“Were you followed?” I ask, fear turning my voice into a razor-blade of accusation. I lean against the doorway for support, struggling to catch my balance. My legs waver like gelatin beneath me at the shock of our unexpected visitor. If Padouk can find me, then so can the [Adjutant] or his [Inquisitors]. I take in a deep, shuddering breath as I try to compose myself. “I have to say, I didn’t think our paths would cross so soon.”
“Zebulun! A pleasure to see you again. I hear your glass competition is going well, as if that was ever in doubt,” Padouk says. He inclines his head toward us, lifting his teacup into the air like he’s saluting an old friend, and takes his seat once more. He eases himself back in the chair, crossing his ankles and smiling as though he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“A pleasure indeed,” I mumble in reply, watching him with equal parts intrigue and terror. He’s clearly done some scouting, since he knows my new identity and what I’ve been doing in my time in Grand Ile. The question is, who else knows? I clear my throat twice before I work up the courage to ask the burning question on my mind. “Have you seen the posters?”
“Pfft! They need a better [Artist],” he replies without missing a beat. “The shape of your cheekbones in their picture isn’t particularly flattering. And I can’t believe they cast aspersions on me, as well! The ignominy of it all is galling.”
“Which posters?” Lady Evershed demands. She glances back and forth between us as though deciding our fates. With an exasperated sigh, she twirls her cane, leans it up against the wall—but still at arm’s length, I note—and pulls out a chair to sit next to Padouk. “I think you’d best explain yourself, young man, before I get cross with you.”
“I assure you, I have no interest in making enemies of the Evershed house. Unlike my friend here,” Padouk says, gesturing toward me with an amused expression on his face, “I do my research before ingratiating myself with the powers that be. He’s the one always rushing into danger like a madman. That’s just his style. I’m afraid it’s congenital. No, no, I’m here to help fix problems, not to cause them.”
Lady Evershed coughs into her hand, glancing at me significantly while shielding herself behind the movement—somehow, she manages to make the awkward movement seem subtle. Time itself stretches and slows down around the two of us for a few, extended heartbeats, hiding her searching gaze while leaving Padouk unaffected. It must be another one of her Skills at play to give us time to collude privately.
I know she wants my input on Padouk, but I hesitate to reply, frozen in place. I’ve trusted him before, but I still don’t know if my desperate, convoluted gambit paid off back in Silaraon. If he didn’t pull off the misdirection, though, I’d probably have heard about it by now.
“How are the others doing?” I ask, my voice still strained. I pivot clumsily and smile toward Lady Evershed to let her know not to take drastic measures. Yet. I pull out the third chair at the table next to Lady Evershed and take a seat, leaving the fourth and final chair next to Padouk empty. I’m still not sure where things stand after our stormy parting, and I’d rather keep the full table between us until I can sound things out. “You think they'll ever forgive you?”
Padouk scrunches up his nose as though he’s caught a whiff of something foul. “No, not likely. Avalina will probably singe my hair off with a blast of fire if I dare show my face in Silaraon again. Last I heard from Melina, however, the others are flourishing—although their money bags are significantly lighter after the hefty fines [General] Tychicus imposed upon them.”
“[General] Tychicus? As in, one of the few Third Threshold officers in the Densmore royal army?” Lady Evershed interjects, looking more shaken than I’ve seen her before. She instantly recovers her control, but not before Padouk and I notice how perturbed she seems. “Zebulun, what have you gotten yourself into?”
I ignore her for a moment, gathering together my thoughts as I wrestle with complicated emotions. A burst of loneliness and longing to be reunited with my friends hits me like a poleaxe to the face. My cheeks ache with a sad smile. “If Melina ever reveals my role in the deception, I do believe Avelina might spare some fire for me, too.”
“Aye, sounds like her,” Padouk replies with an uneasy chuckle. We lapse into silence for a long moment, although Padouk can’t stop fidgeting. Finally, he sits bolt upright in his seat and fixes me with a haunted stare. “You should come with me. It's not safe for you here anymore. If I found you, then they won’t be far behind. For all my jesting, those posters are a serious problem.”
