Page 37 of Destroyer

“He’s got nothing to do with this,” said Ru, leaning back on the sofa, desperate to get out of this uncomfortable gown. The boning had done its job in keeping her standing straight; now it threatened to crush her slowly. “I doubt I’ll even see him again after dinner tonight.”

“Fine, have it your way,” said Simon, shaking his head as if his sister had driven him to his wits’ end, when it was in fact, he who was being tiresome. “But I do have one more tidbit for you. That dig site at the Shattered City. I don't believe the regent could have cared less about that sort of thing. She would never have considered digging around in the crater like a lunatic. But the second those white-robed Children arrived, she decided to fund a dig. Not one of them will open up to me; I've tried all my tricks. I can't understand it. And what I understand even less, little sister, is twofold. Perhaps you’ll enlighten me?”

Ru sighed. Her brother had a way of using fifty words when two would do. “Yes, Simon, what is it?”

“Why do you suppose they uncovered this black rock, this misshapen object, and immediately thought:magic.”

“How can I possibly know that?” said Ru. “Lady Maryn said their technology was... acting up. Their watches weren't working properly.”

He gave her a long look. “And scrambled clockwork says magic to you?”

Ru shrugged, hoping her nonchalance was believable — if he suspected she was hiding something, he wouldn't let her leave until he got it out of her. He couldn't know about the artifact's connection to her. No one could. It was too dangerous, toowrong.

“I suppose not,” she replied. “There are plenty of things that could cause a reaction like that. All I know is that the regent and her advisor read my paper and actually found it intriguing. If anything, this raises my opinion of Hugon.”

Simon pursed his lips. “Well, Ialsoread that paper, and all I can say is that I was left with more questions than answers.”

They glared at each other for a moment.

“And what was the second thing?” Ru asked, finally, losing patience.

“Whatwasthe second thing,” replied Simon, staring up at the ceiling, brows furrowed. “Ah, yes. How did Hugon get hold of your paper in the first place? How did he convince the regent to take it seriously? What have they got against you?”

Ru rolled her eyes. She wasn't safe from even her own brother's mockery. “You can’t be serious.”

Simon actually laughed at that. “I swear I’m not trying to insult you. I’m genuinely intrigued, and you should be too. That paper was... well, to put it mildly, the jokes among the palace scholars went on for weeks. What’s the reasoning behind Hugon dredging it up after how many months? Where do you fit in? It all smells a bit foul. And from what I’ve heard, it sounds as if Hugon himself convinced the regent to allow you to bring the artifact with you to the Tower. Why?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” said Ru. So the blonde man in white, lurking behind the regent’s chair, that had been Hugon.

“Well,” said Simon, standing abruptly, his hair bouncing with the movement. “It’s getting late, and I can see your maid is eager to have you dressed for dinner.”

Ru turned, seeing Pearl hovering near the servants’ entrance, clearly waiting for a break in the conversation to intervene. Turning back to Simon, she fixed him with a wide-eyed pleading look.

He hesitated for a moment, as if he might pull her into a hug, but instead he extended a hand and patted the top of her head. “Don’t worry, sister. I’ll be performing at dinner tonight, flitting from guest to guest like an invisible little butterfly. Your brother has your back. We’ll speak again soon.”

He left with an obnoxious wink and a flourishing bow, and Ru slumped on the couch, wishing her brother was a bit more open and a bit less flashy when it came to… well, everything. But she knew he had heard her, had taken everything she told him seriously. If he was to be performing at dinner, he would pick up on things that others missed.

She only hoped she would have another opportunity to speak with him, one on one, before she departed for the Tower.

“Pearl,” she said, forcing herself to stand despite an intense desire to take a very long nap. “Would you help me dress for dinner?”

CHAPTER12

Much to Ru’s surprise, she was seated to the right of Regent Sigrun at dinner, a place of honor. She wasn’t sure what she had done to earn such a thing, nor was she certain she wanted it, but there was no getting out of it. The regent would sit her guests where she pleased.

Worse, though, was that Fen sat across the table from Ru. Normally such placement would be ideal — they could converse throughout the meal easily. But the dining table was so large that Ru would have to shout to be heard by Fen over the loud conversation of the room. Not to mention her brother’s addition to the noise, strumming his lute and singing a raucous ditty as he drifted about.

The seat to Ru’s right was thankfully empty; for now, at least. She took this as a gift, and since the regent’s attention was constantly being vied for by her various dinner guests, Ru found herself sitting and eating in peace.

The room at least was beautiful to look at, with dark wood paneling along the walls that belied an older part of the palace. The regent’s banner hung at one end of the room under an arched ceiling, flanked by brightly burning oil lamps in iron sconces.

The table itself was long and took up most of the room. Bedecked with summer foliage and flickering candelabra, it was a feast for the senses, the smell of roasting meat and fresh bread wafting in from an antechamber where the servants prepared to bring out each course.

While she took in her surroundings, Ru wondered why the regent had invited them to dinner at all, beyond perhaps a sense of duty to her guests. She made a toast at the start of the meal, thanking everyone for their work and loyalty, but never once acknowledged Ru by name, or the artifact, or anything to do with Ru’s traumatic experience at the dig site.

She felt almost snubbed at first, but Ru decided that she would rather not be the center of attention at a palace dinner. And it was all the easier to enjoy the sight of Fen. She wanted nothing more than to let her gaze rove over him greedily, from head to nimble fingers.

She first saw him as she sat down, catching his eye across the table, causing her to stumble as she settled in her seat. His effect on her was almost embarrassing, the way he made her regress to an awkward pubescent girl. Heat flushed her cheeks, her hands clammy and awkward as she tried not to stare.

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