A Sprinkle of Stardust

Chapter 12 - Interrogation

The silence between Lyrani and Benje sent her nerves into a jitter, but the other elf was unruffled.

He took a wooden box carved with sunflowers out of his desk drawer with the hasty precision of someone who had more pressing matters to see to than a seemingly careless scratch that had come into existence just to interrupt the smooth flow of his day. That may be so, but Lyrani had important work of her own.

Without a word, Benje took a small stoppered glass bottle with sharp corners from the box and poured a purple substance from it. He cupped his palm to collect it, then rubbed his hands together. It was a clear liquid that glittered with cleanliness, even before its sharp smell struck Lyrani's nostrils.

Benje pressed a clean bandage into the opening of the bottle and tilted to soak it in disinfectant. Lyrani winced when he pressed the bandage against her arm, but he didn't seem to notice.

"I remember seeing you last night." When Benje didn't reply, Lyrani continued, speaking through gritted teeth. "You were with the king."

"Yes. I'm his right-hand man." The expression on his face was like tape encircling a crime scene, warning Lyrani not to cross it.

But she would cross it because this was her job. She wasn't a civilian who needed to be protected from the most wicked forces in the realm, from the violence that would scar lives and minds. She was a secret agent, and this was her bread and butter.

Lyrani sat straighter, encouraged by the reply she had incited. Although abrupt, it was something she could work with.

"How long have you been working for him?"

Benje raised his frosty blue eyes to Lyrani's face without changing the motion of his hand down her wound. "You're not a reporter, are you?"

Lyrani narrowed her eyes. "No. I'm a lady's maid."

Benje gave a dry chortle. "Oh, that's even worse."

"What does that mean?" Lyrani's question came out barbed, but Benje's face didn't change.

"At least reporters have a reason to be nosy." Benje dropped the blood-streaked bandage in a little container for disposal.

"I'm just curious." Lyrani injected some lightness into her tone. "A woman is allowed to be curious about her host."

The way Benje pursed his lips told her he disagreed, but he said nothing. She took a breath.

She wasn't a secret agent trying to extract information for the sake of the realm. She was just an inquisitive maid asking questions about a man nobody knew much about. She had to buy her act before she could convince Benje to.

"You seemed close, but King Nash doesn't strike me as a person with many friends," said Lyrani.

He wouldn't have accepted Trelle's offer of company so readily if he had other people to spend time with. His eyes wouldn't have brightened as they did at the lady's subtle invitation of friendship if he had other friends. He might've even sensed the hidden motives at play if he had been around people enough, but Lyrani didn't think he had been.

Why else would he have kept to himself, only entertaining the conversations that sought him out? Why else had he stared at his guests, overwhelmed as if he didn't know what to make of them?

"And why would you say that Nash seems like the lonely type?" His voice dangerously low, Benje took a small tube from his box of healing supplies and squeezed a blob of the bitter-smelling ointment onto his fingertip.

Lyrani bit her lip. Those weren't her words, but she could play along with Benje if it got him to talk.

"Well..." Lyrani pretended to hesitate. "There are those who believe King Nash is behind the recent massacres in the realm. I imagine that's not something that would make him a popular ruler."