Midnight

Higher

"Did you know they have a restricted section in the archives?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Estelle rubbed her eyes. "I had a late night, Kui. I'm not seeing your point­–"

"I thought this order prized knowledge." Kui made a face at his Illuminator uniform. "White robes are scary."

"And? Why shouldn't they have a restricted section in the library?" Estelle shrugged. "They're protecting themselves. There's a lot of damage a spy could do with some of the information in there."

"Exactly my point, Estelle: what on earth is this organization doing that makes them worried about spies?" Kui blew air through his teeth. "I thought they were monks. Warrior monks, sure, traveling the world to protect the innocent and whatnot, but it feels like a spy organization of its own in here."

"You're being paranoid." Estelle yawned. "Going to tell me they're slipping drugs in our food and keeping us under constant surveillance?"

"I don't think Jason spends all the time with you he does because he likes you."

"What?" In a moment, Estelle was wide awake. "Excuse me?"

"I know you two were on the mountaintop last week." Kui examined her through hooded eyes. "And I know how you feel about him."

"He's my teacher–"

"Shut it." Kui wagged a finger, and instead of hissing, Estelle actually chuckled. "Half of the Light has probably put two and two together and gotten four by now. And I'm worried."

"Worried?" Was this touching, because Kui cared about her? Or was it infuriating, because he was digging into her private life? "He's been a perfect gentleman." Warmly, she reminisced about how honorably he'd turned her down. Perfect gentleman was an understatement.

"I'm sure he has." Kui sighed. "I'll come out and say it: do you really, honestly believe you're the first of his female students to fall for him? And most of the Whispers are women, haven't you noticed?"

"Are you saying he's a philanderer?" Had it come from anyone else, Estelle would have lashed out. Kui, however, had earned at least a bit of patience.

"I'm saying nothing, not definitively." If it was possible to strike a line through a spoken sentence, Kui had mastered the art. "I just worry about you. If he is what you say, then good: I'm happy for you, and I'm happy to be wrong. But friends look out for each other."

"You do care." He hadn't meant offense, had he? Instead of snapping, Estelle artfully put a hand over her heart. "What's a girl to do, caught in a love triangle like this?"

"Shut up." Kui rolled his eyes. "I have higher ambitions than a castaway with no talents but archery."

"I made our clothes, did all the woodworking, found fresh water–"

"Semantics. I did the fishing."

"Yes, we did go hungry a lot of the time."

"I'm leaving." Kui stuck his tongue out at her on his way to the door, and Estelle scoffed. "I have Gift training today. Don't kill anyone who doesn't deserve it."

"No promises." Estelle waved. "Perfect marks, or else!"

"Yes, ma'am." And then he was gone.

***

"I heard some of the Whispers talking about you."

"Only the good things, I hope." Estelle checked the range. "Awfully short, isn't it? Did you not have time to set up?"