“Isthatwhat happened to your—”
“We’re here. Thank you for your help. Good night, Maya.”
Luka turned, and hobbled into his bedchamber, leaving Maya behind.
CHAPTER NINE
The next day, Luka was nowhere to be found.
Maya didn’t really expect him to be up for breakfast, not after their late night yesterday, but she had thought to see him at dinner, at least. Both lunch and dinner had been brought to his rooms, in a repeat of the earlier week.
So, the next day, Maya didn’t try to corner Luka in his rooms or his study, instead, she went to find Stoffel, hoping to catch the man before his day started. The butler had told her he was in the stables again, and so she went to meet him.
As she’d thought, he was grooming Darkbolt.
“Does he not allow the grooms near him?”
The main jumped as he turned to her, pushing his glasses up his nose, and Maya nodded in apology.
“He’s been through much in the wars,” Stoffel says sadly. “Earlier, the Prince was the only one who could touch him, but with time, Darkbolt has gotten used to me.”
“Does Luka not come out here to visit with Darkbolt?”
Stoffel grimaced. “He used to, when we first came here to Kamenev. But they were both so hurt by everything that had happened in Telluria, and them seeing each other only reminded them of it, again and again—” He broke off, and shook his head. “It’s better this way.”
“What happened to them?” Maya asked, stepping closer. “Luka doesn’t want to talk about it, but I know his experiences on the war front changed him. I took him to see my new invention last night, and he seemed uninterested, which isn’t like him. And don’t say it’s because seeing it reminded him of the war, of what happened on the frontlines. He can definitely think about the war. He’s been writing to the War Council and keeping correspondence with Lord Yarek. I know there’s more to it than that.”
“Your new invention, Lady von Rakhmonov?” Stoffel held himself stiffly as he turned to see her, as if bracing for bad news.
It was easy to forget, since she almost always saw Stoffel with paperwork and books in his arms, but the man was a trained soldier too. He’d been part of the Stoneheart regiment, and as Luka’s aide, he was sure to know more about what Luka had been unable to tell her last night.
“Yes, my new invention. An improved version of the body armor I made for Luka.”
Stoffel winced, but he said nothing.
“Mister Peshkov, if you know something,pleasetell me.”
“Have you seen the armor you made for the Prince?” Stoffel asked, brushing Darkbolt again. His eyes met hers, and then skipped away again. “Did you see its condition when he returned from the front?”
Maya frowned. Shehadseen the armor she’d sent Luka out into the field with, it had been returned to them at the lab in Rurik Castle for their research, battered and dented by use, but also burned in places, despite the strengthening wards Mister Utsev had placed on the metal. As if they had been melted by a heat far greater than mere fire.
“I heard there were firedrakes,” she said slowly. “I heard the Tellurian mages knew magic that we could not comprehend.”
“It’s true,” Stoffel said, his jaw tight as he paused. “The Tellurian mages were adept at using their magic on living creatures. They could influence and even controlfiredrakes,sirin, and other creatures.” He sighed. “They were even rumored to be creating chimeras for the Tellurian army, designed to reduce our rank and file with one swing of their claws. What they lacked in numbers, they made up for in mage power.”
“Was—was Luka attacked by a firedrake?”
Stoffel turned to her, a pained look on his face, and he’d just opened his mouth to speak, when a voice cut him off.
“Enough.” They both spun around to see Luka standing there in the entrance to the stables, leaning heavily on his staff, frowning at them both. He looked absolutely furious. “Speaking about me behind my back, are you?” His gaze moved to Stoffel. “I’ll deal with you later. Meet me in my study in the evening.”
“I’ll take my leave, my lady,” Stoffel said stiffly, his face white. “Your Highness.” He put Darkbolt back into his stall, and bowed as he left the stables via another door.
“We weren’t talking behind your back,” Maya said, shaking her head. “I was only trying to better understand you. And since you won’t talk to me yourself…”
“You thought you’d interrogate my aide?”
“I wasn’t interrogating him,” she snapped. “I thought I could find clearer answers about what happened to you fromsomeone else. And isn’t that just an indicator of how wonderful and deep our friendship is? That I can’t even talk to you?”