I cross my arms. “That’s precisely what I’m afraid of, Padouk. Haven't I caused you enough trouble? I'm not sure that it’s in your best interest to help me, or my best interest to associate with you further.”
“Ha! Helping you is helping me. If the Linas discover that something untoward happened to you that could have been averted by my intervention, but I stood silently by and didn’t lift a finger to help you, then I’ll have both twins on my case. ”
“Fair,” I snort. “I don’t want to cross the Linas, either.”
Lady Evershed holds up a hand, and instantly a bubble of eerie, total quiet descends on the table. Out of curiosity, I try to speak, but my words are swallowed up in nothingness. Padouk and I both stare at her, mouths agape. Then my master snaps her fingers, releasing the field of silence, and she speaks into the awkward, rigid stillness. “I asked you before if you would cause me trouble. You assured me that whatever mess you’d gotten into wouldn’t be a problem for me. Do we need to reassess the danger to house Evershed—and, the more pressing concern for me personally, the danger to my reputation?”
“I . . . I suppose I owe you answers,” I say to Lady Evershed with some reluctance.
She arches an eyebrow at me. “You don't have to implicate yourself, but if the infamous [General] Tychicus of the currently-embroiled Densmore royal army is involved, then we need a plan if you’re going to slip his clutches.”
“You aren't going to turn me in to the army?” I ask, my voice thick with sudden emotion. “I know you've sworn to be my master, but that was before the past caught up with me. I'm not trying to bring trouble on your head.”
“Yet you do it so effortlessly,” Lady Evershed says with a throaty chuckle. She waves me off as I start to protest. “As you’ve reminded us all, I’ve sworn to take you on as my student. I’m not letting you go without a fight. Besides, I’m not in the habit of parting with a bargaining chip. You’re more valuable to me now than ever before, and I've always maintained that there’s something special about you. But if there’s a threat to the security of my house, then I need to know what’s going on.”
“Do you mind if Padouk and I speak in private first?” I venture to ask. Lady Evershed has been good to me, but she doesn’t know yet that I’m wanted for treason. She’ll likely change her tune quickly once the truth comes out.
“I certainly do mind! No one leaves this room until all the cards are on the table,” Lady Evershed says, and her words carry with them the weight of command. I’m pressed down in my seat by the force of her presence, compelled to stay and listen as she activates a Skill I haven’t seen until now. Now here is power. What does she need glass for if she can do this?
“How did you find me, anyway?”' I ask Padouk once I feel free to act again, changing the subject to buy myself more time to think. There’s no easy path forward. Not now.
Maybe there never was.
Padouk shrugs easily. “I knew that you were heading for Grand Ile, based on Rakesh’s research, so when I heard you broke out of military prison, I followed after the errand we arranged.”
I glare at him with a sharp edge to my expression, and he shrugs again, more helplessly this time. Lady Evershed stares at me intently, not missing the meaningful looks going around the table.
“Once I got here,” Padouk says, breaking the tension by continuing his story, “I couldn't find any entries in the competition under your name. That struck me as sensible, but I figured I could easily spot a pseudonym if you had to hide because you were still in trouble. Strangely, it wasn’t easy to find out until I bribed one of the security guards at the warehouse to have a look at the glass display room after hours. Then, of course, it wasn't hard to recognize your particular style. You always have been rather flashy.”
“I feel like I ought to be insulted, sir! ”
He just rolls his eyes at my dramatic outburst and carries on. “The rest was trivial once I had a name, although your lack of a hand threw me off at first. That’s quite the commitment to your disguise.”
“It was an accident,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Good! If you were insane enough to cut off your own hand, I’d part ways with you now.”
“So, what led you here?” I ask, still pointedly ignoring Lady Evershed’s questions. I’m not sure how much longer I can put her off, but I’m not ready to tell her everything yet. I’m not so sure there’s a way around it. For now, however, withholding information is my only course of action that leaves me feeling like my choices matter—like I’m still in control of my own destiny.
“Once I found out that the glass pieces were created by a one-handed artisan with no Skills, I started putting out feelers,” Padouk says. “Didn't take long to find out that you'd entered the gates of Grand Ile with Captain Ash, a [Bargemaster] from well up river. Turns out that his crew talked a lot while they were in town. They told wondrous stories of traveling with a young [Mage] who single-handedly—no pun intended, my friend!—shut down a Rift and saved a town from certain extinction. A few more queries led me here.”
