For a while there was silence, it seemed, though Venera knew abstractly that everyone was shouting, that the news of Margit's sudden departure was spreading like fire through Liris. Eilen and the others were speaking to her, but she couldn't understand anything they said.
Strangely calm, she looked through the rushing people at the one other person who seemed still. He was giving orders at the foot of the stairs to Margit's chambers, putting out his arm to prevent people without firefighting tools from going up, pointing out where to get sand or buckets to those just arriving. His face was impassive, but his gestures were quick and focused.
"What are we going to do? Odess was literally wringing his hands, something Venera had never actually seen someone do. Without the botanist, what will happen to the trees? Will Sacrus forgive us for what you did? We could all be killed. Who is going to lead us now?"
Eilen turned to Odess, shaking his shoulder crossly. Why shouldn't it be Venera?"
"V-Venera? He looked terrified.
She laughed. I'm leaving. Right now. Besides, you already have your new botanist. She pointed. He's been here all along."
Moss looked up from where he was directing the firefighting. He saw Venera, and the perpetually desperate expression around his eyes
softened a bit. She walked over to him.
As shouts came down the stairs saying that the fire was under control, she laid a hand on the former envoy's arm and smiled at him. Moss, she said, I don't want you to be sad anymore."
"I-I'll t-try, he said.
Satisfied, she turned away from the people of Liris. Venera traced the steps Margit had taken only minutes before, pausing only to arm herself in Liris's barracks. She walked up the broad stone steps over which towered row after row of portraitscenturies of botanists, masons, doctors, and scholars, all of whom had been born here, lived here, and died here leaving legacies that might have been known only to a handful of people, but were meaningful nonetheless. She trod carefully patched steps whose outlines were known intimately by those who tended them, past arches and doors that figured as clearly as heroes out of myth in the dreams and ambitions of the people who lived under thempeople to whom they were the very world itself.
And on the dark empty roof, cold fresh air blew in from the abandoned lofts of Winter.
She threw back the trapdoor and stalked to the roof's edge. These were the final steps of her old life, she felt. Venera was about to mourn, something she had never done and did not know how to do. She stepped onto a swaying platform and began winching it down, feeling the uncoiling certainty of her husband's death in her gut. It was like a monster shaking itself awake; any moment now it would devour her, and who knew what would happen then? Her only defense was to keep turning the wheel to winch herself down. She focused her eyes on the tall grass that swayed at the foot of Liris, willing it closer.
In the dim light cast by Lesser Spyre, Venera Fanning walked into the wild acres of the disputed territories. She moved aimlessly at first, admiring the glittering lights overhead and the vast arcs of land and forest that swept up and past them.
When she lowered her eyes it was to see the black silhouette of a man separate itself from a grove of trees ahead of her. Venera didn't pause, but turned slightly towards the figure. He came out to meet her, and she nodded to him when he offered his arm for her to lean on.
"I've been waiting for you, said Garth Diamandis.
They walked into the darkness under the trees.
7
Periodically she stepped to the doorway of the flimsy hideout and listened to the wind. It tore and gabbled, moaned and hissed incessantly, and in it she learned to hear voices. They were of people shed knownher father, her sisters, sometimes random members of the crew of the Rook, whom she had not really gotten to know but had heard all about her during her adventures with that ship.
She strained to hear her husbands voice in the rush, but his was the only voice she could not summon.
One dawn she was fixing breakfast (with little success, having never learned to cook) when Garth poked his head around the doorjamb and said, Youve disturbed a whole nest of hornets, did you know that? He strolled in, looking pleased with himself. More like a nest of whalesor capital bugs, even. Theres covert patrols crawling all over the place.
She glared at him. What makes you think theyre after me?
Youre the only piece out of place on this particular board, said Diamandis. He let gravity settle him into one of the huts two chairs. A queen in motion, judging by the furor. Im just a pawn, so they dont see meand as long as they dont, they cant catch you either.
Try this. She slammed a plate down in front of him. He eyed it dubiously.
Mind telling me what you did?
Did? She gnawed her lip, ignoring the stabbing pain in her jaw. Not very much. I may have assassinated someone.
May have? He chortled. Youre not sure? She simply shrugged. Diamandiss expression softened. Why am I not surprised, he said under his breath.