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He hums, and I curl my fingers tight over the rare fabric. Exceptionally strong, lighter than silk. “This is far too precious.”

“Not more than your hands. These”—he picks up my other hand and my skin tickles as he carefully slips the second glove into place—“will protect your skin from the backlash of spells. They’ll keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.”

His marble face is turned toward the glove he’s carefully adjusting. The whole capital is ice and snow and magical silvery lights, but the foot between us is shimmery turquoise pearl that radiates heat through my whole body. I wriggle my fingers and smile at him.

Abruptly, he lets me go and casts his gaze towards the capital, frowning. “It’s simple gratitude.”

I bump my shoulder against his. “Do you want to see my gratitude?”

“Not if the last time is anything to go by.”

I laugh and feel along my belt, knuckles bumping Nicostratus’s beads. I open the pouch that holds Quin’s gift and draw out the wood.

Quin stares and stills, and I’m hit with a sudden nervous flutter. I hope it’s right this time. Heart jumping, I open my mouth to speak.

Quin murmurs first, “Violet oak.”

“Someone gave it to me.” I slap the gift against his chest and retreat. “There.”

He catches it before it tumbles to his lap and holds it up to the moonlight. “Someone gave you...”

“I didn’t steal the wood,” I say, trying to snatch it back.

He moves it away from me. “You carved this yourself?” His voice is deep and curious, and my stomach jumps again.

“It’s supposed to be a flutette. Infused against pain.” I glance at his leg. “Press it to your mouth, you’ll feel it take effect. Play a calming melody and the effect should double.”

He stares at the pocket-sized flutette.

“You have a connection with air, a wind instrument made the most sense...”

He feels each carved nook.

“It should last a year before it needs to be infused again.”

He slips the instrument inside his cloak.

“It’s not as effective as the spell through your acupoints, but when pain flares up, playing gentle music will alleviate the worst of it. For any pain.”

He presses his palm against the pocket and drops his fingers.

“I still need to learn more about how to manipulate sound to improve the result, but—”

“Thank you.”

My shoulders relax and I laugh shakily, leaning back against the roof, my cloak spilling behind me. I stare up at the twinkling stars. “I should head home.” I grin. “I have something to prove tomorrow.”

“Indeed.” Quin drops a badge onto my stomach. “This will get you the use of my rooms at my academy. They have pecan puffs too. Enjoy another hour. Eat and sleep there.”

“What about you?”

“I have other places.”

I tie the badge to my belt, alongside my soldad and various other pouches—really, I left home with far too many—

“How did you get those?” Quin stares tightly at the beads on my belt and lunges for them.

“Give them back. They were given to me.”