Thread of Frost

Ch. 22: Grief Like Ash

"She's lying," Penny said.

Paper and quills littered the floor. Penny was lying on her stomach; a tray of chocolate biscuits sat next to her, in addition to a cup of half-drunk tea (not raspberry, thank gods; she had poured the remainder of the teapot into a plant when nobody was looking). Grayson was hunched over the desk, his blond hair rumpled.

"The empress?" Grayson asked.

Penny tapped her quill. "Yeah."

"Suspected as much," Grayson said. "I can't imagine anyone finds Drusden useful."

Exasperation filled her. "Grayson..."

He held up his hands. "Which part was she lying about?"

"All of it," Penny said. "She knows exactly where her husband is." She picked up the largest chocolate biscuit. "She just won't tell us."

Grayson frowned. "You think Halson's in Wynterlynn."

"Don't you?"

"Okay." Grayson blew out a breath. "Okay. Let me think." He rubbed at his tattoo, a quick, subconscious gesture. "Lucerna's out of the question — Lucia will take that in a matter of days, if she hasn't already — and I don't fancy our chances in Zarob, either. They hate your family. No offense."

Penny's voice was wry. "None taken."

"We could try for Salvatoria," Grayson said. "Their political allegiances are a well-guarded secret, but it could be worth the—"

"I'm not leaving," Penny said.

She polished off the chocolate biscuit, rubbing the crumbs on her skirt. She could feel Grayson staring. Not a nice stare, Penny thought; an "I-can't-believe-I'm-about-to-have-to-deal-with-this-bullshit" stare.

"Are you mad?" Grayson asked.

She pointed at the desk. "Could you pass me that water, please?"

"You're joking."

"I'm really not," Penny said mildly. "I'm very thirsty."

Grayson ignored this. Of course he did. "Where did Maribel go?"

Penny sucked her lip. She knew where Maribel was, of course; the other girl had ventured straight into the kitchens, apron tucked under her arm. She'd mentioned something about learning to make Loxian Bean Stew. Not, Penny thought, that she was about to volunteer Maribel's location; she knew why Grayson was asking.

Still.

More fun to make Grayson spell it out.

"Why?" Penny asked.

"Penny." Grayson gave her a look. "We can't stay here. Not if Halson is allying with Lucia. We'll find Maribel and make a run for it."

Penny rolled to a seated position. "I'm not suggesting that we stay here forever. Just long enough to find God-Slayer. Then we can go anywhere you like."

"It's too dangerous," Grayson said.

Penny shrugged. "So is everything, these days."

Grayson rubbed at his tattoo. "Even if we did stay..." His thumb flicked over the anchor. The waves. "It could take weeks to find God-Slayer. Months."

Penny propped her chin on her knees. "Show me what you have on the sword. Explain why you think it's in Lox somewhere. Then we'll decide."

Grayson's face was wary. Still, he must have decided that it wasn't worth arguing about because he waved her over. Penny hopped on the desk, her legs swinging. Grayson smoothed out a piece of rumpled yellowing parchment.