Glyphbinder by T. Eric Bakutis Page A

at her warmth. The smell of lavender.
    Ona chuckled. “Drown me, girl, I’m not that old. You’re not going to break me.”
    “I know.” Kara didn’t stop hugging. “But I’m serious about the capital. You’ll move with me, right? I can take care of you there. We’ll even get to live in the palace!”
    “It sounds lovely. But you know I can’t leave Boon.”
    “It’s a fishing village.” Kara snorted and eased back. “Why are you so attached?”
    Ona’s blue eyes grew distant. “Honestly, I forget sometimes. It’s just...” She focused. “I belong there. I have friends who help me as much as I need.”
    “But I don’t have you. I know we agreed not to argue about this until I graduated, but … I’m graduating. I want you with me in Tarna. I need you there, where I can take care of you.”
    Kara left unspoken the real reason she wanted her mother to come to Tarna. A Transference spell required both parties be touching, and Kara doubted she could leave Tarna during her apprenticeship.
    They never talked about it, but Ona’s illness was accelerating. One Bloodmender has speculated she had five years left. Another estimated one. Neither was long enough for Kara.
    “Please, Mom.” Kara knew how worried she must look and didn’t bother hiding it. “Come with me. Stay for a few weeks, at least. See if you like it. You’ll get to meet the king.”
    “I’ve met him,” Ona reminded her, “but all right. If it makes you happy, I’ll go with you, at least for a few weeks. Consider it your graduation gift.”
    “Thank you.” Kara hugged her mother tightly this time. “You’ll change your mind once we’re there. I’m sure of it.”
    “You’re generally sure of everything. Now, as I said, who is this man you dragged home?”
    “He’s interesting. Tellvan. Very strong.”
    “Married?”
    “Please.” Kara felt her cheeks flush. “This is like that Feast Day two years ago. You set me up with Edwyn Meris. Do you know how brutally Byn has ribbed me since?”
    “I’m so sorry.” Ona wasn’t. “But I suppose there will be plenty of men to distract you in Tarna. When you’re ready.”
    “Speaking of. Have you heard from Father?”
    “He’s making due with a crew out of Jarel. You’re old enough now to understand what happened between us. We grew apart.”
    “I know what happened. I still don’t understand why.”
    “I wish I could explain it better.”
    “Maybe you should try?”
    “Rance is a good man, with a good heart, but it was like we didn’t know each other anymore. It’s strange, but … do you realize I can’t remember where we first met?”
    “I didn’t.” Had the disease started affecting Ona’s memory?
    “Don’t blame Rance. He never could abandon the sea. I could tell that, as hard as he tried. Our love faded as we spent more time apart. It bothered him more than me, but we both felt it. It was like I woke up one day married to a stranger.”
    “That still wasn’t any reason for him to leave. Not with you … hurting.”
    “Honey, your father left long before I grew sick.” Ona smiled again, a wistful smile. “I’m almost glad. If he’d stayed with me out of guilt, I think it would have been worse.”
    Kara nodded, though she didn’t like it. With the exception of a few happy childhood memories, she barely knew her father. Rance Tanner had been a decent enough father when he stayed at their house, but he sailed the Northern Sea for months out of every year.
    “I shouldn’t have brought it up,” Kara said. “But you should have told me this disease was affecting your memory. Anything you can tell me about what’s happening to you may help.”
    “I promise I haven’t kept anything else from you. Now. We need to talk about what’s going to happen to the house.”
    “Mom!” Kara saw her mother’s gravestone in her mind’s eye and it made her legs weak, made her breaths come short. “No!”
    “Kara—”
    “You’re not dying. At least not until