“The crystals will be paired from a whole. Caris will cut them, and I’ll imbue them as well as the ink used to draw the maps with a tracking spell. They’ll act as a compass when placed on the map. You’ll be able to find Nathaniel no matter where he is.”
“Until he loses the crystal or the person attempting to control him orders him to discard it.”
Ksenia raised an eyebrow. “Mm. He’d have to carve into himself to get rid of it.”
Honovi’s hands went still in the process of twirling some noodles for a bite. “Come again?”
“Ksenia thought it prudent to implant the clarion crystal shard in Nathaniel’s chest,” Caris said flatly. She took a mechanical bite of her soup, slurping at the noodles, and wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.
“I take it you don’t agree?”
Caris’ voice was full of self-loathing when she spoke. “No, but I was overruled. I just wish it wasn’t necessary.”
“Will you tell him?”
Caris hesitated before shaking her head. “Ksenia thought it was better he didn’t know so that he wouldn’t end up hurting himself if he was controlled again. I’ll carry mine on my necklace.”
Honovi could only imagine the sort of bodily autonomy Nathaniel had lost and was still losing. It was a nightmare, no matter how one looked at it.
“The spell will be embedded in the grain of the crystal and will remain dormant unless paired with the map. It’s subtle enough it should go unnoticed unless someone knows what to look for,” Ksenia added.
“Can you make a set for me?” Blaine asked.
Ksenia tilted her head in Caris’ direction. “For you and your charge?”
“Yes. I’ll pay as needed.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Caris protested.
“For my own peace of mind, I want to.”
“I’ll order another map from our cartographers and get Caris to carve you some crystals. I won’t take payment,” Ksenia said.
“Trying to clear a debt?” Honovi asked.
Ksenia’s gaze was steady, face impassive. “The governor has told us to aid you. Consider this me following orders.”
So, not out of the goodness of her heart, then, but a debt paid, if they viewed it as such, the way the Houses of Solaria might. Honovi couldn’t say which would be better in the situation they’d found themselves in, but they couldn’t really decline such an offer.
Dinner passed quietly after that, conversation reduced to nothing as they ate their fill. When they finished, they deposited their trays and dirty dishes in the collection bins, parting ways for the evening. Blaine followed him out of the refectory and into the cool night air, the breeze having a faint mountain chill to it despite it being well into Tenth Month.
Blaine laced their fingers together, and Honovi didn’t need to think about keeping pace with him. The sun had gone down past the mountains some time ago, the sky dark enough now for the stars to shine through. Gas lamps lined the pathways, flickering steadily through orange-tinted glass.
“Want to head up to the wall? I’ve been stuck in the laboratories for most of the day, and it’d be nice to stretch my legs,” Blaine said.
Honovi could well understand the desire to see the sky and stretch his legs. Since their arrival, they’d been confined inside the fort walls for their own safety. Honovi had spent hours exploring the area he’d been allowed into aboveground, the fort laid out much like any other military base.
He tugged on Blaine’s hand. “I know a way up.”
He led Blaine down a pathway that eventually merged into a narrow street. From there, it was easy enough for Honovi to find his way to the wall surrounding the fort and the nearest set of stairs that led up to it.
The way wasn’t barred, though the top was guarded by a spiderlike automaton. The boxy body with its miniature Zip gun attached spun around on its legs. Gears clicked over before it trundled closer to the outer edge of the ramparts, clearly deciding they weren’t a threat.
“Their automatons are well-developed,” Blaine said.
Honovi let go of Blaine’s hand in favor of wrapping an arm around his husband’s shoulders. He leaned in close to kiss Blaine’s temple. “I don’t think they’d let you pick one apart to look at the underlying engine.”
“I could ask. I’m not doing much in the laboratories except watching Caris work.”
