Keel had gone still and silent, a thousand thoughts moving behind his eyes.
“How much do you want to bet our friend from under the city will try to wake them?” Tate asked.
Nathan might have once been on the side of the Saviors but he’d long since gone over to the Creators. She wasn’t sure of his end agenda, but something told her it involved the guardians’ old enemy. The fact he was looking for weapons confirmed as much.
“What do you need from me?” Keel’s gaze was steady as he focused on Tate.
She nodded once, liking what she saw in his expression. Whatever his thoughts about her, she knew he would be a valuable ally against the Creators. The enemy of my enemy and so forth. To betray her in favor of them would violate the very foundation of his beliefs.
She might have believed another capable of it, but not Keel. Underneath all that pomp and ceremony was a man who truly believed in his Saviors. He had gotten lost on the way but managed to find his way back to that faith.
“Help, mostly. Jax would have left behind notes of his search. Knowing him, he would have used a code or something of the like. If we find it, I’ll have somewhere to start.”
It was key Tate beat Nathan to the resting place of the Creators who managed to flee this world through rifts. If he called them back, Tate would be outnumbered and Aurelia would face destruction.
Keel contemplated the night sky for several minutes as Tate waited patiently. After what felt like an eternity, he drew in a deep breath and exhaled, coming to a decision.
“Very well, but I’ll need help.” His glance toward Vale told Tate exactly who he planned to ask.
“Fine, I trust you’ll be discreet enough.”
Keel started to leave and then paused. “There is one other avenue for answers you may not have considered.”
Tate followed his gaze to Roslyn where she waited next to Vale in the balcony doorway. Her eyes were wide, leaving Tate with no doubt the other woman had at least seen Jax’s image, even if the rest of the conversation went unheard.
“Damn it.”
She’d forgotten about her.
“The Duke of Spiritly’s line is descended from Jaxon Kuno. I suspect their collection of his writings and artifacts is even more impressive than our own.”
“I didn’t think the guardians would allow that.”
They were known to be zealous in their pursuit of any artifact or record from that era. Their monopoly had caused bad blood between them and other powers. They defended themselves by claiming to be the guardians of the Saviors’ memories and as such it was their duty to verify and protect all that they’d left behind. Never mind the fact that ‘protecting’ often meant hiding so it never saw the light of day again.
“We can be open minded when necessary.”
“More like you would have had trouble claiming the inheritance from the man’s children.”
Keel lifted a shoulder in acknowledgment. “They made a very good argument to that point.”
Not surprising. Public opinion would have crucified the guardians if they’d attempted anything against Jaxon Kuno’s descendants. The guardians would never have endured this long if they were prone to making bad decisions.
Tate’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’m not really on the best of terms with the Duke.”
Roslyn and her defection from the Spiritly family was a big part of that. Tate couldn’t even say she blamed the man.
“I trust you’ll be able to overcome this hurdle on your own.” Keel patted her on the shoulder and started toward the ballroom. “Come by in a day or two. We should have something by then.”
Tate grimaced at his back. Why did she feel the grandmaster found amusement in her plight? They were talking the fate of the world here. Shouldn’t he be invested in making her journey as smooth as possible?
Keel ignored Roslyn as he and Vale departed, leaving Tate on the balcony. The moments crept past as Roslyn stared at her from the doorway. Eventually, Tate got tired of the standoff and leaned back, tilting her face up to the sky and staring at the stars.
Footsteps alerted her to Roslyn’s presence.
“I assume you have questions.”
Quiet answered her.
