“Am I getting closer?”
Kel didn’t even look up from her book. “Nope.” She licked her thumb and turned a page.
“Okay, what about now?”
With a sigh, Kel hoisted herself up from her reclined position on the plush plum chaise lounge. She stood up on her knees and peered over the ornate iron railing to the maze below. A soft pink light pulsed at one end, and her roommate’s annoyed voice, shouting, “Are you even paying attention?”, was coming from the other.
“You are really, truly, not anywhere close.”
Sparks flew up from her roommate’s location, along with vicious swearing. Kel smirked.
“What am I doing wrong?” The other girl wailed.
“I don’t know. What are you trying to do?”
“Location and teleportation spell combined.”
“Is that even a thing?”
“I’m trying to make it a thing.”
“Right. Why don’t you call it a night.”
A shower of tiny silver stars later and a chubby girl with a very small nose was drooping in front of Kel. She stepped over to the purple bench and flopped dramatically over it – Kel and all.
“I don’t know what’s wrong. The math is right. The theory is sound.”
“Drina - Dri! - you’re crushing me.”
Dri wiggled until they were lying side by side, the two barely leaving any room left on the lounger. “What’re you reading?”
“History of the lost Manavan people.”
Book held above their faces by one of each girls’ hands, the two read the book together.
“Hold on, I’m not done with that page yet.”
“Well then read faster.”
“Good evening, ladies.” The last voice was male.
Kel lifted the book so they could see him. Caithwate, with a damp girl wrapped in knitwear.
“Good evening,” Dri chimed.
“Do you two have any idea what time it is?”
Neither said anything.
“The sun’s going to come up soon.” He fluttered a hand. “But nevermind that. We have a guest in need of a place to sleep, and if I remember right, your room has an unoccupied loft, correct?”
Kel winced. They’d been using the “loft” as a dumping ground for storage and things they didn’t know what else to do with. It was nowhere close to habitable.
“This is Jiarra,” Caithwate continued, gesturing at the unknown girl. “It shouldn’t be a problem, her staying with you two, yes?”
Dri beamed. “Of course she can stay with us!”
------------------
Jiarra felt light. Not with joy or relief, which was how she had thought she would feel once she finally made it to Circle Stone, but emptier, like something had been taken from her. The weight of the artifact had been a comforting promise thudding against her back with every step. She had had a goal, a destination, and absolute faith that she would get there, and get everything she had ever dreamed about in her narrow, creaking bed at home.
But now she was here. The artifact was gone, locked away in a vault with only one key, one that Caithwate kept on a chain around his neck. It was literally and figuratively out of her hands.
And she was a “guest.”
They’re going to throw me out, maybe as early as tonight. She clenched her fists. It would be rude to toss me out without getting some rest and a meal, but after that, they’ll be done with me.
“And that’s the library. They say it’s impossible to read them all in one lifetime, but Kel is trying to do it anyway.”
“Stop telling people that. I don’t know enough languages to get through even half the library.”
I should have insisted on keeping the artifact with me. Maybe I could have paid someone to bind it to me. Then they would have to let me stay.
The halls were dark, with only the occasional lamp lit for safety purposes. Most of rooms were so large, or had such high ceilings, Jiarra couldn’t see the edges of them. It felt a little like wandering around in a shapeless darkness. Dri kept pointing out rooms and landmarks, but Jiarra could barely make half of them out.
“And this is our room!” Dri flung open the door with a flourish.
It was a mess – the kind of mess only teenage girls can make. Clothes and books and blankets and stuffed animals and shoes and papers and pens and knickknacks and clutter on every available surface, with a weedy deer trail leading between the beds and the door.
“Don’t worry, we haven’t lost anyone in there…” Kel stroked an invisible goatee and leered. “Yet.”
“We’ll clean it! We promise!” Dri fluttered around, yanking down clothes and stuffing them in an already-stuffed hamper.
“No we won’t,” Kel whispered to Jiarra.
“It’s fine.” Jiarra picked her way across the clutter. “Where is this loft?”
“No loft for you, my friend.” Kel gestured at a neatly made bed – an oasis in an ocean of filth. “You’re sleeping in my bed tonight.”
Jiarra made polite noises, along the lines of “You don’t have to do that. I’d hate to put you out. I’d be more than happy with the loft.”
“You only say that because you haven’t seen the loft.” Kel stepped to the ladder running up one wall and began to climb, her long thin legs and arms reaching the loft in seconds. “In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the loft. Dri had it stuffed full of her crap before I even got here. Stand back, Ji!”
Ji? Jiarra wrinkled her nose.
“Ji! I like it. Or better – Jiji!”
Oh gods no.
“Dri, calm down. Jiji is taking it way too far. I don’t even think I like Ji. Sounds too much like Dri. Anyway, watch out!”
A heavy canvas bag thudded in front of Jiarra. She jumped back towards the wall as another bag, and another, fell to the ground.
“Be careful!” Dri shouted. “Some of my nice summer dresses are in these!”
“You have too many clothes.” Kel heaved out two more bags and coughed. “Tyera’s ass, it’s disgusting up here. It’s covered in dust, and… I think I see rat droppings.”
“Oh please, we don’t have rats.” Dri rolled her eyes.
“Mice, then!”
“Maybe I should just throw a blanket on these bags and sleep here.” Jiarra patted the canvas. “It’d make a nice nest.”
Kel’s face appeared at the top of the ladder, a wide, lopsided grin crinkling up her eyes. “I think I like you, new girl.”
