Splinter & Ash, page 22
“That won’t be necessary—” the queen started.
Lambelin shook his head. “It is. I want you to feel safe. All of you.”
So it was decided. The Maronnes would be freed with apologies from the crown, the guard would be investigated, and the palace would be made secure once more.
Despite that, Splinter was sure the Larks would find new ways of creating chaos in Haven and in Calinor.
Of course, neither the queen nor Lord Lambelin were thrilled with Lucen sneaking out to go find his sister—or with Splinter for aiding him—but they couldn’t fault either of them, since they’d both promised to protect the princess. Lambelin insisted they leave the investigating to the adults, next time.
Splinter and Ash had shared a look and a smile.
Unfortunately, despite recognizing her brave acts, the queen couldn’t do anything about Splinter’s dismissal as squire. It was a decision the master of squires had made, she explained to Ash and Splinter, and she trusted his judgment. She couldn’t overrule him, because to do so would be an abuse of her power.
“I’m sorry,” she told Splinter. “I know this is your dream, but I’ll find another way for you to stay close to Ash. I won’t break up your friendship, and I won’t send you back to your uncle.”
Five days later, Splinter was still waiting to hear the queen’s solution. She’d been cooped up in Ash’s rooms. The royal physicians had examined her shoulder and had deemed the work done at the border at best acceptable. They’d changed the poultice and rebandaged it, giving Splinter strict instructions not to work her arm too hard until the wound healed. No sword exercises and no joining Ash on the archery lanes for practice.
“Not that I need sword exercises if I’m not allowed to be a squire anymore,” Splinter grumbled. She flopped onto the bed. Ash, sitting at the desk writing a letter to Mist and Hazel, shook her head. “Just be patient.”
A slender black-and-brown cat Ash said had come from the palace gardens lay curled up on her lap.
“I’m not good at being patient.” Splinter rested her chin in her hand. “How’s the letter coming along?”
Ash winced. “I would rather talk to them, but they don’t want to see me.” All her invitations had been returned unopened. Ash didn’t blame them, but Splinter knew that she felt terrible.
“I’m sorry,” she said, not for the first time. She had never intended to break their friendship.
“I thought the hardest part would be making friends,” Ash admitted. “Losing friends is much harder.”
Word around Haven was that the Maronnes were planning to leave the city for the coast, to leave all the cruel and hurtful whispers behind. Splinter couldn’t blame them.
Ash focused on the letter again, nibbling on the pen that left ink blotches all across her hands and face. She’d been quieter since their return. She’d asked the palace scribes for books about the royal family’s history and pored over them at night. She’d told Splinter she wanted to spend more time in Haven, to get to know the city better. “I don’t know enough about Calinor at all.”
Splinter had promised to go with her, as soon as the palace physicians gave her the all clear. “Lord Lambelin will want to send the guard with us too.”
Ash had hummed noncommittally. “We could go to the floating docks and ask one of the captains to show me their ship.”
“We’ll eat candied berries and sugar crowns until we’re sick.”
“Do you think we can find all the secret corners of Haven?”
Splinter had grinned. “I think Camille can help with that.”
“Perfect.”
Splinter grabbed the small whittling knife on the desk. She’d found the wooden doll she’d stolen in the encampment in her bags, and over the past few days, she’d focused on finishing it to keep herself distracted. She’d garnered cuts and nicks in the process, and she wasn’t good at it, but the doll was looking more like something she could display and not like something that would haunt her dreams.
She was carving out a leg when someone knocked on the door. At the threshold, she found the same page who’d failed to deliver Ash’s note to her the day she got kidnapped.
He blushed. “Splinter?”
“What do you want?”
He produced a thin note. “You’re to report to the master of squires.”
Splinter’s heart skipped a beat. “When? Why?”
The page shrugged. “Right now.”
Behind her, Ash had placed her letter to the side, and she held out a freshly washed silver tunic to Splinter. Ash’s face was carefully neutral, but nerves bounced around in Splinter’s stomach. “Do you know what this is about?”
“I know you shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
“Ash . . .”
The corner of Ash’s mouth twitched into a half-hidden smile. “Go.”
Splinter snatched the tunic out of Ash’s hands and ran back to her own room, changing from a wrinkled shirt into formal clothes. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to create a semblance of order. Then she dashed past Ash, past the befuddled page, and through the mazelike halls of the palace.
After they got back, Ash had shown her the tunnel her kidnappers had used, now heavily guarded. They’d wandered the rest of the palace together, because Splinter hated being confined to her quarters and they both needed to get used to being here again.
