Chapter 52 – Wave #2
“I believe we’ll be missed downstairs soon.” She looked around the office once more before locking eyes with Mr. Ulriche. “What do you do if the book doesn’t want to be found?”
Mr. Ulriche shook his head. “Unfortunately, that is not my expertise. Would you like me to make some inquiries?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Wayla?” Marc asked, finally picking up that they weren’t talking about books. Wave just shook her head. Mr. Ulriche nodded and flicked his eyes between the two of them. Wave gave another, more subtle shake of her head.
“Very well then. I’ll let you know when I have something,” he said. “Please let Heather know I’ll be down shortly.”
“Thank you. We will.”
As soon as they were out of the office, Marc grabbed Wave’s arm and pulled her to a stop.
“What was that about?”
“Tracking spell,” Wave whispered quietly. “He figured me out last time. I needed to know if he had told anyone.”
“The attack,” Marc murmured.
“I didn’t think he was behind that,” Wave hurried to say. “But if someone is tracking me—”
“You need a way to hide from spells.” Marc eyed her. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
Wave took a moment to swallow and breathe in deep. “Because you are not on that wall, Marc.”
“What?”
“Your father is.” Wave pointed at the portrait. “He might not be high tier, but he understands the game. You…” She hesitated a moment. “Esserieh said to keep you out of it. Your inquiries are not careful enough. A lot can be learned about an opponent based on what information they are looking for.”
Marc frowned. “But—”
“It’s not a bad thing to suck at those games, Marc. I’ve tried to avoid them my whole life, but I’ve never had the luxury of being bad at them.”
“Then why do I feel like I’ve let you down again?”
Wave smiled softly, but she had a hard time forcing the words past her lips. “Because you still think I need you to fight my battles for me.” She looped her arm around his and started walking. “We better get going.”
This time, dinner was a different affair. She was once again seated next to Marc and across from Mr. Ulriche, but Tanner sat on her left side. It almost felt like she was the guest of honor, not Tanner. When she glanced at the boy—young man, she corrected herself, he gave her a wide smile.
“I asked for you to be seated next to me,” he said.
Wave flicked her eyes to Marc and back. “Really?”
Tanner looked unrepentant. “Yes. It’s my birthday, after all.”
“That it is,” Mr. Ulriche joined in, ignoring his wife and other people vying for his attention.
When the food started to come out, Wave couldn’t help her delighted laughter.
Instead of cold soup, the starter was an array of nuggets and croquettes.
Chicken, beef, mushroom, potato, spicy cazzeth—root from the Hell Realm, sweet iseri—berry from heaven, orketh—a rabbit-looking creature from fae lands, and plenty more.
There were at least twenty varieties and twice as many condiments to go with them.
“Man of taste,” she teased Tanner, who looked pleased.
“Only the best for you, Lady Stormbringer.”
“It is your birthday.” She felt the need to remind him. Something flashed in Tanner’s eyes, too quick for her to read, but then he leaned closer.
“But… if you like us enough, maybe you’ll give Marc another chance,” he whispered, his voice catching a little.
“Tanner,” she began but didn’t know how to continue. The boy was too damn observant for his own good, and she wasn’t going to insult him by lying. “It’s not as simple as that,” she finally concluded and Tanner straightened.
“I want him to be happy.”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Marc asked.
“Nothing!” They spoke at the same time, and that brought the smile back to Tanner’s lips. Wave patted his hand gently.
“I’ll think about it, okay? You’d be the best little brother I could ever want,” she whispered.
Tanner looked relieved and they let the subject drop.
Wave piled her plate high with all the delicious little things and smacked Marc’s hand when he tried to dip his talinde nugget into her marreke sauce.
“Get your own!”
“Oh, is there not enough?” Hatty whined from the other side and started to berate the server closest to her. Wave tuned her out and enjoyed the food.
As the dinner progressed, Tanner good-naturedly accepted toast after toast in his honor.
Most of the speeches were dry or self-important, trying to lift the speaker more than congratulate Tanner.
Typical juggling and politicking that Wave hated.
Tanner made them fun by telling her little, salacious rumors of every speaker once they sat down. Everyone.
Wave narrowed her eyes and looked the table up and down while she thought about it. Uncle Essi hadn’t been impressed with Marc’s spying, but Tanner… She tried to figure out if Marc or Mr. Ulriche realized they had a budding spymaster in their family.
By the time dinner was over, Wave knew way more than she had ever thought possible about most of the people at the table. They got up, and Hatty ushered everyone into the ballroom. If dinner had clearly been to Tanner’s tastes, the rest of the entertainment screamed Hatty’s involvement.
After dancing the first dance with Hatty while Wave danced with Tanner, and the second dance with Wave, Mr. Ulriche excused himself from the party.
