Page 27 of Requiem of Silence

Camm came over to grab the tea tray and she caught his grim expression.

“You think I went too far?” she asked.

He paused, considering. “I think it’s a distinct possibility.”

She nodded and dismissed him, staring around the room, full of Jack’s things, and missing her husband.

“Sometimes going too far is the only way,” she said to no one in particular.

CHAPTER TEN

A corner is a good place for shadows to hide.

It is also a

good place

to shine a light.

—THE HARMONY OF BEING

Meet me in my sitting room, immediately!

The mental message was strong, urgent. It nearly pushed Zeli from the chair where she’d been sitting cloistered in a corner of the busy kitchen. She popped up, slamming the textbook she’d been trying to study shut, and almost crashed into a maid bearing a stack of dirty plates from the ballroom.

Normally, she found the palace kitchen comforting. It reminded her of the estate where she’d grown up. She understoodthe workings of kitchens, even one on such a grand scale as this one was largely the same, but there had been no comfort to be found today. The terrifying aftermath of the morning’s attack still reverberated through her limbs. She mumbled an apology to the maid and hustled off toward the western wing of the palace.

Sounds of revelry from the Winter Ballroom mocked her as she passed. The twins’ birthday party was in full swing. The Goddess had informed her that they were all supposed to go on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. As if spirits from the World After had not attacked Queen Jasminda and the Goddess Awoken only a few hours ago. No one else knew and that was how it would stay. More secrets. Her life was uncomfortably full of them.

And how was Varten going to stand in front of all those people coming to wish him well? She wanted to peek in and catch a glimpse of him, but was too afraid. Though he’d invited her to his celebration, she certainly wouldn’t fit in at an aristocratic affair like that.

Instead, she rushed to follow her summons, heart beating nearly out of her chest with every step. What did the Goddess want at this hour? It couldn’t possibly be anything good.

She arrived to find the door to the grand office assigned for the Goddess’s use ajar.

“Come in and shut the door,” an ominous voice echoed. Zeli did as she was bid and stepped a few more paces into the room, trembling.

The Goddess’s back was to her. She stood beside a wooden desk, inlaid with gold filigree. The designs and swirls always drew Zeli’s eye, but the woman’s rigid posture and stiff shoulders raised pulses of alarm. Slowly She turned. “What do you know of this?”

Zeli tore her gaze away from the Goddess’s deceptively placid countenance to regard what She held in Her hand. A small, leather-bound book. Zeli frowned. “I have no idea, Your Excellency. What is that?”

The Goddess eyed her for a long moment, probably peering into her soul. She wouldn’t dare lie, so the woman must be satisfied, but the silence held. Zeli’s palms began to sweat under the intense scrutiny.

Finally, with what appeared to be reluctance, She beckoned Zeli forward. “I found this on the desk this evening. Is this not where you usually answer my correspondence?”

One of Zeli’s duties was to pen responses to the many letters that flooded the palace mailroom addressed to the Goddess Awoken. An Elsiran acolyte dealt with the letters in her language, but since Zeli could read and write, she managed quite a large volume of mail. The literate among her people were few, but apparently enough to fill bags daily. The Goddess Herself only answered a small number.

“Yes, but it wasn’t there earlier when I did the mail, Your Excellency.” She gripped the skirt of her robe to keep her hands from trembling. Stepping closer, she noticed that the little book was thick, with the ragged edges of the pages peeking out. It looked old, well-worn, the cover cracked and paper yellowing. A leather strap was wrapped around it, tied in a neat bow.

“When was the last time you were in this room?” the Goddess asked.

“This morning before breakfast. Before the… incident.” She swallowed, her throat thick with dread. All day she’d darted her gaze around, certain that vicious shadows were swirling in the corners of her vision.

“And you saw nothing amiss then? No one who struck you as odd as you approached or left? No strange feelings?”

She shook her head silently. She’d noticed nothing. While the Goddess’s face remained undisturbed, the energy swirling around Her was active. Zeli had rarely seen Her take on an expression other than serenity or slight amusement. But now She was shaken. Her hand quavered slightly as She held the book up. She seemed to notice and dropped it onto the desk, then stepped away, as if afraid it would hurt Her.

That was it!Zeli realized with a start. The Goddess actually seemed afraid. The indications were subtle, but Zeli had spent quite a bit of time with Her over the past months and had never witnessed Her such. Even when She’d stood facing down angry spirits filled with malevolent power, She hadn’t appeared truly afraid.

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