Page 43 of Seas the Reckoning

Piers puffs up, jutting his chest out.

“I’m sure I’ve been inside that office more than you! Enough to have seen more than my fair share of records—not only of Councilman Taylor but also the covens he keeps track of and everyone else he’s involved with. He trusts me implicitly.”

Starla raises her eyebrows at me.

The office. Records of his associates and, I would bet, a lot of snooping he’s done on them.

Another potential area to look.

We just have to find an opening.

Not a waste of a breakfast after all.

18

DIZZYING DANCES

Starla groans as she pulls on her gown for the second evening of festivities.

“After this it’ll be two days down and one to go,” I remind her in an attempt at cheerfulness.

“After this, it’ll be an entire day tomorrow filled with Piers, Percival, Maximilian, James, and whoever else my father insists on shoving at me. For one wild moment today, Dennis entered the foyer and I thought my father was actually going to insist on that particular pairing. Luckily Dennis was just delivering a message.”

“See, things are looking up.”

I tease her, even though my thoughts are shouting that her father might just find a way to force her hand.

She sighs.

“You were granted a reprieve this afternoon while I endured Harry yammering on about how nobles ought to be able to pay the Magikai to gain preferential treatment from the government.”

I bite my lip.

She must be able to tell that I’ve got something to say, because I see her wave a hand, the air shimmering around us. I don’t bother wasting time and chastising her on the magic-usage. Best to just say what I need to say.

“I’m sorry, Starla. You’re only here because of my curse.”

She stops buttoning her dress, coming to me instead as it swishes around her legs.

“I’m just fussing. Grumpier than a bumblefooted hen. I do wish you’d been able to do a little more sleuthing this afternoon, but that’s on the way my father runs things. Not you.”

Councilman Taylor has an extensive staff, and especially as I don’t know the layout of the manor, we decided it would risk too much suspicion for me to wander around. Instead, I did my best to take a nap after texting Jackal our hope of finding a way to search the councilman's office.

“Tell me, how do you keep all these men straight?”

She laughs, flopping back on her bed and putting herself in danger of wrinkling her dress.

“I don’t bother. They are interchangeable. Most have the personality of a wet dish rag. I’m just sorry my father has you involved. From the way he was talking this afternoon, I think he’s going to try and fill your dance card.”

“It takes some of the pressure off of you, and maybe that will be how we get our answers.”

She rolls on her side, really focusing on me.

“You do know that you’re not responsible for what Leon did, right? You don’t have to feel pressure to solve everything. I know we have to get rid of your curse, but I don’t want you to be seeking out other answers because you think it’s your duty.”

“I should have pressed for more details about Leon’s supernatural accomplice. Even though he doesn’t know their real identity, surely there was something. After all, we’ve already come across a crest that matches Ivyrn Works. I could have figured that out sooner and delved further.”

“You risked your life to come rescue me when I got my sorry behind captured. A little shmoozing is the least I can do to make it up to you,” Starla says while I continue to wrestle with my mind.