“Tay.” She turned away from the scene as Beth walked in. The curtain fell from her hand and hid the vast expanse beyond. “Do you want to get out of that?”
Tay looked down at her dress and nodded. Beth led her back into her room and began to unlace the garment as Tay stared off into space.
“Has Darius come back?” she asked.
“Not yet.” Beth removed the pins in her hair, and it tumbled down around her shoulders. “Are you worried?”
“No.” She stepped out of the dress and dragged on the long, soft robe that had been laid on the bed. “I just…” She hesitated, trying to work out her thoughts. She may have survived this dinner, but she didn’t fancy her chances during the luncheon or the ball. Darius could at least reassure her that she was managing her cover, or give her further pointers on behaviour. “I just want to talk to him.”
“Okay.” Beth picked up the dress and returned it to the wardrobe. “What are you going to do about your research?” She shot Tay a meaningful glance.
“I think I’ll go down to the library tonight,” Tay replied, remembering her other task with a sinking sensation. “Not right now but in a couple of hours. Hopefully the place will be empty.”
“Just be careful,” Beth continued, as she tidied the pots on the dressing table. “I don’t want to see you arrested.”
“I’ll be fine,” Tay lied, as she placed a comforting hand on Beth’s back. “Remember,” she continued, with a confidence she didn’t feel, “I’m a noble.” She left the bedroom and sank into one of the chairs beside the fire.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” Beth said, letting her hand fall to her side. “Do you know what happens to nobles who turn traitor?” Tay shook her head, fear at Beth’s words insinuating its way down her spine.
Beth opened her mouth to speak, but a knock sounded at the door, making the pair of them jump.
“Lyana?” They relaxed slightly at the sound of Darius’ voice, and Beth left her side. She shot a questioning glance in Tay’s direction, and on her nod, opened the door.
Still dressed in his ball finery, Darius strode across the room and came to a halt beside her chair. Behind him, Beth allowed the door to close and walked back across the room to stand in the corner.
“May I join you?” Tay lifted her head and nodded, unsure of her voice. Beth’s words still rang through her head, jangling her nerves. As he settled himself on the chair opposite, that strange mixture of nervous anticipation and comfort rushed through her.
“Did you have a good evening?” Softly spoken words interrupted her thoughts and reminded her of the conversation at dinner.
“It was different,” she replied, attempting a smile. “The girls at my table seemed alright.”
“That’s good.” He glanced over his shoulder at Beth. “You can retire, Beth,” Darius noted as he leant back into the chair. Beth bobbed a curtsey and left the room. Without Beth’s presence in the corner, the room seemed smaller, more intimate, and a tense silence flowed between them. Tay chanced a look at Darius. His eyes had closed, as he rested his head against the back of the chair. Once more, she found her eyes tracing the lines of his face.
“Something interests you?” She jumped. He had spoken without opening his eyes.
“I wanted to ask…” Dismayed at being caught staring, she jumped onto the first explanation that came to her head. “Is this your betrothal ball as well?” His eyes snapped open and fixed on her. “I mean,” she stammered out, “they asked me all these questions at the dinner, and I didn’t know what to say.”
Darius gave a small laugh and leant forward. “I would have thought my sister would have schooled you in the matters of the court.”
“She did,” Tay replied, with a bite to her voice. “But she never mentioned your status.”
“Is it that important?”
“Yes,” she answered, with a surety that she did not realise she possessed.
“I’m not,” he replied softly, a strange, soft look in his eyes. “I was due to be engaged last year, but it fell through.”
“What happened?” As soon as the words passed her lips, she wished she could take them back. They hardly knew each other, and despite the charade they were engaged in, they were not siblings. Tay held her fingers tightly clenched in her lap and tried not to fidget, uncomfortable once more in his company.
“Her parents found her someone better.” Her head lifted at his words, and she regarded him carefully. If he were upset, she could not tell.
Quiet settled between them, broken only by the crackle of the fires. Tay missed the sound of the clock in her room, its monotonous ticking would have alleviated much of this oppressive silence.
“Are you to be betrothed this year?” She finally broke the silence to ask the question that was burning within her. “Or are you just here to chaperone me?”
“I’m only here to chaperone,” he confirmed, a smile creasing his lips. “I’m not on the betrothal lists this year.”
“Why not?” Interested, she leant forward, eager to hear what he had to say.
“I asked not to be.”
“And why is that?” A nonchalant shrug rippled across his shoulders, but he did not speak. Tay felt her curiosity increase at his vague answers. “Were you upset about the failed betrothal?”
A chuckle echoed across the room; a rich, warm sound that made her flush.
“I don’t have a failed love affair behind me,” he said, amusement rippling through each of his words. “Though it’s interesting that you seem to think that.”
“No… I just…” Tay waffled, face warm with embarrassment. “I’m curious.”
“About my love life?” Another chuckle and he raised an eyebrow. “Any reason?”
“Like I said,” she stammered quickly, “the questions at dinner, these girls asked me things.”
“About me?”
