No, if Loot knows who I am, he’d have leveraged it sooner.
Sylah let out a breath and read the letter again.
He’d signed it, he had actually signed it. The man was fearless. Either that, or he knew he had impunity to the wardens’ rule.
“It’s the Aktibar of knowledge next week, right?” Sylah asked Anoor through the privy door.
“Yes, it’s a theory test on elements, even more boring than watching tax calculations. With that at least you could see the abacus. This one is just people answering questions.”
“Want to go?”
“Why?” Anoor appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, soap suds peppering her face. “Just thinking about it puts me to sleep.”
“Let’s just give it a try. If it’s boring, we’ll leave.”
Anoor, ever ready to please, bobbed her head up and down. “Okay.”
Sylah scrunched the letter into her fist and hid it in her pocket to burn later.
“I might have a way to get into the warden library.”
“How?” Anoor bounced on her heels.
“I know a Ghosting servant. I’m going to try and figure out how they clean the room, then maybe we can sneak in.”
“You can speak Ghosting?”
Sylah shrugged. “I can’t sign it. The language is unique to their limbs, and fingers just get in the way. But I can understand it.”
“I heard they had a language, but I didn’t really think it was true…and you’ve managed to learn it?”
“Anoor, they’re people just like me and you. Of course they have a language.” Sometimes Embers were so stupid. Even Dusters pretending to be Embers.
“I have to go to the Dredge to find her.” Find Hassa and pick up whatever illegal parcel Loot had Sylah smuggling.
“I want to come.”
“No.” Sylah shook her head.
“Why?” Anoor cocked her head to the left and said, “I’ll tell Gorn.”
“What?” Here was the girl who had trapped her in a cupboard. Sylah had seen her lying in wait beneath the grins and smiles. “Are you threatening me?”
She lifted her chin. “Yes.”
Sylah was dumbfounded. And a little proud.
She laughed. “You know I’m going to train you twice as hard tonight because of that?”
Still Anoor stood, a pillar that would not be moved.
“Fine. You can come.”
Anoor squealed, and Sylah instantly regretted the decision.
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” Anoor nodded with so much force, Sylah thought her head would fall off.