“I guess House Evershed hasn’t exactly hidden the fact that they’re my patron,” I mutter. “No sense hoping that I’ll stay in the shadows for long.”
“No, there’s not,” Padouk agrees. “If I can find you this quickly, even with your assumed identity, then so can others. Those [Inquisitors] are no slouches. I’m honestly amazed that I’m the first to track you down.”
“You’ve always been well-informed,” I say with grudging admiration. “I’m impressed that you kept up with my identity. You surprised me when you called me by my new name.”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Ha. I would be a poor merchant indeed if I didn't have a good handle on my wares, most of which are informational rather than physical in nature. If it's any consolation, though, I only knew to search here in Grand Ile because you told me about the competition. I’ve been here for a week, but I was going to wait until after the conclusion of the semi-finals to approach you. Obviously, that timeline accelerated once I saw the posters.”
“Do you think that means [General] Tychicus is here in person?” I ask in a low, nervous whisper, glancing around as though I’m afraid he’ll come crashing through the walls like a hurricane and arrest me on the spot.
Lady Evershed leans forward, drinking in my reaction with unabashed interest.
“Relax,” Padouk says, sipping his tea and leaning back in his chair. “I don't think the [Adjutant] has tracked you down yet, and the [General] is still off fighting the wraiths, which is why I risked coming to see you while we’ve still got time to make our plans.”
I swallow hard, my mind racing. “Are you still taking [The Superior Deal]?”
“Of course! It's simply in my nature. Speaking of which, you owe me a handsome sum after our strange escapade. I’m weeks behind schedule thanks to the detour on your behalf. But I am sure you have a plan to repay me.” Padouk grins at me brightly. There’s an unnerving edge to his cheerfulness. Nonetheless, something tells me that I should once again cast my lots in with him.
“Even if the return on investment is far in the future?” I ask with a brittle smile.
“Hmph! It always is with you.” Padouk’s face turns stormy, although it’s a relief to me. I’d rather deal with his true annoyed feelings than with a mask of good cheer. “Thanks to the fallout from our little charade, I won't see Melina again for many months. She's probably taking it better than I am, though. She's always been the strong one.”
“And our, uh, rather delicate misdirection scheme,” I say, fumbling for words. I'm still not sure how much we should discuss in front of Lady Evershed, although the longer I talk, the less likely it seems that we’ll keep anything secret. She’s too clever by far, and I’m worried I may still be under the influence of her main Class Skills. “Successful?”
“You’ll have plenty of time to catch up later,” Lady Evershed snaps, her patience fraying and finally wearing thin. “For now, I need to know about these posters. If [General] Tychicus is involved, then you’re going to need to tell me everything. No more stalling.”
I sigh heavily. “The less you know, the better. In fact, it's probably for the best if I simply leave now and never come back. I don't want to entangle you in what's coming next.”
Lady Evershed lightly raps me on the head with the back of her knuckles. “Peh! What kind of master would I be if I kicked you out on the streets at the first sign of trouble? A master doesn't abandon her student like that. Besides, think about what that would do to my reputation. I have to keep up appearances.”
I scratch my beard absently with my right hand. “You seem to know who [General] Tychicus is, but you’re still willing to help me? Aren’t you afraid of what could happen to your reputation if you’re swept up in all of this?” I ask quietly.
“I’m well acquainted with Densmore’s military structure, thank you. I’m surprised to hear you mention his name, however, since you didn't even know who I am. That hurts, I have to admit. Your biases are showing!”
“Trust me,” I say bitterly, “I wish I never experienced the misfortune of becoming acquainted with the [General]. Getting on his bad side was one of the dumber things I've ever done.”
Lady Evershed clicks her tongue. “I suppose I’ll have to have a talk with that man. He’s always been direct and unimaginative, which makes this sort of deal complicated. I much prefer dealing with his subordinates whenever possible. Greed is predictable. How much is it going to cost me to pay him off?”
