Interlude
QUINN
Quinn never missed a chance to conspire with her mother.
“Now, listen closely, love,” Mum said. Quinn couldn’t contain a gleeful squeak. Whenever Mum said, listen closely, she was going to learn something grand. Or do something Mama didn’t approve of—both of which were fun.
Mum set a piece of parchment on the mosaic table. Overhead, wind rustled the trees. It was cold, supposedly, but Mama didn’t let them get cold on the back patio. Quinn’s attention drifted to the firelight floating overhead. Ever-flames, Mama called them.
Quinn wished she could retrieve an ever-flame. But so far, when she “reached deep into her soul” for magic, all she found were mundane things like hunger or the urge to fart.
“Focus, darling.” Mum tapped her nose. Quinn giggled as Mum smoothed the parchment. “This is a drawing of the Academy. All the hallways and doors and passageways.”
The Academy. Enty Feo’s school was the best place. It was big and magical and half of it was off-limits. One time, Quinn met an alchemist who drew a circle in the snow, and once Quinn stepped inside, she started floating.
“I’m going to send you inside. Are you interested in that?” Mum asked.
“Yes!” Quinn bounced. “I can see Enty Feo again.”
But Mum shook her head. “Not quite, love. You’re going to infiltrate the Academy. Do you know what that means?”
Quinn nodded emphatically. She didn’t know what that meant, not even a little, but Mum wouldn’t suggest it if it weren’t exciting.
Mum knew she was lying. She always knew when Quinn was lying. She raised an eyebrow and smoothed Quinn’s hair. “My, but I have been lacking in your education, haven’t I? Well, let’s resolve that. Infiltration means sneaking somewhere you aren’t supposed to be.”
Oh! Quinn was an expert at that.
“But,” Mum continued, “it’s risky. You can’t be caught—and if you are, you’ll have to use an excuse so Enty Feo doesn’t learn why you’re there. Mama and I won’t be there, either; we’d give away the ruse. So, you’ll be alone.”
In case it needed stating, Quinn loved being alone.
Being alone meant sneaking onto Blue Spruce’s back and soaring high above Tawney.
Being alone meant persuading Janice the baker that she was supposed to retrieve a miniature cake for New Leaf, and then eating it in secret.
Being alone meant she could do anything she wanted.
Quinn could barely contain her enthusiasm. “I can in-flatrate. I can! I’ll be so sneaky.”
Mum smiled, and it felt like the warmth of the summer sun.
It was interrupted by Mama, who’d apparently come to the back door at some point. She leaned against the doorframe, doing that thing where she tried not to snicker. “Rain. Dare I ask why you’re teaching our five-year-old how to spy?”
“Please, Key. The Queendom doesn’t employ spies anymore.”
“Mmm. And that’s the official statement, isn’t it, Your Excellency?
” Mama drawled Mum’s fancy title. She only used it sometimes, and Quinn didn’t know what the distinction was, because when she tried calling Mum that, they both looked like they ate bad pie.
Mama added, “You didn’t answer my question.
Why does Quinn need to know how to infiltrate anything? ”
Infiltrate. Infiltrate. Quinn took a mental note.
After all, only amateur infiltrate-lers mispronounced words.
Mum put Quinn down on the ground, then murmured, “We’ll discuss the plan later.”
Quinn loved being involved in Mum’s plans, so she nodded and made a zip the lips motion. When Mum gently pushed the map of the Academy towards her, Quinn sneakily folded it up and tucked it away, then began whistling to distract Mama.
It worked. Mama didn’t even look at the parchment. Instead, she crossed her arms, lips tilting upwards. “Reyna.”
“Hmm?” Mum replied innocently. She pushed to her feet and smoothed her shirt, then beckoned Quinn to follow her. “I truly don’t know what you expected, dear. Infiltration is a useful skill, and as parents, we should give our daughter every skill she might need to succeed in life.”
Quinn trailed behind, stifling her laughter with a hand. Something here was funny, based on Mama’s exasperation, and Quinn was delighted to be a part of it.
Mama pinched the bridge of her nose, letting them go back inside. “You’re playing matchmaker again.”
“I told Feo not to pursue Wylan anymore,” Mum said mildly. “This is purely instructive.”
“And if she’s caught? Imagine how that’ll look if my daughter is prowling around a bunch of alchemists. Feo would be pissed.”
“Well,” Mum caught Quinn’s gaze and winked. “She won’t get caught. Will you, love?”
Quinn raised a hand and crisscrossed her heart. “On my honor,” she said solemnly.
After all, spies were never caught.