“Where is she being held?” Dax asked.
“That’s part of the problem.” He wrung his hands, twisting them anxiously. “It’s classified. Information is our business, yet no one will tell us. It’s highly upsetting.”
“Thanks for telling us what you could,” Marin said. She meant it, but… what did she do from here?Classified?She couldn’t go back to Belde and say that Rijes Velk was missing, no one knew where she was, but everyone assumed she was fine. That wasn’t an answer worthy of a heartsinger ruby. And it wasn’t an answer worthy of Rijes.
Marin began to untie from the dock.
But how was she supposed to find Rijes Velk now? This, as he said, was a dead end.
I failed.
The thought hit her like a fist.This is it. All the effort to reach Alyssium… All the worrying if I’d be on time… And the answer is “classified.”
She couldn’t return to Terlu and say Rijes was being held somewhere by someone for a reason Marin didn’t know. She’d have to return the ruby, find another miracle to save her parents, except now, with all the time eaten by the storm and their lengthy return, there wasn’t enough time left. Only three weeks until his deadline.It’s not possible. This was my only chance.She’d never be able to complete enough supply runs in time.
“If you don’t have another job after this,” the librarian asked hopefully, “would you be willing to take on passengers? My sister’s family is looking to leave Alyssium. I haven’t been able to find a runner that wasn’t already occupied.”
Shaking her head, she began, “I’m sorry, but I—”
“Please, could you at least bring it to the job board for supply runners?” He pulled a piece of paper out of one of the pockets of his tunic. “Can’t pay much, but they’re willing to go anywhere. All they want is a fresh start. Anywhere a runner is going will do. I haven’t been able to leave the library to get this to Ceruli Square, and they’re desperate.”
He sounded so worried that she relented. She couldn’t ferry his family anywhere, but she could take his note to the job board. She had to visit the board anyway. Without Rijes and the ruby, it was now her only hope. A slim hope.Only three weeks.“I can post it for you. Can’t promise anything more than that.” She accepted the piece of paper and tucked it into her pocket.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” With a grateful and still-worried smile, he scurried back to the crates to help the others haul them up into the library.
Marin picked up the pole. She hesitated before she stuck it into the water again.
“Classified,” Ree muttered. “What does that mean?”
“It means I don’t know how to find her,” Marin said.
“Oh,” Ree said in a small voice.
She stared straight ahead and tried to ignore how her chest felt tight and her eyes felt hot. Even though she’d known it was possible she’d fail, she’d pinned so much on being able to locate at least news of Rijes Velk. This, though…This isn’t anything. It’s less than news.
“I might be able to find out more,” Dax volunteered. “If I ask the right people at the conservatory. The grandmasters have connections. Or had, at least.”
“You think they’d be willing to help?” She hated the idea of it, but she tried not to let it show. It wasn’t, technically, a terrible idea. The grandmasterscouldhave useful contacts.
He shrugged. “It’s worth asking.”
Is it?Marin tried to think if she had any other option than bringing Dax back to that place. What price would the grandmasters demand for the favor? Once Dax entered, would he ever leave? Would this be it? She’d known this day was coming, but she still wasn’t ready for it to be so soon. On the other hand, there was so little time before Iovar’s deadline, and Rijes Velk didn’t deserve to be held where even the librarians couldn’t find her. Marin couldn’t just sail away from this.
Even if it means losing Dax?she asked herself.
I’m going to lose him anyway,she answered silently.
After a moment, Marin nodded. “All right then. To the conservatory.” She tried to sound cheerful, failed, and began poling out of the tunnel, with Perri trailing in their wake.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Come on,” Dax said, holding out his hand. “I want to show you… well, everything. The Great Hall. The practice rooms. Oh, and the fountain! You’ll love the fountain.”
“Rijes Velk,” Marin reminded him.
He waved his other hand airily. “Yes, absolutely, I’m going to ask, as soon as I find one of the grandmasters. Until then, let me show you my world. Ree? Do you want to come?”
Marin gazed at the stairs beyond the dock. Half of her wanted to see where Dax came from; the other half didn’t want to see the place she was going to lose him to. She felt an ache, right under her breastbone—it could get worse if she went up those stairs. “I should stay. Far more people want transport out of Alyssium than can afford it. Can’t leave a boat unattended.”