I shake my head. “I don't think any amount will work in this case. According to the posters all over town, I'm wanted for treason.” I wince as I finally say the word, waiting for the inevitable explosion of shock and outrage, but it doesn’t materialize.
“That wouldn't have anything to do with the Naftalin in my house, would it? Because I'm certainly not above pinning the blame on him if it secures your liberation,” Lady Evershed says, casting Padouk a sly look.
“No,” I say firmly. “Padouk is a friend, and I owe him more than you know. He’s helped me at great personal cost. I really shouldn’t say more, though. I have to find a way to withdraw. You need to distance yourself from me as quickly as possible—I don't know if I’ll ever be able to make it up to you, but I owe you for your kindness, and I’m sorry it’s turned out this way. I hope this doesn't derail your advancement plans.’
“Enough of that. I’ve already told you that I’m not giving up my claim on you that quickly, particularly not when you’re becoming more interesting by the second. Now, as for your friend—does anyone else know you're here, Padouk?” Lady Evershed asks, turning her too-bright smile toward our guest.
His eyes widen fractionally, then narrow in distrust. “You’ll find that disposing of me is not as simple as it may seem.”
“If I wanted you gone, I would simply make it happen,” Lady Evershed says, waving a hand dismissively. “I’m too old for meaningless threats. I’m talking with you because I need to know what you know if I’m going to help. We’re wasting time dancing around details instead of putting together a plan.”
“She has a point,” I say reluctantly. “It’s probably foolish to think that you’re the only one who’s tracked me down. You’ve asked questions about me, which means there’s a trail to follow now. Involving others means there are no more secrets. So, how many people do we need to follow up with to ensure silence?”
“Good, you’ve been paying attention to my lessons,” Lady Evershed says, nodding at me with a spark in her eye. “Let’s sort out this business, so you can get back to practicing with glass techniques. The semi finals are a big jump in difficulty, and I’m not sure you’re ready.”
I give a half-shrug. “If he's found me, then others can't be far behind. It’s only sensible to come up with contingency plans.” Then the rest of her words register, and my head snaps up. “Wait. You mentioned glassmaking practice. Do you really think it’s worth taking the risk to remain in the competition?”
“Worth the risk? Undoubtedly. In fact, I insist on it,” Lady Evershed says, her voice a whip-crack of conviction. “We're in this till the end. The bitter end, as it may be. I can’t back down now.”
“Your reputation relies on it,” I say, realizing suddenly that our fortunes are tied together. Lady Evershed isn’t altruistic; we’re in this for mutual benefit, as well discussed. She’ll help me, but only because the consequences if she doesn’t are too dire for her to consider. “Very well. Count me in.”
Padouk scoffs, pushing his chair back from the table and standing up to pace. “You still want to compete in the competition? This is madness! Come with me. I'll make sure you get a hero’s welcome back home.”
I frown at him. “At what cost? Are you willing to let me go, along with the package you picked up for me?”
“Package?” Lady Evershed echoes. “I think it’s time you start explaining yourself, young man. Too many secrets will give you indigestion.”
“I’d really prefer to talk with Padouk privately before I answer more questions,” I mumble as my face heats up. I’m tripping over my words, but I don’t know what to say. I'm not sure I can keep talking in circles as I try to communicate with Padouk. I’ve already tipped off Lady Evershed that I'm withholding big secrets, but that doesn’t mean I need to reveal the existence of the PPP. The fewer people who know about it, the better—including Padouk. All he knows is that he’s picked up some magical item that’s valuable to me, not what it actually does.
“I’m curious about it, as well,” Padouk mutters, casting me an aggrieved look. “Playing errand boy for you isn’t very rewarding.”
Lady Evershed snorts. “You don’t even know what you’re smuggling? And you think that you can keep him safe from your people despite your ignorance?”
“I'll do the best I can,” Padouk says slowly, but I recognize the look of a man who doesn't believe his own words. He crosses his arms and stares down at me. “What’s so important about the device, though? You haven’t exactly given me a lot of answers.”
“You know I can’t tell you. It’s important for finding Tem. Beyond that? The less you know about it, the better. I’d rather not tell you. Either of you,” I say pointedly. My concern is that if I flee to Naftali, and they figure out the device’s true nature, then I'll be right back in the same position I fled in Silaraon. I won’t be anyone’s lackey again.
