Tessellations [BOOK TWO]

Chapter Three

Raven curls and autumn eyes
Springtime laughter, hazy skies

When we finally caught up with Lily and Channing again, I was surprised to find Lily hugging a furry bundle to her chest. The soldiers stood by, amusement clearly written on their faces.

Lily's lips were pressed together; she could barely contain her excitement. "I found a kitten!"

I rushed over, laughing delightedly as the little thing looked at me with its round, curious blue eyes. I touched its ears. "It's so soft," I squeaked, looking at Lily with barely contained adoration. "Where'd you find it?"

"In a gutter! The poor little thing was all alone and shivering..." To the kitten, she murmured, "Imagine, someone abandoning a sweetheart like you! Atrocious!"

The kitten was so tiny! It was white all over, with splashes of silver and grey, like a winter dove. Each little paw was snowy white, as if they'd been dipped in sugar.

"Mittens. Its name is Mittens," said Lily decisively, cuddling the precious thing and looking at Channing with imploring eyes. "Please can we keep it? Please?"

He sighed. "Lily, it might not survive the voyage."

"But it might! I'll take care of it! I promise! Please, please, please?"

It was impossible to refuse such a desperate request. Especially for Channing; he'd never been good at arguing. He moaned, giving up. "Alright, alright, but he's your responsibility." He crossed his arms. "I don't like cats."

Letting out an offended gasp, Lily covered her kitten's ears. "Don't listen to him, Mit-tens. He's just a gwumpy old man."

•

We met back at the inn, gathering our scant belongings and thanking Wynter pro-fusely for his kind protection. It was all happening so quickly. The Gossamer awaited us; she was already trimmed and set to sail.

Jasper buttoned the clasp of my traveling cloak, and I stifled a smile at him as he did. "There," he said, smoothing the silver and scarlet cloth across my shoulders. He touched the blue-jay feather in my hair. "Got everything?"

I nodded. "In my satchel."

He snapped his fingers. The bag vanished, no doubt taking its place on the ship. Gesturing, he opened the door with an invisible rush of wind that stirred my curls. "Shall we?"

We joined the others in the downstairs room, where Caleb was exchanging a last few words with Wynter and Lily, meanwhile, was watching Mittens bounce around the room and making stifled squeaking noises.

"Very well. Thank you, Captain, you've been an outstanding help."

"It's been an honor," Wynter assured him warmly. "I hope someday to meet you all again."

Wynter and his men took their leave. Mittens pounced on Channing's boot, playfully biting it with his little sharp teeth. Channing glanced down at the kitten in alarm.

"Have you all made certain you aren't forgetting anything?" Caleb asked us, giving us that older-brother look that I'd once resented but had now come to love.

"Yes," we replied for the fifth time, even Dessa, who laughed a little.

"Right, then. Let's go home."

The walk to the docks was a bittersweet one. At first all I felt was eagerness to finally return to the North, but then the gravity of the situation reached me. I had no certainty that I'd ever see this place, or the South, again.