Page 32 of Only Hard Problems

An answering grin creased Wendell’s face, although it quickly morphed into a thoughtful look. “My trick would have been better if it had blown the Scarab completely apart like I intended. I’ve never been particularly good at thinking of solutions on the fly and under pressure. Not like other people. Why, I bet—”

He cut off his words, but a wave of wistfulness washed off him, and the rest of his thought echoed through my mind:Vesper would have made it work.

A cold fist wrapped around my heart and squeezed it tight. My father didn’t even know his daughter, not really, but he already had the utmost confidence in her abilities, just as he’d always had the same unwavering faith in mine.

“What about Lady Asterin?” my grandmother asked. “Were you able to give her the solstice gift before the attack?”

I suppressed a sigh. No matter the situation, Beatrice always focused on business first and foremost, something I admired and despised about her in equal measure. “No, I didn’t give her the gift earlier, and I don’t see the point of giving it to her now. You heard what Rigel said about Asterin’s family rethinking their alliance with House Zimmer in the wake of my great and terrible incompetence as an Arrow tonight.”

My grandmother huffed, the sound full of scathing derision. “As if the Erzton Hammers would have done any better if they had been here. I’ll speak to Rigel and make sure he and the Colliers understand how foolish it would be to stop our negotiations.”

She speared me with a sharp look. “Find Asterin, give her the solstice gift, and smooth things over the best you can. Understand, Zane?”

I suppressed another sigh, too tired to argue with her right now. “Yes, Beatrice.”

My grandmother made a shooing motion with her hand. “There is no time like the present. Perhaps we can salvage something out of this dreadful evening.”

“As always, your wish is my command,” I drawled.

Beatrice sniffed, not appreciating my mocking compliance, but she moved over to a group of Regals and started talking to them. My father gave me an apologetic smile, then did the same thing, going over to some of his friends.

I scanned the lawn, but Asterin wasn’t here, so I went inside the castle in search of the Erzton lady.

By this point, it was after midnight, which meant the summer solstice was officially over. Many of the Regals had gone inside the castle to find their rooms for the night or to wait for transports to take them home, but I didn’t see Asterin in any of the sitting areas.

I moved from one room and corridor to the next, smiling and nodding at everyone I passed, although I received angry glowers and muttered curses in return. A few folks stepped forward and stabbed their fingers at me, but I kept moving. I’d already talked enough to the gossipcasters, and I had no desire to endure any more pointed questions and stinging reprimands about my failures. I wanted some more skinbonds, a hot shower, and a soothing cup of tea, not necessarily in that order, but I’d be lucky if I got any of those things before sunrise.

Eventually, I stuck my head into a conservatory. More pink-star honeysuckles curled through the enormous room, perfuming the air with their sweet scent, while the permaglass dome overhead revealed the full breadth and beauty of the night sky, as though a black velvet blanket studded with white sequin stars had been draped over this part of the castle.

Low whispers of conversation caught my ear. I was never shy about eavesdropping, so I slipped into the conservatory, moving from one honeysuckle-lined path to another until I reached the center of the round room. Up ahead, three people were huddled on chaise lounges and having an intense discussion—Tivona Winslow, Leandra Ferrum, and Asterin Armas.

My steps were silent, but Asterin looked in my direction as if she could sense my presence some other way. Strange. I was usually much better at sneaking up on people, but she’d caught me spying, and all I could do now was own it.

The three women shot to their feet, and I plastered a smile on my face and swaggered over to them.

“Ladies! Just wanted to check and make sure you weren’t suffering any ill effects from the evening’s events.”

Tivona slapped her hands on her hips. “What did you expect? That we’d be swooning on the settees, and you would have to fetch us some smelling salts?”

I grinned at her. “I’m always happy to fetch smelling salts or anything else you require.”

Tivona huffed and rolled her eyes. “You are impossible, just like—”

Vesper.She bit off her thought, but it whispered through my mind anyway.

Once again, a cold fist squeezed my heart, but I kept my smile fixed on my face. I raised my eyebrows in a silent question, but Tivona shook her head.

“Nothing,” she muttered. “Never mind.”

When it became apparent Tivona wasn’t going to say anything else, I turned to Leandra. “You were extremely impressive tonight. You cut through those Scarabs like you were pruning weeds in a garden. What would it take to convince you to join the Arrows?”

Leandra let out a low, amused laugh. “You couldn’t afford my price, Zane.”

“Which would be what, exactly? I am not without resources. Neither is Callus Holloway. The Imperium royal coffers are quite substantial. Why, they are practicallyburstingwith credits. I’m sure we could come to some mutually beneficial arrangement.”

She rolled her eyes. “By the stars, you are persistent.”

My smile widened. “It’s one of my best traits and many charms.”

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