She looked into my eyes. “There’s more.”
“There is,” I said, “but I have to leave it at that. It’s better that way, especially for you and me. And you can tell everyone that I did get the Ferran.”
She reached out and squeezed my right hand, gently but firmly “I’m glad you trust me enough not to lie.” She held up a hand. “I know you can’t tell me everything, and, most times, you shouldn’t, but please don’t lie to me. Just tell me that there’s more, the way you just did, but we’ll have to let it go.”
“I can do that.” As I said it, I realized something else. Unlike my parents, or Master Dichartyn, or anyone else, except maybe Khethila, Seliora trusted me, trusted me implicitly. For a moment, my eyes burned. I had to swallow before I could say more. “Thank you.”
Her smile warmed me all the way down.
We sat there, with Seliora leaning forward slightly, holding hands, just holding hands.
After a time, she said, “Grandmama said that you would get the Ferran. I was afraid you’d be hurt even worse. I saw an explosion sweeping over you.”
“That’s a good way of describing it.”
“You said that you had some good news?”
“I’m being advanced to master imager-the most junior master. Maitre D’Aspect-and I’ll have a new position.”
“With the civic patrollers?”
“How did you know?”
“I didn’t, but I did have a vision of you in the middle of a group of patrollers, and I couldn’t figure out why that would be.” She paused. “That’s not a normal position, is it?”
“No. It’s used to season talented and difficult junior master imagers. Master Dichartyn hopes it will give me enough experience so that I can make better decisions based on that experience.”
Seliora nodded. “Grandmama will be so pleased-a master imager.”
“And your parents?”
“They were pleased from the moment they met you, but Odelia helped with that. She really would like to marry Kolasyn.”
I understood that as well.
“What about the wedding? The one with your cousin, I mean.” I flushed as I realized the double implication of my last words.
Seliora laughed, warmly and kindly. “We have time.”
And so we did.