Page 100 of The Space Between Stars

“He… he hasn’t said anything about me? At all?”

“Are we talking about the same person? Because the mute I’m referring to doesn’t say anything.”

She tsked. “You’ll give him the message?”

“Niklaus Meyernes, at your service.”

“Niklaus…?” He watched it click together in her mind. It had only been a matter of time before what should be Nelfinden royalty discovered the smudge on his reputation. “You couldn’t happen to be the Niklaus Meyernes associated with research endowment at Tennca'Pui?”

It was all he could do to keep his jaw from dropping. “I am.” He’d nearly forgotten what it felt like to be appreciated.

She pointed an accusatory finger. “You pulled my funding.”

Ah, how quickly sweetness soured. “I… what?”

“I prepared for months for an expedition to study Casowhatan sea kelp, and you pulled my funding.”

He’d never pulled any of his endowments, as far as he was aware. Certainly none to Tennca'Pui. Unable to provide a definitive contrary, he could only manage, “It sounds like I might have rescued you?”

She shot him a withering look before scrambling from beneath the wagon, hood pulled low, and moving toward the caravan’s center. Niklaus turned onto his back once more, studying the striations in the wood. The world spun—in more ways than one. He remembered to sip water. A drink as disappointing as it was refreshing.

He held the piece of paper up to verify that he had not just imagined a Ruxian passing a covert message along to his co-conspirator. “Eah…” he sighed. “At least things aren’t boring.”

Niklaus pushed his way back into the wagon and set the mute’s canteen on the floor beside him. He didn’t seem to have moved since Niklaus had left.

he gestured around the tools in his hands, but didn’t pause in his work to drink.

“So, Calver.”

Calver, now confirmed, tensed.

“Funny thing. I casually bumped into Seraphindo’s heir while sitting at the water station.”

Calver sat upright so quickly he slammed his head into the tray above him, grunted, and fell back to the planking. Cute, really. Rubbing at his head, the mute wormed his way out and watched Niklaus like a jackal.

Niklaus leaned against the shelving with his best impression of bastardly nonchalance. “I was disappointed. Here I was, honored she was speaking to me, but all she wanted to talk about was you.”

The signals were urgent.

“Aye.”

“Ahm. Shiny, for one. How you might imagine a Ruxian is supposed to look, but more speckled.”

“She…” He considered the way her body hugged bone, how… “Not great.”

Calver aged visibly; his hands found his hair. He looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks. Perhaps he hadn’t.

“For me to give you a message.”

Niklaus tried to lighten the mood. “When were you going to tell me you were cozy with the Nelfinden heir, Cal? Feels like the sort of thing worth sharing.”

It was the wrong decision. Calver’s face darkened.