The Doorway and the Deep Read Free

“Well, if they
do
exist and they
do
only drink wisp blood, the rest of us don’t have anything to worry about, do we?”
    â€œMaybe not,” said Fife. “Or maybe they only drink wisp blood because only wisps have ever been around. It’s not likewe’re used to sprites hanging out during Autumntide. I’d assume you’re all fair game.”
    â€œWould you stop already?” said Adelaide. “You’re just trying to scare us.”
    â€œWhatever!” Fife threw his hands in the air. “All I’m saying is that chances are someone’s going to get drained clean this season, and it’s not going to be me.”
    â€œCan we talk about something else?” said Oliver, pushing away his plate of wafercomb. “I’m losing my appetite.”
    â€œI should go,” said Lottie, shoving her remaining wafercomb into her mouth and shouldering her satchel. The dark was coming on fast now that the sun had set. “I’m going to be late for training.”
    Adelaide sighed loudly. She crossed her arms. She was clearly waiting for someone to ask her what was wrong.
    Fife, Oliver, and Lottie ignored her.
    Eliot asked, “What’s wrong?”
    Adelaide shrugged. “Oh, nothing. It’s just, I think we’re all very aware of the preferential treatment a certain someone is receiving.”
    Lottie chewed uneasily on her wafercomb.
    â€œAdelaide,” said Oliver, “don’t be like that. Lottie needs more tutoring time than us. She’s really behind.”
    Oliver was smiling reassuringly, but his words stung. Lottie knew she was behind. Most sprites started sharpening when they were six years old. She was nearingthirteen, and she had only just begun. In three years, she wouldn’t be able to sharpen anymore. And though she would never admit it to the others, Lottie had begun to fear that she was so far behind she would never catch up by her sixteenth birthday.
    â€œI wouldn’t phrase it like
that
,” Fife said. “You can’t be behind in something if no one’s really ahead of you. And there’s no one else like Lottie to compare her to.”
    Lottie could see Fife’s tongue peeking out from his lips. He was using his keen on her, trying to flavor his words to make her feel better.
    â€œYes, but just because she’s so unsharpened doesn’t mean the rest of us should suffer,” said Adelaide. “Father didn’t have a spare second all last week to work with me. And anyway, he’s not even properly trained to help sharpen a hearing keen. If Tutor were here—”
    â€œBut Tutor isn’t here,” Oliver said, “and sharpening isn’t really the priority right now.”
    â€œThen what is?” Adelaide demanded.
    â€œ
Ad-uh-laide
,” said Fife, throwing his hands up. “I dunno if you’ve forgotten, but we’re trying to keep clear of a
crazy and murderous king
.”
    Lottie cast a glance at Eliot. He looked uncomfortable, as he always did when anyone brought up the king who had tried to kill Lottie and was still hunting her down.
    â€œI think I’ll head out with Lottie,” he said, getting to his feet.
    Adelaide stopped glaring at Fife and turned to Eliot. “What? But that will be boring for you.”
    â€œNuh-uh.” Eliot threw an arm around Lottie’s shoulder. “I’m just a plain old human, remember? All this magicky stuff still fascinates me.”
    Adelaide made a face but said nothing.
    â€œI’ll see you all later today,” said Lottie.
    As she and Eliot were walking away, Oliver called out, “Lottie?”
    She turned, and he smiled, his eyes a deep navy.
    â€œDon’t worry too much about Trouble,” he said. “Wait and see. He’ll be back in your pocket by dawn.”

    â€œClear your mind.”
    It was the third time Mr. Wilfer had given Lottie the same command. She winced in