Isaveth, loosening the knots inside. Whatever Mistress Anandri or anyone else thought of her, there was at least one person at the college who still cared. She smiled up at the window, tucked the paper into her pocket, and walked on.
*Â Â *Â Â *
Compared to the drama of that morning, Isavethâs afternoon was almost pleasantâexcept when she discovered that Betinda Callender, the girl whoâd accused her of showing off in Common Magic, also sat behind her in Calculation. She pretended not to notice, but she could feel that hostile stare drilling into her, and when the bell rang she was glad to get away.
In the shadow of the bell tower, with the wind whipping past and little eddies of snow whirling about her boots, it was bitterly cold. Isaveth rubbed her arms and hopped from one foot to the other, wishing Esmond had picked a warmer place to meet. Where was he, anyway?
âPsst!â The voice came from above, like the dart that had summoned her. Startled, Isaveth looked upâand saw him leaning out of the tower window, a lanky blondboy with a glittering lens over his left eye. âIn here,â he said. âQuick!â
Sure enough, the door at the base of the tower was unlocked. Isaveth glanced about to make sure no one was watching, then opened it and slipped in.
It was dim inside, and almost as chilly as the open air. But when Esmond came bounding down the wooden staircase and seized Isavethâs hands in welcome, joy warmed her from head to toe. She hadnât realized, until now, how much sheâd missed him.
âHow did you get in here?â she asked. âYou arenât one of the ringers, are you?â
If heâd really been Quiz she wouldnât have bothered asking; sheâd assume heâd picked the lock or a ringerâs pocket. But she was still learning what this new boy, the Sagelordâs son, would do.
âNo,â said Esmond, his blue eyesâone real, the other glass-framed illusionâwickedly bright. âBut Iâm glad to see you again. May I kiss you now?â
She should have known it was coming; heâd made the same joke in every letter heâd written her, after all. Once sheâd got over being shocked, flabbergasted, then embarrassed as she realized that he must have been teasing her all along, sheâd worked up the courage to fire back.
Sorry, Iâm taking a dogsled to Borealis, sheâd repliedin her first letter, and since then sheâd thought of several more witty comebacks so heâd never catch her unprepared. Not today, Iâve got the Antipodean lip flu. Maybe, if you bring me the moon in a teacup.
It was different hearing him ask her in person, though, and she had to look away as she replied. âNot until youâve grown a beard,â she told him. âA long woolly one, like Father Frost. And you still havenât answered my question.â
âFilched the spare key from the porterâs office.â Esmond started up the staircase, beckoning her to follow. âThought it would be a good place to talk without Eryxâs telltales spotting us.â
Of course Eryx had spies at the college. With her luck, Meggery was one of them, and Isaveth would have to be even more wary of the housekeeper than before. âI saw Eryx this morning,â Isaveth said. âHe was giving a speech in Foundersâ Hall.â
Esmond glanced back at her, surprised. âReally? What about?â
Isaveth told him.
âSo thatâs his plan, is it?â His eyes narrowed angrily, all whimsy gone. âHeâs still trying to punish you for finding out the truth about him. Well, he can talk all he likes about his precious relief scheme, but he isnât Sagelord yet.â
Esmond stalked up onto the landing, and Isaveth climbed after him. The place was far from cozy: just a bare wooden platform stretching the width of the tower, with the bell rope dangling above. But heâd built