Page 28 of Under Restless Skies

Asshole.

Now I’m closer to my goal than I ever dreamed. So close and so far at the same time, which only stings worse.

We enter a large, drab room with some twenty bunk beds and small sunlight holes, from where thin rays peer in just enough to bring some warm light, contrasting with the cool glow of the small lumos jars in the corners. Rosalia points to a large cabinet with many partitions.

“You can leave your belongings here. Your clothes, too, once you change.”

She opens a few of the doors, until she finds an empty compartment. It’s a small box, about ten palms wide and four palms high. Am I truly supposed to leave all my things here? In a small compartment with no lock?

I could turn around and go back to the restaurant, where at least I have half a room. But maybe I want to see where this goes.

The woman takes a gray tunic and a pair of pants from two baskets and hands them to me.

“They should last five days. After that, you can get fresh ones. Throw the used ones here.” She gestures to a large, empty basket, then stares at me, as if waiting for something. “Go on. Change.”

I blink. “Here?”

“This is the female wing. There are bathing chambers and pots outside. And I don’t have all day, girl.”

If I put this uniform on, I’ll be sealing my destiny. This is the time to turn around and go back to the Grease & Spice, where at least I was appreciated.

But I wasn’t happy there.

As I hesitate, a face crosses my mind: Alayel’s. He’s probably laughing somewhere, patting himself on the back for having tricked me. I won’t let him get away with that. I’ll confront him, then make sure he keeps his part of the deal. And if I want to do any of that, the place is here.

I’ll also have a chance to see the eggs again—hopefully. Perhaps I’ll even see what kinds of dragons come out of them.

My decision is made. I place my bag in that cabinet, then peel off my dress and toss it there as well. Standing only in my underslip in front of this imperious woman feels odd, but it’s just a few seconds, as I grab those drab, gray clothes and put them on quickly.

She looks at my headband. “The hair, too.”

“You want it loose?”

She huffs, then throws me a plain, gray headband. “You can use this or tie it.”

I remove my crocheted band and put on the one she gave me. It feels slightly too tight, but I don’t want to complain about something so small. She closes the door of the cabinet, and I make sure to pay attention to the location of my bag. Third row, fifth column from the right.

So small. So insignificant. Lost among a multitude.

At least I left all my coin at the restaurant, so I don’t have to fear that someone will steal it.

I shove down the sour taste coming to my mouth. This is no tragedy. And yet the thought that I might never get to fly makes my chest tighten with such force that pain radiates through my body.

“Ready?” Rosalia asks.

I don’t even know for what, but I don’t want to argue. “Yes.”

She eyes me up and down, perhaps checking if there’s anything wrong in my appearance or countenance, and then clicks her tongue. “I’ll place you with a recruit on correction for now. You’ll get your schedule and more details tomorrow. When you finish, pick any bed here. You can ask where the pots and bathing chambers are. Come.”

Her shoes click-clack on the hard wooden floor as I follow her, my chest still empty and deflated. She uses a large key to open a golden door, then turns to me.

“Ask someone to lead you to the stairs down to the cleaning area when you return.”

I nod.

Another corridor, this one with shiny marble walls, leading to an enormous, open atrium. We stop by a balcony with small gates opening over a chasm where thick ropes hang from the ceiling, suspending cages and boulders, with pulleys at the top where strong men pull them. I’ve seen contraptions like this in the port, used to raise small cargo, but never something going up so high, and meant to transport people.

Rosalia rings a small bell, and one of the cages moves down to us. She opens it, we enter, then she rings another bell seven times.