She looked at me, puzzled, her head cocked to one side. “I don’t think I knew you had a niece, Wizard.” I willed her to understand though not daring to say more. The queen knew about Antonia-or should. “How old is the girl?” she asked.

“She’s five.”

The queen blinked, long lashes over emerald eyes. The matronly mother of the king, she was still the most beautiful woman I had ever met, much more lovely than Theodora although with none of her intelligence and wit.

“Oh,” said the queen in sudden comprehension. “Of course, Wizard. We would be delighted to have your, uh, your niece visit the castle. The duchess’s daughters will also be visiting this week, although I myself will be away. Does the girl have a nurse of her own or should I ask the constable to engage one for her stay?”

“Oh, she won’t need a nurse,” I said. And I hurried up to the pigeon loft to send Theodora a message that I would be coming in two days to see her and pick up our daughter.

Theodora lived, as she had since I first met her, in the cathedral city of Caelrhon, in the next kingdom over from Yurt. She had Antonia all dressed in a new blue dress when I set the air cart down in the narrow street outside her house two mornings later. The air cart was the skin of a long-dead purple flying beast, which would still fly if given magical commands. I tethered it to a ring by the door and ducked inside.

“I’m all ready,” said Antonia gravely. “I packed my bag all by myself.”

I hugged her and kissed Theodora, who sat at her sewing. She gave me a one-armed embrace but did not get up. Her curly nut-brown hair was even more tousled than usual. “We don’t have to leave right away,” I said.

Theodora used her teeth to rip out some basting thread. “I’m supposed to have these dresses ready by tomorrow,” she said distractedly. “I’m glad you’re taking Antonia now.”

“But I could help you pin seams,” said the girl. “I’m very good at pinning seams,” she explained to me as though it were a great secret.