As she ran through the halls now, the familiar smells and sights were a comfort. Splinter swerved to avoid a scribe with her arms full of books, and when she turned to the master of squires’s office, she nearly collided headfirst with Ilsar, who was pacing back and forth in the hallway. Behind him—to Splinter’s surprise—was Lucen, his arms crossed and leaning against the wall.
“Oh, look. If it isn’t the princess’s failed squire.” Ilsar checked her with his shoulder. “Go away. You don’t deserve to be here.”
“Ilsar.” Lucen’s voice snapped like a whip. “Be quiet.”
Ilsar’s eyes bulged and his mouth dropped open. Splinter bit her lip to keep from grinning.
Lucen offered her a hesitant smile. They hadn’t seen much of each other since their return. Lucen had returned to the other squires, and Splinter had become increasingly convinced that the boy she had traveled with was nothing more than a star shade.
Maybe she’d been wrong.
The door opened, and Lord Brenet, master of squires, appeared in the opening. He nodded at Splinter and Lucen and turned his chair back to his desk, obviously expecting them to follow. Splinter slipped in first, with Lucen closing the door behind them.
At the desk, Lord Brenet leaned forward, his expression unreadable.
Spring showers pattered against the window. A lantern sat on the windowsill, and a pair of glasses lay on top of a stack of papers.
Splinter fidgeted. She wasn’t sure if she should say something, anything. Next to her, Lucen had folded his hands behind his back as he stared into the distance, but a blush crept up on his cheeks.
“The last time we spoke,” Lord Brenet said in his deep, measured voice, “I asked you if any of the squires had treated you unjustly or acted dishonorably. You lied to me.”
Splinter swallowed. Whatever she expected, this wasn’t it. “My lord?”
“You led me to believe that you were the one who initiated the fight in the courtyard.”
“I . . .” Splinter hesitated. The fight in the courtyard felt like a lifetime ago.
“Well?”
She could hardly tell him that she had expected all of the squires he’d trained to blame her. “Yes, my lord.”
“Whether you did it out of noble intentions to protect your prince, or because you thought your word would hold no weight, you were mistaken.” Brenet nodded at Lucen. “I expect my squires to follow the rules of chivalry, to treat one another respectfully and honorably. Tell her what you told me.”
Lucen straightened. The only indication of his nerves was that, behind his back, he ran his nails along the sleeves of his tunic. “My lord, I was responsible for the fight in the courtyard. The other squires followed my orders to bully Splinter, and I made sure she couldn’t fulfill her duties. I started the fight.”
Splinter gaped at Lucen. He met her gaze levelly. “You know I’m sorry. I never intended for any of this to happen.”
“I know,” she stammered.
“Intentions or not,” Lord Brenet spoke, “an injustice happened as a result of it, and it will not stand.”
Splinter’s mouth grew dry. A spark of hope flared through her. “Sir?”
Brenet made his way to the other side of the desk and faced Splinter. “I misjudged you, and for that I apologize. In the time you’ve been here—and in your service to the princess—you’ve proven yourself worthy to be a squire. You deserved the aid and trust of your teachers, and I apologize for not fully recognizing the position you were in.”
The master of squires held out his hand to her, and Splinter took it. “You couldn’t know, my lord,” she whispered, feeling hot and cold all over.
“Then that was a mistake on both our parts. Fighting your own fights is a noble pursuit, but a foolish one. To be brave enough to ask for help is knightly,” he said. “Do you understand?”
Splinter glanced sideways at Lucen, who wore the same small smile as his sister had. She did. They probably both did. “Yes, my lord.”
“Good.” Lord Brenet let go of her hand. His expression was as serious as it always was, with deep lines across his forehead. But Splinter could swear she saw a twinkle in his eyes when he said, “Then return to your duties, Squire Splinter.”
Splinter yelped. She jumped and almost hugged him. She threw her good arm around Lucen instead. “Thank you.”
Lucen stiffened. Then he relaxed. “It’s good to have you back. I look forward to sparring with you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I look forward to beating you.”
“Squires.” Lord Brenet coughed, and Splinter and Lucen straightened.
“You’re dismissed,” he said, nodding to Splinter. He approached Lucen, who pushed his shoulders back but visibly blanched. “You and I, your highness, are going to have a long conversation about all of this.”
“Yes, my lord,” they both chorused.
Splinter turned. She squeezed Lucen’s arm when she passed him. And then she ran. Out of the office. Into the familiar hallways of the palace.
Back to Ash.
