Page 39 of Only Cold Depths
We did as she asked, then followed her down another corridor, through an archway, and onto a large stone terrace that arced out like an enormous half-moon and connected the guest wing to the main castle. The terrace overlooked a garden filled with topiary trees and hedges, along with blue-moon peonies, pink-star honeysuckles, and other colorful flowers I recognized from my mother’s garden at Castle Caldaren.
Several tables covered with food were clustered along one side of the terrace. Asterin grabbed a plate and filled it high, and Vesper and I did the same. Then the three of us sat down and dug into our food.
The House Collier chefs had prepared a spread that rivaled anything I’d ever eaten at a Regal ball. A thick, rich pumpkin soup with a dollop of fresh cream and just a hint of cinnamon. A warm salad of greens, dried cranberries, apples, and roasted sweet potatoes tossed with a tangy honey-mustard vinaigrette. Toasted pumpernickel bread topped with a light, refreshing lemon chicken salad that was covered with melted sharp white cheddar cheese.
I might not trust anyone at House Collier, but the food was delicious, and Vesper and I both went back for seconds and thirds.
For dessert, we all inhaled several pieces of a pumpkin roll with a sweet cream-cheese filling and studded with dark chocolate chips and toasted marshmallows. We washed everything down with a crisp apple punch.
Asterin quickly finished her food, but Vesper and I were still eating when Leland stepped onto the balcony, tapping buttons on his tablet, which was cradled in the crook of his arm. The motion reminded me of Daichi.
Guilt churned in my gut, souring the wonderful meal. If Daichi and Touma were caught on Corios, Holloway would execute them for helping Vesper and me. Or worse, Holloway would stick Daichi and Touma in the Crownpoint medical labs and let his scientists conduct horrific experiments on them.
Leland hit another button, then looked up at the three of us. “I just wanted to make sure you and your guests had everything you needed, Lady Asterin. I had the chefs prepare some of their best dishes.”
“It was excellent,” I replied. “One of the best meals I’ve eaten.”
Vesper also murmured her thanks, and a pleased smile spread across the chief of staff’s face.
Leland focused on Asterin. “I’m sorry I couldn’t meet you at your workshop earlier, as you requested. I had some other House Collier business, although if I’d known your friends were coming, I would have assisted you.” He grimaced. “I should have been there to smooth things over with Lady Siya.”
Asterin laid her hand on his arm. “It’s not your fault, Leland. You know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, not just today but over the years. You were such a huge help to my father, and Urston would be so happy to see how well you’re doing as part of House Collier.”
Some emotion flickered in the chief of staff’s eyes, but it vanished in an instant, and he smiled at Asterin. “If there is nothing else, I will leave you to your guests.”
Asterin smiled back at him. “Thank you, Leland.”
He nodded to us all, then left the terrace.
As soon as Leland was gone, Asterin’s smile vanished, replaced by an odd, wistful expression. After a few seconds, she toasted us with her glass. “The chefs might have prepared the food, but the apple punch came straight out of the latest Quill Corp brewmaker. Vesper, if you ever get tired of inventing things, you should become a cook. Your appliances make everything taste better.”
Vesper laughed, and I relaxed, just a bit. I still didn’t know what to make of House Collier’s people and politics, but for this moment, we were safe, and I was going to enjoy it while it lasted.
We sipped another round of punch, while Asterin pointed out one colored permaglass dome after another on the surrounding mountains. “The Erzton is currently made up of twelve major ruling Houses, including House Collier. All the Houses deal in minerals, metals, coal, timber, and the like. Each dome on each mountain represents a different House, all connected by the gondolas and bridges to form the city of Gewitter.”
“I thought Sygnustern was a mining planet,” Vesper said. “I didn’t expect it to be so charming.”
“Oh, there are plenty of mines on Sygnustern. The Houses just built their city on top of the mines.” Asterin gestured at the mountains in the distance. “Hence all the cliffs and chasms.”
“There are actual, working mines in the bottoms of the chasms between the mountains?” I asked.
“Oh, yes. And they are the ever-grinding, ever-deepening heart of the planet,” Asterin replied in a wry tone.
I might not like heights, but the thought of going to the dark depths of one of those chasms, and then even farther underground, made my gut churn. Vesper also looked a bit pale at the notion.
“Home sweet home, eh? Although things are clearly not sweet between you and Siya.” The history lesson was nice, but I wanted to know exactly what problems were brewing in House Collier.
Asterin twisted her glass around on the table. “Things are usually not this . . . tense. Most of the time, I ignore Siya and she ignores me.”
“But she can’t do that while Vesper and I are here. Because our very presence threatens the safety of everyone she’s sworn to protect as the head of the House Collier Hammers.”
“Something like that,” Asterin admitted. “Although Siya and I have been at odds for a long time, ever since . . .”
“What?” I asked. “What happened between the two of you?”
Vesper shot me a sharp look, but I was tired of dancing around the truth. I wanted to know exactly how dangerous Siya Collier was—and what lengths she might go to in order to protect her House.
Asterin’s fingers dropped away from her glass. “House Armas, my father’s House, used to be among the major Houses.”
