The Right to Die | ✓ Amby Winner 2023

6. A Lovely Dinner

The hosts rose as they approached. The Magnate's eyes gleamed like a beetle's carapace inset deep into his fleshy face. "Duke z'Daras!" he boomed, arms spread wide in greeting. "We dine together at last. You've been here three days; I was beginning to worry the luxurious Capital life had made a dinner with me unbearable."

Aevryn offered a thin smile. "Nothing of the sort. You have all the same charms of the Noble Houses, and twice their showmanship." A servant pulled Aevryn and M'yu's chairs back, but Aevryn simply rested a hand on the back of his. "I simply do my best not to mix business and pleasure; tonight will be our last evening in the Gloam."

"A pity. You really must let me host you one of these days—after my home is restored, of course." The Magnate's beetle eyes flicked over to M'yu, gaze intense enough to feel as if it were picking at his flesh.

"Ah, where are my manners?" Aevryn said. "Magnate Fesryn Tam, may I present Mykta z'Daras, the hero of the hour."

M'yu inclined his head. "Sir."

"A fascinating story indeed." The beetle eyes kept prying at M'yu. "You really must explain it to me again later, Aevryn."

From above, the announcer called, "Presenting Duke Dymtrus Dovalenko, a Capital Knight and head of the House of Mercury. With him, Ruslan Truska, apprentice of the House of Mercury." Down the stairs came the pair from the other hover. The man's muscles looked like they were trying to escape the fabric of his suit. The boy padded behind with his nose in the air, like a pampered cat called to its bowl.

The Magnate's attention fell off M'yu as he greeted the newcomers, and M'yu blew a quiet breath out from his lips. Across the table from him, the girl with the witchlight rolled her eyes. M'yu looked away, trying to tune back into the conversation. As they all sat, the Magnate introduced the girl as his niece, Sviya, and the silver woman as his wife. With a flick of his meaty wrist, the Magnate summoned the first course. Bowls of creamy truffle soup were placed in front of them, and the servants carrying them disappeared to the edges of the room as quickly as they came. M'yu's mouth watered.

The Magnate picked up his spoon. "My apologies for the subpar conditions. I would have preferred to host you all at my home, of course, but—" His spoon wound in the air as if composing the end of his sentence.

"I'm impressed by your efficiency," the boulder man, Dymtrus, said. "I hope we can be half as efficient at finding the culprits as you have organizing this wonderful meal."

"You're too kind," Mrs. Tam said. The electric candles shimmered over her skin like over a polished mirror. That can't be makeup.

Magnate Tam held a hand in front of his mouth as he finished swallowing. "Aevryn told me you were heading back to the Capital come morning."

"Well," Dymtrus stammered, "we are. But the thieves will strike again, and we'll catch them when they do."

"Thieves?" Sviya's voice rang like a knife on a whetstone. "Isn't that a bit kind? I'd call them terrorists."

Aevryn sipped from his glass. "If there are revolutionaries, you'll need to deal with them, Fesryn."

The Magnate flushed. "Isn't that what your forces were here to do?"

"Nothing of the sort. We were here to address linkcard thefts—Capital business, you know. Peace in the Gloam is outside of our purview. Unless the Capital needs to reassess security here...?"

"The Gloam is as secure as ever," he blustered, flashing a glare at his niece. "Riffraff is sort of like fire; it flares high and low. There's no real trouble here."

"Wonderful."

The Magnate took another bite of soup. "Speaking of fire, the girls here were hoping for some entertainment. Weren't you?" he said, looking to his wife and niece. Sviya simply blew on her soup, but the wife simpered and nodded. Magnate Tam looked at M'yu. "Won't you regale us with your exploits? How did you come to save my sweet Sviya?"