Despite the herking and jerking of the lift, Magdala couldn't keep a grin off her face. "I still can't believe you got permission to take me to the top of the Southern Line. Francesca won't believe that I got up here."

"Francesca?" Saundra asked.

"She's my best friend back at the academy." Magdala scratched at the back of her hand. "I should probably reply to her letter."

"It has been a hectic few days, milady." Saundra leaned against the lift's railing. "I was going to ask you up here tomorrow but..."

Magdala crossed her arms. "My mother thinks she knows best."

"She is the Water Sage."

"So she knows magic. That doesn't mean she knows me." Magdala let her arms fall to her sides. "Let's not talk about that."

Saundra looked at Magdala. "Okay, milady." She squirmed. "Dwayne came by, back at the wake. He wanted me to tell you that he'd stepped out."

Magdala clutched her skirt. "Right. That whole party must have been really awkward for him."

Saundra looked away. "You've been traveling with him and Mei for a long time."

Magdala smiled. "It feels that way, but it's only been a couple of months."

"Before that you were at the academy. Why are you out here?"

Magdala leaned back against the rail. "It's a long story."

Saundra gestured to the lift. "It's a long ride."

Magdala grinned. "Well, then it's a race."

For the rest of the ride, she told Saundra about getting suspended by the academy, meeting Dwayne, Mei, and Huan, and then setting out to hunt dragons. Saundra had already heard about the hunt from Sir Marcus, but not about how Magdala and Dwayne had fought off bandits before reaching Ti Mei or how they'd met Mei and Huan in the first place. When Magdala told her about what happened in Yumma, Saundra had gasped and gawked at all the right places, asking for details on the metal insect and the ice otter and wondering if they'd somehow gotten into a celestial realm. By the time the lift reached the top, Magdala had told Saundra everything.

The corporal sighed. "I wish I could have been there with you, milady." She pushed open the lift gates. "You've been through a lot."

"I guess." Magdala followed Saundra out of the lift and into a tiny walled room with just one door. "For Mei and Dwayne though, this all is just a continuation of their hard lives. Dwayne was a slave, and Mei... has had her troubles. I don't see how they can be so hopeful." She looked around. "Is... is this it?"

"Just a moment, milady." Saundra pulled out a brass key, slid it into the ancient lock on the door, and turned it. "Now." She opened the door.

Blinking, Magdala stepped out onto a moonlit river of stone that stretched out to the horizon. Above her, the clear night sky, full of stars, spread out overhead. Magdala walked north, leaned against the ramparts, and looked down. They were above the Southern Line's central pyramid, and so right below them was Walcrest, which was close enough that Magdala could just make out little people running to and fro from the buildings. Dwayne was getting ready for bed down there. Hopefully, he'd have some time to rest. Magdala's eyes followed a line of light down to the garrison. Since it was further down, she couldn't make out the shapes of people, but she could just hear the workshops as they repaired the walls and buildings. If she got a chance, she should bring some food down to Mei. Beyond the orderly garrison was the contained chaos of Walton and, beyond that, the rainbow lanterns of the merchants. The whole city was lit up, a bulwark against darkness. Only one area was dark, the Jungle.

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Magdala sighed. "They still want to deport the Vanurians."

Saundra coughed. "I thought Dwayne was housing all of them at Walcrest."

"The mayor and the bishop argued that he shouldn't be allowed to do that." Magdala walked over to the other side of the wall and looked out at the real jungle, a dark expanse that rolled ever onwards. There wasn't a sign of civilization, no place for the Vanurians to go. She'd checked the maps when she'd heard the inspector was coming from the nearest county, and the nearest Vanurian town was a hundred prinwirs away. Why wasn't there a town just like Walton on the other side? She rubbed her arms to warm up.

"Here, milady." Saundra put her cloak around Magdala. "When I saw those Vanurians serving us at the party, I honestly tensed up, but then I remembered that flower seller we talked to. They ain't so different from us, I think."

Magdala pulled Saundra's cloak tighter around her. "I don't think Liraya was much different from me."

"No, milady, you'd never do the things she did."

"Sure, she destroyed property, robbed graveyards, and killed people, but she was doing her best to achieve something, and when I was chasing her, thinking like her, I found that I liked the challenge."

Saundra lips pursed.

Magdala patted her on the arm. "There is one big difference between us. I'm not alone. I have you and Mei and Dwayne, and we together figured this out, managed this crisis." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you."

Saundra blushed and looked down at her boots. "You're very welcome, milady."

Magdala wiped her eyes. "I'll send you letters when I get to Bradford, and you'd better reply. I want to hear about what it's like to be in the Lord Commander's personal guard."

Saundra gasped. "You heard about that?"

"It is literally all the garrison talks about." Magdala grinned. "Congratulations."

Saundra rested her hands against the southern ramparts. "It's nothing." Her thumbs circled each other.

"It's not nothing. My father knows good talent when he sees it. You might be a knight one day and make Sir Marcus proud."

Saundra gave a weak chuckle. "That would be something. A farm girl becoming a knight."

"Today a former slave became a noble so I think that it's more than reasonable."

Saundra gulped. "Am I... ever going to see you again?"

The sudden shift in topic pulled up Magdala's eyebrows. "I'll try to. Students at the Magisterium aren't exactly allowed to leave, but when you come to Bradford, you can come see me."

Saundra rested her head against her hands. "And you'll write?"

"Yes, I will." Magdala's heart tightened. "Are... are you okay?"

Saundra faced Magdala and stood to attention. "Milady. I want to say something to you."

Magdala nodded, still worried. "Go ahead."

Saundra took a deep breath. "I'm in love with you."

Magdala's hands came to her mouth. "Sorry?"

Saundra kept her eyes just above Magdala's head. "I wanted to say that. I'm sorry if... I don't know if you even like..."

Magdala's brain finally heard what Saundra had said, and her cheeks burned. "No, I... I'm sorry. I don't feel that about you."

Saundra nodded stiffly. "Understood. Then forget I said anything."

She about faced, but Magdala moved in front of her.

"No, I won't," Magdala said. As Saundra's mouth fell open, Magdala figured out why she'd said. "This right here is the sweetest thing anyone has done for me in my entire life, and you took a risk telling me. Saundra, you're an amazing person. You're brave, know how to talk to people, and an amazing sword fighter, and I'm sorry that I don't return your feelings, but I'm happy that you could tell me. I want to be your friend. Is... is that possible?"

Saundra's shoulders dropped and she wiped her eyes. "Yeah, I just- oof!"

Magdala hugged the corporal harder. "Thank you. I will write you everyday. Even on boring days."

Saundra returned the hug. "Same. Though at this point if I get a boring letter from you, that would be the most surprising thing of all."

They both laughed and after a long moment, released each other.

Saundra leaned against the ramparts. "That didn't go as badly as I feared." She lit up. "Oh, should we include Mei? Coming up here was her idea."

Magdala raised an eyebrow.

Saundra blushed. "She didn't know about my feelings for you."

"Ah." Magdala nodded. "Yes, we should get Mei in on this. We're going to get the same axes after all."

Saundra grinned. "Only friends get matching axes and write letters to each other, milady."

Magdala grinned back. "Call me Maggie."