“Yes.” Her voice was soft, tremulous with nervous tension. “They’re interested in you.”
“And what did you, as my doting sister, say?”
“That I didn’t know and I would ask.”
Darius stood and walked toward the fire, staring into the flames, caught in deep thought. Tay watched for several moments, trying to control her embarrassed blushes. She hadn’t meant to pry so obviously, but, she looked down at her robe and shuffled uncomfortably, he was such an enigma. Beyond the desire to handle any future conversations, she wanted to know more about him.
“I was passed over for betrothal because of my father’s position,” he said finally, his voice free of humour for the moment. “But I was glad of it.” Tay controlled the urge to interrupt, and waited impatiently for him to continue. “My betrothed lived in the Clockwork Temple, and she felt that she could do much better than the son of a minor noble.”
“I don’t quite understand,” Tay replied, lost in the intricacies of courtly life.
“We’re a fairly minor house,” Darius explained, as he returned to his chair and sat back down. “While we look after the Factory and the Mine, we do not own them.” A wry smile crossed his lips. “I assure you that in the grand scheme of things, we’re nothing special.”
“Tell that to the families in the slum,” Tay retorted, remembering the fear that his father inspired.
“Point taken.” Fingers steepled beneath his chin as he stared at her. “May I ask you something?”
“Depends on what it is,” Tay replied, a leaden weight settling on her chest as she anticipated his question.
“Why were you not already in employment?” The question startled her somewhat, and she straightened up in her seat. “After all, you are of age.”
“My work ended when my father lost rating.” Hands twisted in her lap as she thought back to the day after her father’s arrest. She had been working in the Seamstress Shop on Station Road, a small, but reasonably paid appointment, and one she enjoyed. The owner of the shop, Mrs. Carsby, had called her into the office and two Guards from the Ration Centre were standi
ng there. She bit her lip as she remembered the fear they had inspired, and she closed her eyes.
“Tay?” His voice slid across her skin like silk, and she took a deep breath. Opening her eyes again, she continued to speak.
“The guards asked for my ration disc, which I handed over, and then”－she wet her lips with her tongue as the memory threatened to swamp her－“they wanted to go through my pockets. One of the guards held me still as the other searched me.” Darius stiffened in his seat but said nothing, waiting for her to finish. “Luckily Mrs. Carsby spoke up for me.” The older woman had stood up from behind her desk, and demanded they stop. “She said that I wasn’t a criminal, and even if I was, they had no right to paw at me like animals, and she threw them out.”
“You couldn’t keep on working,” Darius noted, a strange expression crossing his features as he spoke, “without your ration disc.”
“No.” Tay took another breath, trying to banish the dark thoughts that had begun to flow through her mind. “Mrs. Carsby wanted to keep me on, but the ration law prevented it.”
“I…”
“So there’s your answer,” Tay interrupted his words, unwilling to hear any pity or sympathy from Darius’ lips. “And now I’m going to bed.” She stood up and began to walk away, feeling the familiar prick of tears at the back of her eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tay.” She heard the creak of his chair as he stood up and began to follow her. She increased her pace, the door to her bedroom promising a safe place to nurse her old, wounded feelings.
“Why won’t you to talk to me?” She stopped at his voice, and half turned.
“Because you’re one of them,” she answered, a bitter smile on her lips. “And I’m here because you could destroy me and my family.” He had the decency to bow his head as she continued. “And even if you don’t betray me, someone else could, and out of the two of us, I’m the one who’ll face the worse punishment.” Her fingers rested against the wood of the door, and she pushed, eager to leave his company and the strange mixture of feelings that he aroused. Pushing open the door, she stepped across the threshold and closed the portal behind her. She leant back against the wood and closed her eyes, half hoping, half fearing that he would attempt to continue the conversation. She heard the click of the door to her suite and sighed. With quick steps, she crossed the room and slid into bed. A quick adjustment to the clock at her bedside and she settled back for a few hours of potentially sporadic sleep.
Chapter 15
Sure enough, when the alarm chimed three hours later, she was alert and ready to begin her nighttime jaunt about the Palace. As quietly as she could, she drew on a dark robe and thrust the small brass recorder into a deep pocket. Taking a clockwork torch from her belongings, she headed for the door. The fire had burned low in the grate, and shadows clustered in the corners of the room. Before she left the safety of her chambers, she wound the torch and switched it on. The door opened quietly into the main suite, and she walked across the empty space on tiptoes, hoping that she would not wake Darius. The door to the hallway opened easily, and she moved quietly into the corridor. The steady white-blue beam cut through the shadowy darkness, and she headed for the steps she had seen earlier, wishing to avoid the noise of the elevator. The air was still and somehow heavy as she traversed the dark corridors, hoping that she would pass undetected.
The clock in the hall struck three as she finally descended the stairs. She navigated the space quickly, the light of the torch illuminating a path along the hallway. The spiders hung on the wall, grotesque in the pale blue light. Taking a breath, she reached out and caught hold of the first spider she reached. It lifted easily from the wall, and she cradled its scratchy, articulated form awkwardly.
