She woke to her head in Miri’s lap. They were in the carriage, which was moving at a brisk pace. Saya sat up with a start, and her head spun.

“Are you alright, love?” Miri asked. She looked fine. Saya looked closer. Miri looked unperturbed, despite the smell of smoke in the carriage and the bruises on her neck.

“Are you alright? Saya asked back. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Did you have a nightmare?” Miri asked. “Everything’s fine. We had some trouble with the carriage a few miles back, but the coachman was able to fix it all. We should be at the inn in a few hours.”

She doesn’t remember anything, Netta said. Everything is as it should be. I promised, didn’t I?

What happened? Saya asked.

You had a skill issue, Netta said.

Saya knew Netta was lying, but she let it go. It did not matter. Miri was safe, the bandits were gone, and they were half way to their destination. She fell back onto Miri’s lap and looked up at the old woman.

“I’m alright now,” she said. “What are you going to do once you get home?”

She wondered how Miri would fill her days without work, in the little village.

“My daughter wrote me that she has two children. I will probably spend time with them. It’ll give Raela some rest.”

“So you want to go from raising one child to another?” Saya asked.

“Oh, you’re barely a child now. A few more years, and you’ll be in finishing school. You’ll have your debut in society,” Miri said. She stopped speaking, but Saya could almost hear the rest of her thoughts. Miri imagined Saya having a normal life. She imagined marriage and children in Saya’s future.

Saya could not imagine herself having such a mundane life. The people of Daryasa were an old-fashioned sort. Unlike neighboring countries, women were not allowed in the army. Women were expected to be soft and kid, nurturing and compliant. Noblewomen were bartering chips in political marriages. Even among commoners, the lives of women were restricted. They were forbidden from occupations requiring hard labor even if they were capable.

If she and Bartholomew managed to ensnare some poor soul into a marriage, it would either be one of lies or one of near slavery. Bartholomew did not know of it, but she was stronger and faster than most people. Something told her that even without fire, she could win a fight. She’d never had formal training in how fight or wield a sword, but perhaps it was time she started to learn. She couldn’t use fire to get out of every situation. She still didn’t understand how Netta had made the entire incident disappear. The carriage still smelled of smoke, but it seemed she was the only one who noticed.

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“I don’t think I’ll be going to finishing school,” Saya murmured. Bartholomew did not trust her to send her away so far, and she did not know how well she would do among so many strangers. The young nobles she had met so far had not treated her kindly. By blood, she was still a commoner. The only thing that elevated her status was Bartholomew’s mercy.

Finishing school meant she would have to live two years at the school, sharing a room with young noblewomen. Perhaps if she had a more sociable personality, she could dream of it. As it stood, she had one companion in her life, and Netta did not like other peoples’ company.

“I’ll be sure to send Bartholomew letters,” Miri said. “I will pester him until he sends you to finishing school and lets you make a debut in society. If he does not agree, I’ll come back to the castle.”

“No letters for me?”

“So many you won’t miss me,” Miri promised. The carriage came to a stop, and Miri stepped out of the carriage slowly, taking the coachman’s help.

The little town they were in was far different from the castle she was used to. Instead of stone, the buildings were built of wood. None of them were higher than two floors. She saw the townspeople making their way back home after a day of work. There were few street lamps, so most carried little lanterns to light their way.

Saya looked at the building in front of her, which was bigger than most of the surrounding houses. The inn had a typical name. The Silver Rose. The sign hung from above the door, a rosebud with unfurling petals, wrought in iron. Long before, it had been painted. Now, only a few flecks of red stood the test of time.

She thought she would dislike the smallness of the town and the rooms. The fire was lit in their room by the time they entered. Somehow, in the small room, they had fit two beds and a sitting area for having tea. It was stiflingly warm, and Saya took off her overcoat.

“It gets colder overnight,” Miri commented. “That fire won’t be enough in a few hours. People here have trouble staying warm during the winters.”

She looked at Saya. “I suppose we won’t, though.”

Saya smiled at the joke. There was a knock at the door, and a maid walked in with two plates of dinner. The food was simple, accompanied by ale for Miri and some milk for her.

“Go to sleep early,” Miri told her. “We’ll be leaving at dawn tomorrow.”

Only one more day that you have her all to yourself, Netta sang.

We’ll be staying with her for a week, Saya responded.

Oh, but in that little village she’s not Miri the castle maid. She’s someone’s mother and grandmother. You’ll be the odd one out, Netta said. There’s still time to change your mind. I can fix all of it, like I did today.

Saya wanted to say no definitively. She wanted to regain the resolve she’d had a day before, but she could not find it anywhere. As their journey came to a close, she wanted to go back to the castle. She wanted to take back her words and cling to Miri again.

I’ll tell you in the morning, she said.