Page 44 of A Fractured Song

Zev raised his eyebrows. “And I don’t?”

“Well, you wouldn’t be the first man whose pride was bruised by being overpowered by critters half his height. It can sting a touch, or so I’m told.”

Zev stared at her for a moment before, to Marieke’s surprise, she saw his face soften in amusement.

“I wouldn’t say my pride is flourishing.”

Svetlana chuckled. “Was it being brought to heel, or being outwitted regarding the bargaining that did it? Or both?”

Zev’s only reply was a rueful expression, which was enough to bring another chuckle out of Svetlana.

“I’ll leave you to tend to your bruises, then. Dinner is in a quarter of an hour through this door, late arrivals depart hungry.” She strode through the door, closing it firmly behind her.

To Marieke’s surprise, Zev let out a chuckle of his own. “You know, I almost like her.” He took Marieke’s hand with one of his freed ones, the sudden movement startling her and bringing a touch of heat up her neck.

“Have you forgotten that she’s holding us captive?” Marieke asked, swallowing audibly and hoping it wasn’t obvious how vividly aware she was of every point of contact between Zev’s skin and hers.

“Of course I haven’t.” Zev’s voice held the hint of a smile as he tugged her toward the door Svetlana had indicated. “I just expected her to be different.”

“Expected?” Marieke repeated. “Why did you have any expectations at all, since you’d never even heard of her?”

Zev shrugged as, watched by the guards, they went through the doorway and found a well-lit room with a still, underground pool. “Not Svetlana specifically, maybe. But I live close to the canyon. People in my region know the rumors of the monarchists down here. They have their own reputation.”

Marieke released Zev’s hand to kneel at the water’s edge,dipping in her hands and patting her weary face. “So what did you expect her to be like?”

“Well…like Gorgon, I suppose. Hotheaded and unreasonable, passionate for a cause he knew nothing about. But this Svetlana…” Zev shrugged again, not kneeling by the water himself, his demeanor that of a man keeping watch. “She means well, I think.” He smiled ruefully. “Probably. Maybe.”

“Whatever that means.” Marieke didn’t feel in the mood for his riddles, more focused on washing the grime off her arms. Climbing down the steep cliffside hadn’t left her tidy or clean, to put it mildly. Her clothes were also the worse for wear, but she couldn’t imagine feeling safe enough in the monarchists’ enclave to change into fresh ones from her pack.

“Doesn’t mean they’re not wasting their lives down here, of course.” Zev’s musings seemed to be as much for his own benefit as hers.

“What should they be doing instead?” Marieke countered. She flashed Zev a grin. “Tilling the soil like good farm folk?”

He laughed. “Yes, actually. A much more productive use of their time.”

Marieke stood, studying him. “It’s true, isn’t it?” she said thoughtfully. “You believe the same as the monarchists do about the singers’ coup and the current council. But you don’t sit around bemoaning it. You keep active, earning an honest living, helping your country in your own way.”

“I like to think so,” Zev said lightly. He didn’t meet her eye, apparently not as interested in discussing his philosophy on life as she was. With Marieke standing up, he bent, swiftly scrubbing his hands before straightening again. “Come on, I’m famished.”

Marieke couldn’t argue with that, following him back into the main cavern. Others were streaming into it, a few going past them to the underground spring to wash their hands. Theyentered the room Svetlana had indicated to find about a dozen people already seated. They all wore the same gray clothes as Svetlana, clearly designed to camouflage well with the rock.

“You do have a point about them wasting their lives,” Marieke murmured to Zev. “I mean, what do they alldodown here? When they’re not holding unwary travelers captive, that is.”

The corner of Zev’s mouth quirked up in the smile that she’d become far too fond of, but he didn’t otherwise respond. She understood why. As outsiders, they were clearly an oddity. Every eye found them as they advanced through the room, and it didn’t seem likely that speech between them would remain private.

In fact, all speech in the room stilled as they took their seats. Marieke just hoped her stomach wasn’t going to growl into the silence. She was hungry enough that she wouldn’t be surprised.

They were served up a hot stew, its heartiness surprising her. She glanced at Zev, who’d already begun to eat.

“Where do they get the meat? Surely there can’t be enough animals down here to sustain a whole community. Do you think they have a farm somewhere in the canyon?”

Zev considered his bowl for a moment before answering, then ran his thumb along the handle of his spoon.

“Maybe.” He didn’t sound convinced.

The meal passed in a near silence that was surely unusual for the small community. Judging by the constant looks thrown their way, it was the presence of strangers that stilled everyone’s tongues. One girl in particular seemed to be looking at them every time Marieke’s eyes rose from her bowl. As the rest of the group started to clear out of the little cave, the girl sidled closer. When Marieke lowered her spoon for the last time, it was to find the stranger only one benchaway.

“Hello,” Marieke said, holding the other girl’s gaze. She expected her to look away or hurry off, but instead she slid closer along the wooden bench.

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