Page 90 of A Fractured Song

She rewarded him with a smile. “Canny indeed.” Her eyes stayed fixed on Zev, even as she spoke to Marieke. “What’s your next question, then?”

Marieke didn’t answer at once. Zev looked over to see her brow furrowed in thought. “You said you don’t know if you’re supplying talismans to whoever’s behind the attacks because you don’t know who it is. But that implies that you have been supplying talismans to someone. If you hadn’t, you’d be able to say with certainty that your talismans weren’t involved.”

It was a good point.

“And it can’t be Gorgon like last time,” Marieke said. “Because, like I told you, he’s dead.”

“We never supplied talismans to any Gorgon,” the younger elf said. She fell silent at a sharp look from her grandmother, then, after a moment, shrugged. “It’s true. And if he was murdering singers, I think we should be forthcoming if the alternative is being connected to his actions.”

Like her grandmother, her eyes lingered on Zev, notMarieke. He felt his skin crawl under the scrutiny, and it was evident that Marieke had noticed it as well.

“I’m grateful for the information,” she said slowly, her eyes passing between the elves and Zev. “Although I don’t quite understand why you care about our good opinion.” Her frown deepened. “Or maybe notour. You’re more interested in Zev’s reaction, aren’t you? Why is that?” A curious look passed over her face, although no one answered. She quickly pressed on with a variant of the same question. “I thought you were taking an interest because I’m a singer, but it’s Zev’s role in all of it that you care about, isn’t it?” She gave a surprised laugh. “Whoa. I really can feel it.”

“I felt it, too, in my own way.” The Imperator’s eyes had returned to Marieke. “You’ve just become more interesting, after all, young singer.”

“Felt what?” Zev demanded uneasily. He shifted slightly, not liking how far his cushion placed him from Marieke.

“The magic,” Marieke said. “It really liked those last couple of questions. The strength of the response makes me think they were very…pertinent.”

“Another questioner?” Kiarana seemed to also be interested now, all of them grasping something Zev didn’t understand. “I thought you said they were rare, Grandmama.”

“They are,” the Imperator replied.

“What do you meananotherquestioner?” Marieke demanded. “Who else have you met with the aptitude for questioning? And what do you mean you never gave talismans to Gorgon? You must have!”

“I will give you a full answer if you will share with me your suspicions about why the magic responds to the pair of you as it does,” the Imperator offered.

“I’d rather not,” Zev said firmly.

Marieke looked at him, and he could see inher face that it cost her to turn away from the answers she was so desperately seeking.

“No, we won’t make that trade,” she said, no hesitation in her voice.

Zev’s heart warmed even as he felt guilty that his secrets were impeding her mission. It cost her, but she didn’t consider betraying his trust. Not even for a moment.

“Then I don’t believe I can help you further.” The Imperator leaned back on her cushion, her eyes passing between them with a fixation that made Zev think she wasn’t done with them yet, whatever her words might say.

“Please,” said Marieke desperately. “We’ve come so far seeking answers. Please, if you know what’s causing the disasters—better yet, what’s causing the land to deteriorate—pleasetell us. There must be some other bargain you can propose.”

“Not with you,” the Imperator said simply. “As intriguing as it is to learn that you have the questioning craft, I don’t believe you have anything of value to offer me.” Her eyes strayed to Zev. “It’s your songless friend I’m interested in. The question is what isheprepared to trade?”

“Please don’t pull him into this,” Marieke said quickly. “This isn’t his fight, it’s mine. He’s not even from Oleand. Whatever’s happening to my country is not his problem to solve.”

“And yet,” the elf said pointedly, “here he is.”

“He’s only here for my sake,” Marieke said.

“Indeed,” the Imperator mused. “So perhaps threatening you would be a more effective way to get answers from him than trying to strike bargains.”

A growl escaped Zev before he could get himself under control. He pushed himself forward, realizing as he did so that his hand had balled into a fist.

The Imperator chuckled. “Relax, youngman. Age mellows us all, and I’m older even than you realize. Far too old to resort to impulsive thuggery.” There was a glint in her eye as she smiled at him. “I’m not sure there’s a great deal you could tell me that I don’t already know. Or at least suspect.”

The words should have alarmed Zev, but he found himself curiously disinterested in the threat to his secrets. His pulse was still hammering at how quickly the elf leader had grasped that Marieke could be used to manipulate him. It was an aspect of his hidden identity that he hadn’t considered. The idea of her being threatened, even harmed before his eyes, as a way to get to him was absolutely terrifying.

“Others of my kind are not as smoothed by the passage of time,” the Imperator continued. “And you would be mistaken to assume I impose full control over their actions. I know that Rissin, for example, is within the settlement currently, meeting with an associate of his. If you do not wish to remain here under circumstances not of your choosing, I suggest you leave now. I can have you escorted back to the human road.”

“Please,” Marieke tried again. “Don’t send me away with nothing. The answers have been just out of reach at every step. I was sure I would find them here.”

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