“Tem? As in Tem Cytekin?” Lady Evershed interrupts. I glance over at her in time to see her eyes sharpen dangerously. “You’re full of surprises, Zebulun.”
“Nuri,” I say quietly. “My real name is Nuri, and I miss hearing people say it, although I’ve come to think of Zebulun as a more interesting, determined man than Nuri ever was.”
Lady Evershed scowls at me. “None of that, now. Zebulun is who you’ve been forced to become by unfortunate circumstances. Nuri? He’s whoever you want to become.”
“Padouk, could you give us a few moments?” I say, mulling over my master’s wisdom. “I think it’s time I tell Lady Evershed what’s going on.”
Padouk’s frown deepens, but he soon smooths his face and gives me a slight bow. “Very well. I will peruse the wares in the showroom. I am an admirer of fine art, after all.” True to his word, he slips out, closing the door behind him, although I doubt he’s happy about leaving. If I can convince Lady Evershed to sell him some of her pieces at a discount, then that will likely go a long way to winning him over. No matter what happens after this, he’s still a [Merchant].
“Excellent choice, Nuri,” Lady Evershed says, smoothly switching to my real name as if she’s used to covert identities and shocking reveals.
Perhaps she is, I think as she activates privacy wards. I recognize some of them from my time with Ezio, but these are stronger, more sophisticated. I doubt anyone could pierce them without serious repercussions. That’s the benefit of being rich, I suppose.
My lips quirk up into a slight smile, but my heart isn’t really in it. “You say that like I have much of a choice to tell you. But I don’t, do I?”
“No, no you don’t,” she replies, her eyes boring into mine. “Now, oh most favored student of mine, tell me everything. Ah, exonerating a traitor and guiding him in his impossible quest to win a glass competition with only one hand! That’s going to do wonders for my reputation. We’re going to set in motion the adventure of a lifetime.”
I rest my elbows on the table and drop my face to my hand with a groan. “I think I've had enough adventure, thank you very much.”
“Sounds like quite the story,” Lady Evershed prompts me. “How about I put on another pot of tea? Storytelling always makes me thirsty.”
I nod, surprised at how eager I am for an opportunity to finally unburden myself now that I’ve made up my mind. Carrying so many secrets is exhausting. “Well, it all started when Ember, my first master, put me in charge of a small glass shop in a neighboring town that got hit by a mana plague. They needed workers and a studio director after their head [Gaffer] and two of the [Glassworkers] died, and I was the most suitable candidate for the job—or, rather, looking back, I was floundering at the time, and so Ember challenged me to learn by taking on responsibility.”
I smile fondly at the memory of my irascible but good-hearted instructor. “She wanted to see me grow. You’d like her, I think. She actually learned glass here, a few decades ago, in one of the smaller shops in Grand Ile. Your paths probably never crossed. Anyway, several months into my posting at the shop, while I was on my way to the sleepy hamlet of Peliharaon, I nearly died in an ambush of Shadow Jaguars. . . .”
It takes two pots of tea to tell the full tale of my last year and a half of strange encounters and glass-making insights. The longer I talk, the better it feels to share. I’m scared I’m under the influence of Lady Evershed’s Skills, but I don’t care anymore. I don’t leave out any details other than the true nature of the PPP, hedging and saying it will help me find Tem. Lady Evershed is a gracious, attentive listener, never interrupting or showing signs of doubt. She only nods and quietly asks clarifying questions when I pause or lose my confidence.
By the time I finish talking, still terrified that she’s going to turn me in for treason after all, she’s positively beaming. She surprises me by leaning across the table and clasping my hand. “I promise that you won’t regret trusting me, Nuri. What a marvelous tale! I had wondered why my reputation Skills buzzed faintly in your presence, indicating that my star could rise along with yours. Now I know just how important you are to me, and potentially to Densmore’s future.”
She nods to herself, twisting an ornate ring on her fingers as we talk. “Nuri, finding my shop is the best thing that ever happened—for each of us! You keep practicing glass, and leave the rest to me. I’ll take care of everything. You have my word on that.”
Somehow, her assurances don’t put me at ease.