The Mask of Mirrors M. Carrick; (classic novels to read txt) š
- Author: M. Carrick;
Book online Ā«The Mask of Mirrors M. Carrick; (classic novels to read txt) šĀ». Author M. Carrick;
Or so the Liganti believed. Despite the heat of the crematory blaze and the warmth of candle wax dripping onto her gloves, it seemed like cold comfort to Ren.
When the ceremony ended, she wanted nothing more than to flee. But the crowd flowed out of the cremation chamber to a room laid with simple food. āIāll get you a bite to eat,ā Tess said, and hurried off. Unable to replenish her energy through sleep, Ren was making up for it by eating more than they could afford.
Unfortunately, that gave Scaperto Quientis a chance to drift up alongside her. So far sheād avoided talking to anyone whoād been in the Charterhouse when they drank the ash-laced wine, but she could hardly dodge him now.
āAlta Renata,ā he said, his voice a low rumble. āI apologize for not greeting you yesterday at the Sebatium. I donāt imagine you were in the mood for niceties any more than I was.ā
She kept her mouth shut while she tried to remember. Yesterday? Yesāhe was leaving when Tanaquis summoned her in. She cast about for something to say. āIām glad you werenāt drowned, Your Grace.ā Shit. I hope people have gossiped about that. YesāTanaquis had told her. She was safe.
āYou heard about that?ā Quientis asked. His eyes narrowed as he searched her face. She fought the urge to touch her skin, as if that would ensure her makeup was still in place. āDid you see her, too? The Vraszenian woman?ā
āNo, IāI only heard.ā What would Alta Renata say? āShe sounds dangerous.ā
āDangerous? No.ā His scowl was for the room in general, but she felt the weight of it all the same. āOnly as dangerous as anyone whoās afraidāwhich I suppose is enough. But I donāt think she was trying to harm me. I suspect she couldnāt swim.ā His scowl turned to Mettore Indestor. āBut some seem more inclined to pin blame rather than seek truth. Probably best that Simendis handed the investigation to Meda Fienola.ā
Was he trying to send her some kind of coded message? She couldnāt tell, and Tess hadnāt come back yet; she was still gathering a plate of food. Ren caught her eye and tugged on her left earlobe.
Much too late, she remembered that sheād meant to arrange a different signal.
āYour Grace,ā Vargo said, sliding in next to Renata like he belonged there. āAlta Renata. Here, let me dispose of that for you.ā He tucked his walking stick under his arm and took the burned-out candle from her limp grip.
āNo, I can take it,ā Tess said, breathless from hurrying across the room with a plate and a cup. Somehow, in the juggling act that followed, Scaperto ended up with the candle, Vargo with Renataās food and drink, and Tess with Vargoās cane.
Which left Renata empty-handed, and empty-stomached as well. She didnāt realize she was staring at the food and drink Vargo held until Quientis said, āIāll go put this candle where it belongs. Good day to you all.ā
At Tessās pointed glare, Vargo cleared his throat. āIt appears you donāt need me anymore,ā he murmured, handing the food to Renata and accepting the cane from Tess. He leaned closer in what she briefly mistook for a bow, before she realized he was taking a better look at her in the dim light of the temple. āAt the risk of being rude, you look ragged about the edges. Go home. Get some sleep. Thereās nothing more you need to do here.ā
She wished she could take his advice. But before she could escape, Donaia found her.
Tess took the plate back again so Renata could accept Donaiaās hands in greeting. āYouāve ruined your gloves,ā Donaia said, thumb pressing into a spot of soft wax curving over the back of Renataās hand.
After so much time spent worrying she would say the wrong thing, Ren found herself utterly void of words.
Donaia supplied enough for both of them. āThank you for being here. Have you eaten? Oh, I see you have. The food isnāt much, but you should eat. I know it must be hard afterā¦ after the past few days, but donāt think your youth will protect you from ill health. You have to take care of yourself. Thereās more thanāā
āMother.ā Giunaās hand on Donaiaās arm stopped the flood of concern. āDonāt badger her.ā
Donaia released Renata to wrap her arms around herself. āYes. Of course. I apologize. It is onlyā¦ you donāt look well, andā¦ā She released an unsteady breath.
āYou should hate me.ā
For one terrifying instant, Ren wasnāt certain which accent sheād said that in. But Giunaās confused reply of āHate you?ā and Donaiaās terse āDonāt be ridiculousā gave no sign that sheād spoken like a Vraszenian.
āIāif I hadnāt taken him with meāā If Iād made the Rook save him first. If I hadnāt been who I am.
āIf, if, if. I thought you had more sense than Letiliaāā
āMother.ā Giuna touched Donaiaās arm again, but her mother shrugged it off.
āNo. Iāve flogged myself with āifā since that night, and I am tired of it. This wasnāt my doing, and it certainly wasnāt Renataās.ā Donaia dashed away tears as though she was as impatient with them as she was with the rest of it.
āI only meanā¦ itās hardly fair for you to be harsh with Renata for not being to blame.ā
āShe knows I donāt mean it like that. Donāt you?ā
Ren wished Donaia would mean it like that. This lack of resistance, this unwillingness to hurt her back,
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