Marc rolled his eyes but didn’t otherwise comment.
Tanner looked resigned. Hatty hurt. Wave wanted to smack the man.
He cared for his sons but was shit at showing it. He reminded Wave of her mother.
“You could dance with him again,” Marc murmured, while they watched Tanner dance with a pretty fae girl with deer horns.
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Fuck no, it cheers him up.”
“Okay.” Wave nodded and waved Tanner over when the music ended. “Go get them to play something other than this funeral music,” she said, nudging Marc toward the orchestra. Yes, a half of an orchestra was set up on the dais.
“What would you like, my lady?”
“Surprise me, Mr. Ul—ugh, no. Marki-bear. That’s better. Surprise me, Marki-bear.”
That got a laugh from Marc just as Tanner reached them. “As you wish, bunny.”
When the music started again, Wave wasn’t the only one laughing. Hatty looked horrified as the rambunctious drinking song filled the room, but all of Tanner’s friends rushed to the floor, singing along and swaying with the tune like they were all drunken sailors.
It was much later when Wave made her decision. She caught Tanner’s arm and led him out to the garden for a little walk. They wandered slowly until the noise from the open doors waned and Tanner cleared his throat.
“What—”
“Do you have any contacts in Hell?” Wave decided to ask directly. Tanner froze and looked around them frantically.
“What are you talking about?” He tried to look innocent and failed miserably.
“You know very well what I’m talking about, little spymaster,” Wave said softly.
“What? I’m not!” Tanner’s voice rose and Wave took his arm.
“Tanner.” When the boy stopped to breathe, she smiled. “Does your father know?”
Tanner’s shoulders slumped, and he looked defeated. “No,” he muttered. “I thought I was getting decent at it.”
“Oh, you are excellent. Your downfall was letting your guard down with me when you wanted to entertain me.”
For a second, Tanner’s face turned blank and he groaned. “The dinner.”
“The dinner,” Wave agreed. “And I’ve had my own training.”
“Marc never suspected anything,” Tanner grumbled.
“I’m sure he didn’t. Uncle Essi called his information network abysmal.”
Tanner gave an involuntary snort. “Uncle Essi?”
“Esserieh Brokenstar,” Wave stage-whispered.
Tanner blanched. “Br-Brokenstar,” he stammered. “As in, Lord of Hell’s high command and spymaster?”
“Ah, so you do know something of Hell’s intricacies. Good.”
“But I—”
“So, back to my original questions. Do you have contacts in Hell, Tanner?”
“I can’t tell you that!” He objected.
Wave took a moment to look over the well-manicured bushes and at the mansion glittering light in the darkening evening. She mulled over her options, but it still felt like the right course of action.
“Fine.” She held up her hand to stall Tanner. “First, I want to make absolutely clear that you won’t take any risks. Zero. Is that understood?”
“You’re giving me a mission?” Now he looked excited enough to burst.
“Yes.” Wave sighed.
“Why?” Tanner’s excitement dimmed. “Did Marc put you up to this?”
“I thought you implied he doesn’t know,” Wave replied.
“Well, you figured it out.”
“No, this has nothing to do with Marc. At least not directly.”
“Okay? What then…” He trailed off when Wave looked around them once again to make sure they were alone.
“There’s something going on and I can’t put my finger on what it is. I sort of enlisted your father to help, but I think I talked to the wrong Ulriche.”
Tanner beamed at that. “I can—”
Wave halted him again with a shake of her head. “Let him do his thing. For you… let’s call it a trial run. The way things are going, I’ll need my own spymaster sooner rather than later.”
“Yo-you are hiring me? As a Stormbringer spymaster?”
Wave thought that she might have accidentally given him the best birthday present ever. Still, she needed to curb his excitement, even though he wasn’t wrong.
“No, not officially. You will not risk yourself or your contacts for this. If something goes wrong, you will throw me under the bus faster than you can fart. Zero heroics, do you hear me? All I need is for you to keep your ear to the ground on a couple of topics, but you will not get hurt over this. Do you understand?”
“I do, Lady Stormbringer,” Tanner said eagerly.
“Zero danger, Tanner. Swear it.”
He frowned but eventually lifted his left hand over his heart. “I swear to take all the possible precautions to avoid danger and harm under Lady Stormbringer’s employment.”
“Sneaky.” Wave couldn’t help but admire how he slipped the employment clause in. Now, if she wanted him to be careful, she had to hire him.
“I thought it inspired,” Tanner replied with no remorse.
“Fine, spymaster Ulriche. This is your task,” Wave began. As she talked, the smile vanished from Tanner’s face, but he looked more determined than ever.
“I’ll find out,” he said vehemently.
“Carefully,” Wave reminded him, and Tanner thumped his chest as a confirmation.
“At your service, my lady.”