Fires of the Faithful Read Online Free Page A

fluttered to the floor. I picked it up and kindled a tiny witchlight, hoping that it wouldn’t disturb Mira; it was a letter of some kind.
You stupid fools
, it said.
We don’t want your money. We want our daughter back
. I flipped it over; it was signed,
Isabella and Marino of Tafano, Verdia
. I slipped the letter under a musical score on her desk, ashamed of myself for reading it.
    “What?” Mira said, and I jumped, flicking away my witchlight and nearly scattering the papers again. In the darkness, I lay down on my own bed, curling up under my blanket.
    “I’m leaving,” Mira said, her voice as clear as the bells we rang at the Viaggio service.
    “What?” I said, but Mira went on without heeding me, and I realized that she was talking in her sleep.
    “You’re wrong, Liemo,” she said. Her voice was contemptuous. “I’ll break the chains you’ve bound me with. The Lady promises freedom and I’m going to
take
it. You can lock me up, you can even kill me, but you can’t make me serve you again.”
    She was quiet after that, her breathing low and even. I lay awake, shivering. I told myself that I was still cold from the practice hall, but the fierce steel in Mira’s voice had cut me to the bone. I didn’t know whom she was speaking to, or what she was talking about, but I hopedI’d never find myself standing against her. In the end, I didn’t sleep at all that night. At dawn, Mira opened her eyes and looked over at me, giving me a slow smile that warmed me to my feet. “You will keep my secret?” she said.
    I didn’t even know what her secret was, but looking into her eyes, I would have done anything for her. “Yes,” I said. “Yes.”

CHAPTER TWO
    When the stranger comes among you, you shall not abuse him; behold, I am a stranger among you, yet I bring the greatest of gifts
.
—The Journey of Gèsu, chapter 1, verse 1
.
    E ase up a bit on that first crescendo,” Domenico said. “And keep the tempo steady—you’re speeding up.” I nodded and flipped the music back a page to start again. “Incidentally, I heard you got a new roommate this week.”
    I lowered my violin. “Yes,” I said. “Mira. She’s also a violinist.”
    “Is she really from Cuore?” Domenico pulled his chair out from behind his desk and sat down. He gestured for me to pull up a chair, then gave me a sheepish look. “We really should be working on your part of the duet, but let’s face it; you’re far ahead of Giula at this point. If you aren’t note-perfect on Viaggio, it won’t be because
you
didn’t practice.”
    The Viaggio festival at the autumnal equinox celebrated the beginning of the Lord’s annual journey to fight and destroy the Maledori. Our autumn recital was held in the afternoon the day of the festival.
    Domenico gave me an easy grin. “Tell me about your roommate,” he said.
    “I think she really did live in Cuore,” I said, sitting down. I hesitated, debating whether I should tell my teacher that she was lying about being from a seminary, and decided against it. “She says she was at a seminary.”
    Domenico shook his head, raking his fingers through his sand-colored hair. “That would explain why she’s literate, but not where she got the money. Are her parents wealthy?”
    “They’re from a village in southwest Verdia,” I said. “I can’t imagine they’re that rich.”
    “Maybe she had a rich friend from the seminary,” Domenico said. “Do you know why she left?”
    “No, but I think she probably got in some sort of trouble. Bella was speculating last night that it involved a love affair, but I doubt that.” I paused. “You know, as far as I can tell, she doesn’t use magery.”
    “Really?” Domenico looked up, startled and fascinated.
    “Does that mean something?”
    Domenico averted his eyes. “Well … probably not.”
    He was hiding something from me; that was obvious. I couldn’t very well call him on it, so I folded my arms and waited silently.
    “Have you made