With even more care, she continued to walk through the halls. She encountered no one, and despite the fears still eating at her, she began to relax. With painstakingly slow movements she pushed open the door to the library wing. There was more light here, several of the lamps were lit, and she moved even slower. The doors to both the library and records room stood open, and the sound of voices echoed from the second door. She stopped, trying to find the courage to proceed.
Her fingers firmly gripped the edges of the spider as she edged closer to the door and the voices beyond. There were at least two people in the room, she could tell that much from the conversation. With nervous, shaking fingers she wound the spider, hoping that the sound of the clockwork wouldn’t draw attention. As the key ticked slowly, she felt the mechanisms in the legs twitch, and she sped up, occasionally glancing toward the door as she tried to quickly, but quietly, wind up the appliance. A voice sounded close to the door, and she stopped, breath hitching in her throat as she flattened herself against the wall, thoughts of discovery running through her mind. Prickles of unease ran across her skin as she held her position, unwilling to move and possibly draw attention. Time ticked by as she waited, praying that whoever stood on the other side of the door would stay within. The voice grew quieter, as though the speaker had moved away, but before Tay could breathe a sigh of relief, the legs of the spider twitched again. She glanced down and watched in horror as the construct slowly began to unfurl itself. One of the legs extended outward and a clacking sound echoed out across the empty hallway.
“What’s that?” a voice echoed from beyond the door, and in panic, Tay dropped the spider.
The mechanical creature whirred again as another leg extended outward, and found the floor. Tay did not wait to see any more and darted across the hallway through the open library door. Sounds of movement echoed from across the hall, and she dove behind the library door and pressed herself against the wall. A desperate prayer echoed through her mind as she heard people enter the hallway.
“How did that get there?” the first voice asked, curious, yet suspicious at the same time.
“Search the hall,” the other voice replied, and she flattened herself against the wall even more as she tried to hide. She could see it was pointless, the door would be the first place they looked. Visions of being dragged off in chains ran through her mind, and she closed her eyes.
“I’ll check the library.” She bit her lip as she stifled the whimpers of panic that threatened to fall from her mouth. A shadow moved through the door, and she crossed her fingers, praying for a miracle. Any moment now the guard would check behind the door, and find her. She squeezed her eyes shut as the door began to move.
“Is there a problem?” The door stopped, and Tay opened her eyes as a new voice echoed across the library. A young man stood up from one of the high-backed chairs before the fire and looked directly at the guard before him. He could not have failed to miss her, he had a clear view of her cowering form. She waited for him to point her out to the guard, and she began running through a set of painfully thin excuses for why she was out of her rooms.
“Someone set off a spider,” the guard began.
“That was me.” Tay started, and stared at the young man in shock. He was studiously avoiding looking at her, but she had no idea why he was covering for her.
“Sir?” The guard, evidently confused, stared at the other man in wonderment.
“I was experimenting.” He stood up and walked across the room, keeping the guard’s attention. Tay watched him approach, her heart in her mouth. He moved like a cat, with quick, fluid movements that barely made any sound. Dark haired with almond-shaped eyes and fine-boned features that made him look fragile, but there was nothing fragile in his gaze. He wasn’t particularly tall, but something in him drew her attention, and she could not tear her eyes away.
“Of course, Sir,” the guard answered, as he bowed and moved to leave. “Will you require the spider brought to you?”
“No.” Tay thought she saw his eyes flicker in her direction, but she couldn’t say for sure. “I’m done with it.”
“Very well.” The guard turned and exited the study. The young man walked forward and slowly but firmly closed the door.
“Late night prank?” he asked. His voice was crisp and somewhat sharp, yet it wasn’t unpleasant.
“Yes.” Tay jumped on the offered explanation, as she tried to moderate the relief in her tone.
“At three o’clock in the morning?” A ripple of what could have been laughter flashed through his voice, and she bowed her head. “I don’t buy it.” He turned away from her, and returned to his chair.
“I couldn’t sleep.” The words spilt out without too much thought, she couldn’t let this man know her reasons for roaming the castle. “I thought I’d play with one of those spiders, but when it startled the guards, I panicked.”
A shrewd gleam settled across his features, and he peered at her. “And acted like a thief?”
“Yeah…” The reply hesitantly fell from her lips, and she winced inwardly at the knowing smile that crept across his face. “I mean… I was trying…” Her words stammered to a halt as he looked at her.
“Alright, don’t strain yourself.” He sat down and picked up one of the books on the table before his chair, dismissing her with that simple movement.
“Why are you here?” Tay asked finally, recovering from the shock enough to throw the question back to him.
“I couldn’t sleep.” A smirk slid across his features as he mirrored her earlier answer. “Reading sometimes helps.”
Tay took several halting steps forward, and stared down at the stack of books before him. Most of the titles were obscured, but some made her pause and think.
Amber Sky (C.O.I.L.S Of Copper and Brass Book 1) Page 15