The Mountain Dancer

Chapter 49: Shaynike & Faevock

Most of the suncycle was devoted to getting ready and freaking out. However, the only thing really bothering Shay was Rek’s continued silence. Her dress for the evening was almost controversially plain – a green dress with spaghetti straps, matching flats and her little green hairpin. It had taken less than ten minutes to put together. Shards from the rest of her crew assured her that everything was still in place.

She spent most of the day searching for Rekness. While others nervously practiced, recovered from the night before, or rotated through the shortlist of their outfits, Shay scouted his favourite spots and asked after him.

To make matters complicated, most of the upper spire was temporarily open to the public now– the boreway was swarmed with visitors, anxious relatives, crews from the public mindtether operators and of course, Luminary Northridge’s security detail. No one she asked had seen Rek, nor had any idea where she might find him.

She was down in the Lower Library, having just exhausted the Grand one, when the summons came. Fieldberry filled her mouth, and she had a memory of a different Shaynike who had been lying on her back on the rooftop, scared to walk down to a simple general assembly. Now she looked up, feeling nothing but a mild concern for how a silly boy was going to react to her decision to cut him off from the Tether Stone.

What do I want, right now? She wanted to know what had been at the end of that book-quest. She couldn’t get the idea out of her head that it was connected to the Stateguard carrier. She walked up, towards the Muster Hall, turning the thought over and over in her head.

At some point, Faevock Summittask fell in step beside her. Where the girl had come from, Shay didn’t know. Affsol was on her arm, and he graciously avoided making eye contact. A huge surge of people had also materialized behind them, chattering excitedly.

“You decided to go after all,” Fae said.

“I’m the Crown Academic, aren’t I?”

“You’ve been ignoring my shards.”

“Yes.”

“I suppose you think I deserve that,” Fae said.

“Oh, are you going to deliver an apology in person this time? How exciting.”

Fae batted her eyelashes dangerously as her lower lip twitched. The crowd was a wonderful little shield, and it was only going to get bigger and more attentive over the course of the evening.

“You should know dear, that the Frostcycle Feast was Ellawek’s doing. If you had read my shards you’d understand that I wished you no ill will.”

“Crown Academic, if you please. And you’re saying you didn’t contribute to the Distanceska? I seem to recall you asking Shaytrak to assist me in standing as well.”

“If I... Distanceska? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You said Ella planned it all?”

“Why, yes. That little bitch can’t be trusted Shay. She’s become ever so treacherous in the weeks leading up to this infernal Dance, isn’t that right, Affsol?”

“Oh-a ya, jus’ a regular little wasp. Not been a fun time on the council, I say.” He kept his eyes on the stairs.

Fae watched Affsol as the climbed, seeming to weigh his answer. After a time, she inhaled through her nose and turned back to Shay, her glowing, smiling, let’s-be-girlfriends face switched on.

“I protested your removal from the council, you know. It was my idea to place you there in the first place after all. Ella has truly misjudged this whole affair.”