand, a handful of straw in the other. “Sometimes I miss social cues, so I’ll just ask outright—are you being facetious?”
Instead of answering, Lilette moved toward the small room she’d shared with Jolin.
“Of course she was being facetious. Silly of me to think otherwise,” Jolin grumbled to herself.
Lilette’s gaze took in the books crammed on the shelves, the bed they’d brought in for her, even the lump in the middle of the floor that she’d stumbled over numerous times.
She pulled her bag of jewels out from behind the book, took her extra dress down from its peg, and she was packed.
She turned back into the main room in time to see Jolin hissing as she picked up a piece of hot amber. She blew on her fingers. “Oh! Creators’ mercy!”
Lilette couldn’t help but smile.
Jolin glanced around. “Doranna, tell Cori to care for my plants. I’ll need you with me for this.”
Doranna pursed her lips. “What if your mother needs me?”
“She’ll be fine. She always is, despite your fussing.”
Lilette hesitated. “Maybe she should stay.” If they all left, Bethel would be alone.
Jolin rolled her eyes. “Doranna was part of this. She deserves some of the credit.” She gingerly touched the amber. “It’s ready. Sing for it while I finish packing.”
“Must you really take all these books?” Lilette asked.
Jolin shot her a disbelieving look. “When I move into the Head of Earth’s tree, I’ll need my books. Everything will change after this.”
Lilette’s breath caught in her throat. “I hope not. I like things the way they are.” Of course, the exceptions included being separated from her sister and Han.
“Well,” Jolin huffed. “I do not.”
By midafternoon, they stood on the deck of the ship as it took them away from Haven. Lilette caught sight of a single figure standing atop the cliffs, one hand raised in goodbye.
“Jolin.” She nudged her friend, who tore her gaze away from checking the books in the crates to look up.
“Who’s that?”
“Your mother.”
Jolin shielded her eyes with her hands. “Can’t be. Mother never says goodbye.”
A deep foreboding washed over Lilette, with the distinct impression she’d never see these cliffs again.
Before midday, she stood in front of the Heads’ pavilion, watching Jolin and Doranna march ahead of her. “Do you know a man named Han?” Lilette asked Pescal.
He hesitated. “The Harshen prince?”
“Yes. Can you find a way to bring him word that I am here?”
“I’ll see it done.”
She moved to follow the others, but Pescal stepped up beside her and cleared his throat. “Lilette?”
She turned to him. He smiled, and his teeth were straight and white and perfect. “At the celebration tonight, there will be dancing. Might I dance with you?”