Chapter 29
~ brEN ~
Voski looked stern. “Bren, the General already told us not to let you try to search—”
“I want to avoid Ruin’s chambers in future,” I said with a sigh. “I won’t stop or look, just give me the nudge so I know where it is.”
Voski looked uneasy, but nodded. I took a step towards the curtain and he caught the hand I extended to push it back. “It’s a good chance to practice being discreet,” he whispered pointedly.
My cheeks heated as I nodded. I wanted him to see that I’d improved in my skills since we got here, not that I was forgetting everything that he taught me. But he slipped right into instruction, as if it was nothing.
“Remember, movement will be noticed before anything else. See what you can without touching anything first. Then slowly take the curtain back from the wall, not the center—and facing the most likely direction from which you might have visitors.”
I did as he’d said, and careful not to brush the curtains with my skirt, I leaned towards that tiny gap between the two curtains and put my eye to it, scanning as much of the corridor as I could without moving anything.
Then I returned to the side where we’d entered, and slowly eased the curtain back from the wall to look down towards the intersection of this hallway with the main corridor at the end.
It was dim with shadows from this distance, the lanterns not quite illuminating the full space.
“I can’t see anything,” I whispered, then slid my palm along the wall and slowly inched the curtain back.
Sadly, I would need a great deal of space for my skirts, so there was no chance of slipping into the hallway gracefully.
But Voski remained behind me as I swept the curtain back to give me enough space, then stepped out, heart beating a little quicker than it had before.
I took a quick look up and down the hallway before stepping out to the center and walking as I would normally. Voski murmured approval and some warning for how to approach the intersection of hallways and what to look for.
“Ruin’s doorway is the third alcove on the left in that corridor. Don’t be obvious about it.”
I was already a little late to the banquet, so I prayed Ruin was far away and under Donavyn’s eyes.
When I turned into that wide, adjoining corridor, there was one servant hurrying along the hall ahead of us, moving in the same direction, but she didn’t even turn, so I couldn’t be sure she knew I was there.
I walked quickly past Ruin’s room, making a mental note about its position, but not letting my eyes stray to it, and hurrying as I would anytime I was late, listening to Voski whispering about shadows and spaces, and which would be suitable to conceal—the alcoves with art, but no place to sit, or doors—and which were to be avoided.
“Watch for servants' eyes if you meet one leaving a room. A servant that is busy and on their way to work, will keep their eyes in the direction of the task they’re going to complete. They’ll offer you respect without slowing.
A servant that’s secretly searching for you, or watching you to share information later, will look at you, probably scan your clothing, and may even slow to let you move ahead of them. ”
“Surely you can’t know if they’re always up to something nefarious if they do that?”
“No, but it’s worth noting. If rumors of your movements are coming back to you, or other clues that someone’s watching, it’s worth considering who might be the source.”
I filed that little nugget away and kept walking.
The hallways here were surprisingly empty, as well.
I frowned. “Why do you think there are so few people around tonight?” I asked, but before he could answer, a door ahead and to my right swung open, and a slight, beautiful woman stepped out, gripping her skirts as if she were about to run or scale steps.
But when she caught my movement from the corner of her eye, she turned and her brows rose.
“Bren! You look lovely!”
“Grace!” I gasped, hurrying to catch up to her and curtseying quickly. She rolled eyes and shook her head as she started down the corridor, reaching for my elbow. “What are you doing here?”
Grace looked bemused. “I should be asking you—those are my rooms.”
She was housed in the same corridor as Ruin? Was that normal in a royal guest wing? I supposed it was.
“Oh,” I said with a nervous laugh. “I’d been down at the modiste and this is the shortest route to the banquet hall. I must have passed your rooms before without knowing.”
“Well, now you know,” she said with a smile and squeezed my arm. “Next time, stop and see if I’m in. We could take tea or… something,” she said, her cheeks pinking prettily.
“I’d like that,” I said even as my stomach sank, because if we got Ruin and Hanson pinned down in the next couple of days, we wouldn’t be here long enough.
“Me too.” Then Grace looked over her shoulder, behind me, her eyes scanning Voski. Thank God he had his hood up still.
“Is this your man?” she asked curiously. “You’re usually flanked by the General, so I haven’t met your servants.”
“Oh, I don’t have servants,” I said thoughtlessly, then blinked because who the hell else would I tell her he was?
I cleared my throat when her forehead lined.
“Vane is one of Donavyn’s helpers. With the dragons.
But he was worried about me returning to the Banquet late and alone, so he sent Vane to… escort me.”
“It is a benefit of finally traveling alone, that my father isn’t here to force guards on me in safe places like that,” Grace said with a sweet smile.
“Poor Vane—having such duties when usually he’d be working with the dragons.
We nobles must seem so boring by comparison.
Well, Vane—this is your chance. I am fascinated by your dragons.
Please, tell me your stories as we walk.
I wish I could join the Lady Brennan on her adventures, but she pretends she has none! ”
“Dragons are nowhere for a highborn woman to place her attentions,” Voski muttered, startling me with his rude, sullen tone.
I turned my head and glared at him over my shoulder. “The Lady Grace is a friend, Vane. You don’t need to protect her. I’ll do that.”
His head was down enough that only his chin and jaw showed under the hood, but there were two, tiny pinpoints of light in the shadows around his face and his jaw flexed like he had it clenched.
“It wasn’t her person I protected,” he replied. “But her precious silks—the dragons are very unforgiving on fabric.”
“I am aware,” I said pointedly. “Again, the Lady Grace was being very kind showing an interest in you, Vane. Perhaps you could show some humility and be gracious as she is—”
“Forgive me, Lady Grace,” Voski said, with precisely zero remorse or humility in his tone. “Of course, you should ask whatever questions you wish,” he added flatly.
I would have sworn at him, but poor Grace, her cheeks growing hotter with every step, gave a small, nervous laugh.
“My father did warn me that I should be more circumspect with men,” she said.
“There is no need for forgiveness, Master Vane. Rest assured, I agree with you that the life—and wardrobe—of a Lady does not lend itself to adventure.”
“Then perhaps you should consider that before dreaming of dragons. We wouldn’t want your precious silks singed.” Voski said flatly.
“Vane!” I hissed, drawing up short and actually turning to face him, shocked that he would be rude. Had he misunderstood who Grace was? I’d specifically asked my brothers to watch out for her with Ruin and—
Voski stopped walking, his chin low and hands clenched to fists at his sides. But before I could figure out how to reprimand him without giving away our cover, Grace patted my arm.
“Don’t worry yourself, Lady Brennan,” she said shakily. “I know my curiosities are unusual for a lady.”
“No, Grace, you haven’t—”
“Please, don’t worry.” She let go of my arm and began walking away. “I’ll hurry ahead and let your General know that you’re on your way.”
“But, Grace—”
But she bowed her head, then hurried away. And I saw her expression falter as she turned from me.