When he left, Cyntag raised a raven eyebrow.“He accused you of killing Moncrief?”
“I did,” Leo said.“Well, not accused exactly,” he added quickly.“Questioned.”
“I was a little mad when I left to see Mon.”Why hadn’t Mon told her all of this?On top of everything else, she felt like an idiot.
Cyntag rested his hand on Leo’s shoulder.“This does not involve you.Leave.”
Leo nodded, then wandered over to Jack.When they paused, concern on their faces, Cyntag added, “I’ve got her.I reached Vega, and I’m older than dirt.”
This cryptic assurance did, in fact, assure them, and they turned and left.
“Ready to talk now, Ruby?”Was Cyntag just a tad bit smug or did he always look so sure of himself?“In a reasonable manner without weapons and accusations?And in private?”
No, she wasn’t ready to talk and be reasonable, especially not in private.She wanted to run screaming into the night.Only she couldn’t, and it was daytime besides.“Fine.”
“At my dojo.It’s considered a safe zone.”
“No, in my office.That’s my safe zone.”She led the way, arms crossed tight over her chest.Let him follow.
“You know you can’t stay here.”
“I’ve got records to grab, so I can let the customers who are coming in over the next few days know… what do I tell them?‘Can’t work on your vintage soda cooler because someone’s trying to kill me.Hope you can be patient.’”
“I wouldn’t tell them that.”
“I was kidding!”
Cyntag glanced at his watch.“You have a little time to grab the things you need.But not much.”
He settled a hand on her back and guided her onward.Oddly, it didn’t bother her too much.She stepped into the cool, dark office.No one had been in to turn on the lights.She didn’t bother to do so either, finding the dimness more comfortable.This time they were in her territory, and she was in control.
He set a gun on the desk and walked over to the window to peer out.
She patted her back.Nothing.“How’d youdothat?”
“One of the skills you learn at the Guard is to quickly disarm anyone who’s potentially dangerous.”
Did that mean he saw her as dangerous?Remembering their encounter earlier, she decided probably not.“You mean the National Guard?”
“No.Our Guard is the police force that governs Crescents.They report to a council called the Concilium, comprised of members of all three classes of Crescents.”He sighed.“You have so much to learn.”
Oh, yeah, she heard the unspoken…And so little time to do so.
* * *
Cyn surveyedthe yard outside again, seeing the three men he’d just met talking and glancing toward the office, no doubt discussing him.Two of them were young Crescents, full of the piss and fire he hadn’t possessed in decades.Crescents aged slowly, but one benefit of taking Dragon power was that it slowed the process even more.
Cyn turned back to find Ruby pulling folders out of a filing cabinet drawer.“Do the three guys out there work here?”
“You’re interrogating me.”
He lifted a shoulder.“It’s my nature.I need to know who’s in your life.”
“Was that supposed to be an apology?”
“I don’t apologize.”
She stared at him, and he could tell by the spark in her eyes that she was considering defying him, or maybe making him wait for an answer to assert some sense of control.Fine, let her have it.It might be the last time she felt in control for quite some time.
