I swallowed hard. “I don’t want to lose anyone, either.”
“As long as it doesn’t take away from her studies,” Frase said, “I don’t see how looking into her origins could hurt. However, I do think someone should be there to supervise her time in the library. Dossam, or someone else we can all agree on. As Meuric said, there’s simply too much in the library that could be dangerous, not just to Ana, but to everyone if she isn’t careful.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“I’ll accompany her as often as possible,” Sam said. “She’s my student.”
Sine raised a hand. “When Sam can’t, I will join Ana. After all, Sam has other work.”
“Orrin and Whit spend half their lives in the library,” said another Councilor, whose name I’d forgotten. “I think it’s safe to assume there will always be someone to supervise Ana’s studies.”
“Does this sound reasonable to everyone?” Meuric checked everyone’s faces, then gave a quick nod. “Very well. We’ll also assign an SED to Ana so she can call someone if one of her appointed companions isn’t there. Ana, I trust we can count on you to do that.”
“Of course.” Probably. I trusted exactly one person not to rat on me if I did something the Council wouldn’t like: myself. As wonderful as Sam had been, with everything he’d done for me, he was still one of them. He’d known them for almost a hundred lifetimes, and me less than a month. I couldn’t expect his loyalties to shift that quickly.
“All right.” Meuric shuffled a stack of papers. “Next on the list is a curfew.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Twenty-first hour, every night, you’re expected to be at Sam’s. You’ll be subject to random checks. If you’re not there, or late, you’ll have to face the consequences.”
“Which will be?” Now they were interested in making sure I was safe inside at night? Now, after I’d been eighteen years with Li, who didn’t care if I slept in the forest and got eaten by wolves?
“The severity of your punishment will reflect the severity of your crime.”
Being late to bed was a crime? I opened my mouth to ask, but Sam interrupted.
“Surely exceptions will be made for lessons that require Ana to be available at nighttime.” Sam gave Meuric a pointed look. “Such as astronomy or observing nocturnal animals.”
“Neither of those were on your list.” Meuric scowled at his papers. “But yes, if the need arises, exceptions can be made. Make sure to put in a request first. I’d hate for Ana to get in trouble needlessly.”
“Monthly progress reports.” Frase slid a sheet of paper across the table to Sam. “We’ve made a list of skills Ana should learn, in addition to those you’ve already scheduled. Don’t feel the need to plow through everything immediately, but keep in mind we will be requiring an examination of her progress this time next year. We’ve also included a list of potential tutors for these subjects.”
Sam glanced at the list; his arm blocked my view. “She already knows how to read.”
“I figured it out several years ago,” I added.
Frase made a face that might have been a smile, but all I saw was teeth. “Then she won’t have a problem in this area. The Council still requires study and examination.”
“Half the people on this list have been vocal about their”—Sam eyed me—“distaste for the idea of newsouls. It’s unfair to make Ana study under them.”
“We don’t always get to work with our friends,” Antha said. “Perhaps getting to know Ana will change people’s minds about newsouls.”
That seemed unlikely.
“It’s all right, Sam.” I fought to keep my voice steady. “I’ll make it work.”
His jaw muscles jumped, but he nodded. “Very well.”
“I think that should cover everything for now.” Meuric turned to me. “Do you agree to these terms?”
Afraid to ask what happened if I didn’t, I nodded.
“Then we’re finished.” He stood and offered me his hand to shake. When everyone had a turn—some more gentle than others with my still-healing skin—Sam and I started to leave the Council chamber.
“A word, Sam,” Meuric called.
Sam nodded for me to wait outside. As soon as the door shut behind me, people began speaking in low, angry voices. The heavy wood muffled their words, but every so often Sam’s deep voice came through, and he wasn’t happy.
I leaned against the wall and dreaded finding out what they were talking about.
After fifteen minutes, I couldn’t take listening to them anymore. I pushed off the wall and headed back the way we’d come in. Just as I was about to turn the corner, the door clicked open.
Sam scanned the hallway, and his glare stopped on me. His jaw was set, and his shoulders were tense. The line was more a crevice between his eyes as he strode toward me and loomed over my face. “Try not to wander off.”
I resisted the urge to step back. “I was going to look for the library.”
“You could have waited five minutes.”