Page 26 of A Tower of Half-Truths
Alain nodded. “So much so, they ordered his execution. Though they managed to follow through on it for the other members of the Order, Aganast himself disappeared, never to be seen again. It’s likely he, like many others who’d gained the churches’ ire, fled on a ship to Nilandor.”
“And you think he was behind the Innominate Temple?”
“At the very least, I found evidence that connects it to the Order of Asphodel. Let’s see here…”
He now lingered closely enough for Mavery to feel the warmth of his body, his quickened breaths against her ear. As he turned the pages, his fingertips briefly brushed hers. But she was too intriguedby his research—and by this sudden change in his demeanor—to move away.
They’d spent most of the past week in silence, keeping to opposite sides of the room. From nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, Mavery sorted through books while Alain read them, only pausing for midday meals, when they exchanged a few words over sandwiches and tea. Their conversations usually centered around Mavery’s Sensing abilities. If the mood struck, they would delve into more risqué topics, such as the weather or the newspaper headlines. This was the most they’d spoken to each other since Mavery’s first day of work.
Alain turned to the final entry, then froze. Before Mavery could even finish reading the date, he snatched the journal from her hands and snapped it shut. As she turned around, he clutched it to his chest.
“Gods, I completely lost track of the time! It’s nearly four-thirty. You should have left ages ago.”
Mavery’s eyes narrowed. “What was in that journal entry?”
“Nothing you need to see.” He shifted on the spot, avoiding her eyes. “I…I think I must have mistaken my research journal for my personal one.”
If he knew how often she dealt in half-truths, he would be a bit more careful with his own. The storage room was no longer the only thing piquing her curiosity.
“Then can you at least tell me about the evidence you found?”
“I don’t remember the specifics. Even if I did, it makes no difference. I doubt it would be enough to crack that mystery. No, as I said, this is a project best left shelved.”
Before she could say any more, he sidestepped a pile of books. He placed the journal inside a desk drawer, then took another key from around his neck. With a click of the lock, he put the matter to rest.
“And now, I suppose we’ve come to the end of our ‘trial run,’ ” he said.
“Last time I checked, there were seven days in a week. We still have one day left.”
“True, but seeing as the University doesn’t hold classes onFinisdays, I would always give my assistants the day off. Though I’m on sabbatical, I’d still like to offer that to you.”
“You want to keep this going?”
He nodded. “It would be a shame to part ways now, just when we’re beginning to make progress. So, why don’t we turn this into a more permanent arrangement?”
He didn’t trust her enough to forgo his keys and secrets, but hedidtrust her enough to keep her around. That was a promising start. To uncover his secrets, Mavery would need to play the long con, and patience was the only “key” she would need.
She smiled. “I was hoping you would say that.”
She left Steelforge Towers with another eighty potins in her pocket—another advance on her wages. If she kept this up, it wouldn’t be long before she earned back the money Neldren had stolen from her. And she was certain shecouldkeep it up. Sorting through a seemingly endless pile of books made for tedious work, but a job that didn’t require risking death or imprisonment made for a welcome change of pace. Maybe she could—
What are you thinking!?
Even if she decided to abandon her scheme and become a legitimate assistant, it would only be a matter of time before Alain discovered her lack of credentials, her sordid past, her reasons for coming here in the first place. Sooner or later, he would discover the truth. She doubted he would keep her around after learning how much he’d been deceived.
Their arrangement would never be permanent. Thinking otherwise would only lead to disappointment.
Eight
At the beginning of her third week on the job, Mavery received a sign—quite literally—that her patience was beginning to pay off. She arrived on Onisday morning to a note attached to the door.
Out running errands this morning. Should return around thirteen o’clock, midday at the latest. Door is unlocked. Please begin work without me.
-A
Finally, she could give Alain’s apartment a thorough casing. He had likely taken his keys with him, but she’d glimpsed the storage room’s lock enough times to know it would be no challenge for her lockpicking tools.
Upon stepping inside the apartment, the metallic scent cutting through the musty books was stronger than usual. She looked to her left. Alain had placed a protective ward over the storage room door. But that did little to dampen her spirits; now, she had no doubt he was hiding something in there.
