Of Sea and Stone (Secrets of Itlantis) by Kate Avery Ellison Page B
Authors: Kate Avery Ellison
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looking at me, but the instructor called out another round of orders, and his eyes shifted away as he lifted his sword.
I found the blue tile pattern in the floor and kept walking.
The headdress covering the scarf was heavy, but it was necessary to shield my face in case anyone looked too closely. I tugged it around my nose and mouth as citizens passed, laughing and talking among themselves.
Soon, I heard the rush of water and saw the glitter of fountains. A path of glass led between them to a pair of doors, wrapped in ornate filigree.
The school.
I swallowed to ease the dryness in my throat and took a deep breath to fortify myself. Then I walked confidently between the spray of the water and through the doors.
Inside, cool air wafted over me. Music played from some unknown location, soothing tones that contradicted the buzz of excited voices as the students crowded into the halls. Colored glass floors shone beneath our feet, and rounded walls and ceilings arched over us, decorated with ornate murals of fish, seaweed, coral, and what appeared to be underwater ships. I stared a moment, fascinated, until someone bumped into me.
“Excuse me, Lyssia,” a voice murmured, and a girl brushed past.
I drew back, nervousness shooting through me, but she hadn’t looked twice.
Straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin, I stepped farther into the crowd, looking until I found the study room Lyssia had described.
The students sat on cushions in a circle, with the instructor in the center. He was a thin man, dressed in flowing robes striped with violet. He wore a pair of brass spectacles on the end of his nose, and he peered at us through them with a frown.
“Lyssia,” the teacher said.
I jerked my head up in a panic.
“Are you feeling well?”
“I am well,” I said, my heart hammering so hard I was certain everyone around me could hear it. “I apologize. Too much exertion yesterday.”
By exertion I meant six hours of scrubbing floors and tubs, and another four doing laundry.
The teacher paused, his eyes resting on me, and I thought I was going to melt with terror beneath his gaze. Had I been discovered? Would he step forward and snatch off my veil? Declare me an imposter?
If I were discovered, I’d surely be punished. It didn’t matter that I was following my mistress’s instructions, I knew that much. She’d be punished, and I’d be punished worse.
The silence in the room hummed loud as the churning of ocean waves. My fingers curled into fists as I waited for his shout of denunciation.
But after another moment, he began to administer the exam.
I sagged, my muscles liquid with relief. Perhaps I would survive this fool’s errand after all.
Footsteps sounded in the hall. The rest of the class and I looked up expectantly, and then my heart turned to stone and sunk to my stomach.
Merelus.
He was looking straight at me.
“Lyssia,” the instructor said, pinning me with his gaze. “Your father needs to speak with you.”
Merelus’s mouth pressed into a thin line at the word father . He said nothing. A roaring filled my ears as the entire class turned to look at me. My legs trembled as I stood. Fear spread through me like ice, turning my insides brittle.
“Come,” Merelus said, curving one slender finger in a crook.
I gasped a breath and followed him outside the classroom.
As soon as we were alone, Merelus turned on me and yanked off my headdress and scarf. My feet froze to the ground and my heart thumped.
I was caught.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“YOU?” MERELUS SAID, flustered now. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth tugged down. “I thought—well, never mind, come with me. We’re returning home immediately.” His expression changed into something thoughtful, almost calculating, if Merelus could be calculating. “Come,” he repeated, and wandered for the door.
I followed him without a word as visions of punishment filled my head. We passed the fountains and crossed through the
I found the blue tile pattern in the floor and kept walking.
The headdress covering the scarf was heavy, but it was necessary to shield my face in case anyone looked too closely. I tugged it around my nose and mouth as citizens passed, laughing and talking among themselves.
Soon, I heard the rush of water and saw the glitter of fountains. A path of glass led between them to a pair of doors, wrapped in ornate filigree.
The school.
I swallowed to ease the dryness in my throat and took a deep breath to fortify myself. Then I walked confidently between the spray of the water and through the doors.
Inside, cool air wafted over me. Music played from some unknown location, soothing tones that contradicted the buzz of excited voices as the students crowded into the halls. Colored glass floors shone beneath our feet, and rounded walls and ceilings arched over us, decorated with ornate murals of fish, seaweed, coral, and what appeared to be underwater ships. I stared a moment, fascinated, until someone bumped into me.
“Excuse me, Lyssia,” a voice murmured, and a girl brushed past.
I drew back, nervousness shooting through me, but she hadn’t looked twice.
Straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin, I stepped farther into the crowd, looking until I found the study room Lyssia had described.
The students sat on cushions in a circle, with the instructor in the center. He was a thin man, dressed in flowing robes striped with violet. He wore a pair of brass spectacles on the end of his nose, and he peered at us through them with a frown.
“Lyssia,” the teacher said.
I jerked my head up in a panic.
“Are you feeling well?”
“I am well,” I said, my heart hammering so hard I was certain everyone around me could hear it. “I apologize. Too much exertion yesterday.”
By exertion I meant six hours of scrubbing floors and tubs, and another four doing laundry.
The teacher paused, his eyes resting on me, and I thought I was going to melt with terror beneath his gaze. Had I been discovered? Would he step forward and snatch off my veil? Declare me an imposter?
If I were discovered, I’d surely be punished. It didn’t matter that I was following my mistress’s instructions, I knew that much. She’d be punished, and I’d be punished worse.
The silence in the room hummed loud as the churning of ocean waves. My fingers curled into fists as I waited for his shout of denunciation.
But after another moment, he began to administer the exam.
I sagged, my muscles liquid with relief. Perhaps I would survive this fool’s errand after all.
Footsteps sounded in the hall. The rest of the class and I looked up expectantly, and then my heart turned to stone and sunk to my stomach.
Merelus.
He was looking straight at me.
“Lyssia,” the instructor said, pinning me with his gaze. “Your father needs to speak with you.”
Merelus’s mouth pressed into a thin line at the word father . He said nothing. A roaring filled my ears as the entire class turned to look at me. My legs trembled as I stood. Fear spread through me like ice, turning my insides brittle.
“Come,” Merelus said, curving one slender finger in a crook.
I gasped a breath and followed him outside the classroom.
As soon as we were alone, Merelus turned on me and yanked off my headdress and scarf. My feet froze to the ground and my heart thumped.
I was caught.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“YOU?” MERELUS SAID, flustered now. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth tugged down. “I thought—well, never mind, come with me. We’re returning home immediately.” His expression changed into something thoughtful, almost calculating, if Merelus could be calculating. “Come,” he repeated, and wandered for the door.
I followed him without a word as visions of punishment filled my head. We passed the fountains and crossed through the
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