Sebastian

looking for a safe place, she found the Den — and you .
    "We have many guests in this part of Sanctuary," Yoshani said. "They come to renew the spirit so they are stronger when they go back to their journey in the world."
    "There are other parts of Sanctuary?" Lynnea asked.
    "Yes. There are many Places of Light in the world, but we were islands, each alone in the sea of the world until the Landscaper brought us together, creating borders that connect these places with one another. Her brother, who is a Bridge, also helped by making bridges between our landscapes so that we may visit and better understand the other caretakers of the Light." Yoshani raised a hand in greeting.
    "And there he is now."
    At the top of the hill stood a three-story stone building. A man stepped out into the light of the lanterns hung by the doorway.
    "Hey-a, Lee!" Yoshani said. "We have visitors."
    In that moment, everything else vanished for Sebastian. His mind and heart were filled with one image—a brass plaque with a wizards' seal… and a date that had revealed a secret.
    Shrugging off the blanket of peace, he strode toward the familiar figure, whose mouth was curving into a smile of surprised pleasure.
    "Sebastian!" Lee said. "What brings you—"
    A shove pushed Lee back a step. Then Sebastian grabbed Lee's shirt, pulling his cousin close as his hands curled into fists.
    "You never told me," Sebastian growled. "I had a right to know, and you never told me ."
    No blankness in Lee's eyes to indicate he didn't know what Sebastian was talking about. No surprise at the anger. And no apology.
    "Hey-a, hey!" Yoshani said. "Don't be spilling your troubles on the ground for other people to trip over.
    Not in Sanctuary."
    Sebastian felt heat flood his face—the same heat he used to feel as a boy when he'd done something that felt natural to him but wasn't acceptable to everyone else.
    He opened his fists, releasing Lee's shirt.

    Yoshani studied them, then shook his head. "Teh. Here. Take the lantern. Go down to one of the islands and speak your angry words if you must. Let the water wash them away. I will look after the sensible one among you," he added, making a graceful gesture with his hand to indicate Lynnea.
    Sebastian took a step back. "No, it's—"
    "Yes," Lee said. He took the lantern from Yoshani. "It's time things were said."
    Sebastian followed Lee down the hill to the lake. They crossed a bridge to the first island, which had a stone bench and a hollowed rock that sheltered another lantern.
    Lee swung a leg over one end of the bench and sat down, straddling it. Sebastian mirrored the move, settling at the other end of the bench.
    On one of the other islands, wind chimes rang softly, stirred by puffs of air, the clear notes blending with the rustle of leaves and the lazy sound of water lapping the edges of the islands.
    Sebastian closed his eyes. The sounds pulled at him, urging him to let go of anger and surround himself once more in that blanket of peace.
    Then Lee moved, setting the lantern aside. It was a quiet sound that didn't intrude on the leaves and wind chimes and water, but it was enough to make Sebastian remember—and hold on to—the anger.
    "I saw the plaque on Glorianna's garden," Sebastian said. "I saw the date. That was shortly after she created the Den, wasn't it? Wasn't it ?"
    "So what if it was?" Lee replied.
    " Damn you ! She was fifteen years old, and she was declared rogue because she made the Den!"
    "No, she was declared rogue because she escaped being sealed into her garden, and by the time the wizards and Instructors realized that, she had disappeared into the landscapes."
    Sebastian bobbed his head. Not to agree with anything, just to indicate he'd heard. "So the crime she committed that was great enough to be walled in was creating a place called the Den of Iniquity. For me."
    "You aren't the only one who has benefited from the Den," Lee countered.
    "But I was the reason she created it. She made that place so that I would have a home."
    "Whether that's true or not doesn't matter," Lee said, his voice sharp. "They never knew about you. The Instructors never asked why she made the Den, and Glorianna never told them, so they never knew about you. I doubt there's any among them that know even now why she altered the landscapes to make the Den."
    "So you decided not to tell me that Glorianna had sacrificed her future for my sake."
    "Don't blame me," Lee snapped. "By the time I found out what had happened,