"A group of humans who don't like assimilation," I repeated, voice flat.
Ruby's jaw tightened, and something shifted in her expression—a flash of anger cutting through the grief. "There's this guy. Farris Clegg. He runs with a bunch of other men who... who hate aliens. Hate women like me and Mei who have children with aliens. And he hates the idea of the Space Pearls restaurant."
The name meant nothing to me, but the way she said it—with equal parts fear and disgust—made my blood run hot.
"I saw him at the fire," she continued, voice shaking. "He was there watching. He looked... smug. Like he was enjoying it." Her hands twisted together. "I mentioned it to Craig. He said he'd look into it."
My jaw clenched so hard I thought my teeth might crack. "Has Clegg said anything to you directly?"
"No," she said quickly. Too quickly.
I studied her face, looking for the lie, but she held my gaze. Still, something felt off. There was more she wasn't telling me.
"Ruby—"
"He hasn't said anything to me," she repeated firmly. "Craig just... he knew about them. About what they believe."
I wanted to push, to demand she tell me everything, but the exhaustion in her eyes stopped me. Whatever she was holding back, she had her reasons. For now.
I exchanged a glance with Bartholomeus, who stood by the window of the peacekeepers' office with his arms crossed, expression grim.
"Farris Clegg," Bartholomeus said, his tone dismissive. "I know him. Got a few of his crew working on the village landscape detail when they're sober enough to show up."
"And?" I prompted.
"Loudmouths. Troublemakers." He shook his head. "The kind who talk big in the tavern after a few drinks, spout off about keeping Tau Cei 'pure' or whatever nonsense they've convinced themselves of. But when it comes down to it?" He snorted. "Cowards. Every last one of them."
"You don't think they're capable of this?" Ruby asked, a thread of hope in her voice.
Bartholomeus turned from the window, his expression thoughtful. "They're capable of keeping Clemon Peters in business with all the moonshine they buy. They're capable of starting bar fights and running their mouths." He paused. "But burning down a building with someone inside? Actually killing a man?" He shook his head slowly. "I don't see it. They don't have the balls."
I wasn't so sure and the fact that Ruby disliked the male meant I'd be checking him out. Still, something about this whole situation didn't sit right with me. "The bakery," I said slowly,working through the pieces in my mind. "Craig's body was found at the bakery. That can't be a coincidence."
Ruby's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it. The fire at your bakery—that was the first incident. Now Craig turns up dead in the same location?" I ran a hand through my mane, frustration building.
"You think whoever killed him lured him there?" Bartholomeus asked, his expression darkening.
"Or he went there looking for evidence, came up on someone and they killed him." I looked at Ruby, seeing the fear creeping back into her eyes. I hated to say it. Hated the idea of it, but it was the only thing that made sense. "The bakery is the connection. Someone is covering their tracks."
The color drained even further from her face. "You think this was about me?"
I watched the realization dawn across her features—the way her eyes went wide, then distant, the way her breath caught in her throat. I knew exactly what was happening in that beautiful, tormented mind of hers. She was already taking the weight of Craig's death onto her shoulders.
The fear I could handle. Fear was rational, survivable. Fear kept you alert, kept you moving.
But the guilt? The guilt would destroy her from the inside out.
I could see it settling over her like a shroud, the way she was already retreating into herself. And there wasn't a damn thing I could say to stop it. Not yet. Not until she'd walked through the fire of it herself. All I could do was be there when she came out the other side.
"I think we don't know enough yet," I said carefully. "You can't blame yourself for this, Ruby."
Bartholomeus sighed, his deep voice cutting through the tension. "Craig was a good man. Thorough. If he found something at the bakery..."
"They silenced him for it," I finished grimly.
Ruby's legs gave out. I caught her before she hit the floor, pulling her against my chest. She was shaking violently now, the trauma finally hitting her full force.