Acknowledgments
When I was ten, I read Tonke Dragt’s De brief voor de koning, a Dutch book about a young squire who dreams of knighthood. I fell in love. With the story, with the world, with swords and knights and grand adventures. It was my comfort book. Some days, I’d get to the last page, flip it over, and read it again. The book made me want to become a knight. It also made me want to become a storyteller.
Years later, I discovered Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series, and I fell in love all over again. With these lady knights and spies, their found families, and their courageous choices. I read those books to pieces. Quite literally, actually. It was magic to see words turn into worlds that felt a little like home.
Without a sliver of doubt: Splinter, Ash, and Lucen and the world of Calinor wouldn’t exist—and I wouldn’t be a writer—if it wasn’t these stories. The first time I tried my hand at my own book, when I was eleven, I wrote about knights and castles and intrigue, and so many years later, that spark of joy and adventure has never left me. I’m forever grateful to these authors and to all the books I met along the way that helped me become the author and the person I am today.
Thank you to my wonderful editor, Martha Mihalick, who immediately saw to the heart of Splinter & Ash and understood it. Thank you for being my partner-in-fantasy-worlds, for pushing me to make this story shine (in fewer words), for your insight and care. Your editorial pen was clearly forged from starlight.
To my agents, Suzie Townsend and Sophia M. Ramos, who are the staunchest knight-protectors that any book could have. Thank you for being unwavering champions of my work. It’s far better to be in these trenches together. And that holds true for all of Team New Leaf, and in particular Olivia Coleman, who makes magic happen in all administrative ways.
Thank you to Vivienne To for the cover of my dreams and to Sylvie Le Floc’h for the cover design of my dreams. Thank you for making Splinter, Ash, and Haven come to life.
Thank you to Sabrina Abballe and the middle grade marketing team. To Samantha Brown and the publicity team. To Patty Rosati and the school and library marketing team. You are the fiercest allies any princess or squire could ask for. To everyone at Greenwillow and HarperCollins who had a hand in bringing this story to its readers, thank you for loving this book and these characters so wholeheartedly. I’m infinitely grateful to each and every one of you for giving Splinter and Ash such a supportive home.
Thank you to Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby, whose anthology This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us first allowed me to spend time with Splinter and Ash. It remains an honor to be a part of such a special project, and I knew from the moment I finished my anthology story that I wouldn’t be able to let go of these characters. I’m overjoyed to now have the opportunity to build them a whole palace.
My endless gratitude goes to booksellers, teachers, librarians, reviewers, and everyone in the book community. Thank you for embracing my work in all its different shapes and forms. I’m so excited to share this new world with you, and I hope you love spending time in Calinor as much as I do.
To my friends who are always there, every step along the way, with every book. You are my knights in shining armor.
And finally, to you, reader. This book is my love letter to the adventure stories that made me. It’s a not-so-little piece of my heart. And it’s yours to brave and explore. So to every reader who dreams of heroism and adventure, every reader who’s on a quest to find themselves, every reader who longs and fights for a better, more welcoming world, every queer reader, every disabled reader: this is yours. Here’s to the adventures ahead.
About the Author
MARIEKE NIJKAMP (she/they) is the author of the middle grade graphic novel Ink Girls, illustrated by Sylvia Bi, and several books for young adults, including #1 New York Times bestsellers, a critically acclaimed anthology, graphic novels, and comics. She studied philosophy and medieval history, and when she isn’t writing, she loves to garden, roll dice, and daydream. Marieke Nijkamp lives and writes in Small Town, the Netherlands.
MARIEKENIJKAMP.COM
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Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used to advance the fictional narrative. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.
Greenwillow Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
SPLINTER & ASH. Copyright © 2024 by Marieke Nijkamp. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Cover art © 2024 by Vivienne To
Cover design by Sylvie Le Floc’h
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Nijkamp, Marieke, author.
Title: Splinter & Ash / Marieke Nijkamp.
Other titles: Splinter and Ash
Description: First edition. | New York : Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. | Audience: Ages 8–12. | Audience: Grades 4–6. | Summary: “A chance encounter throws Ash and Splinter into each other’s orbits, and they find friendship in their shared loneliness and their desires to prove themselves”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2024010344 (print) | LCCN 2024010345 (ebook) | ISBN 9780063326262 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780063326286 (ebook)
Subjects: CYAC: People with disabilities—Fiction. | Gender—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Family life—Fiction. | Fantasy. | LCGFT: Fantasy fiction. | Novels.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.N55 Sp 2024 (print) | LCC PZ7.1.N55 (ebook) | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024010344
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024010345
Digital Edition SEPTEMBER 2024 ISBN: 978-0-06-332628-6
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-332626-2 (hardcover)
FIRST EDITION
Greenwillow Books
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