Crewel

and I’d bet she’s wondering how she got stuck mentoring the new troublemaker.
    ‘Don’t they tell you anything?’ I didn’t mean for this to be an insult, but Enora bites her lip as if it were.
    ‘No, they don’t, Adelice.’
    ‘They don’t tell any of us anything,’ I note. ‘So it’s probably stupid to ask, but did you find out about my sister Amie or my mother?’ Asking sends a thrill of dread through my stomach.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Enora says, shaking her head. ‘The one person who might have information has been travelling.’
    ‘Travelling?’ I ask in surprise. ‘Is it a politician?’
    ‘No, she’s one of us,’ she says quietly, but I can tell she can’t say any more.
    I stop asking questions even though my mind is heavy with them, and she leads me to a large red-lacquered door and knocks timidly. The door flies open.
    ‘Yes?’ an officer dressed in the jet-black uniform of the Guild Special Service asks without meeting our eyes.
    ‘It’s fine,’ a familiar voice calls from inside the room. ‘They’re my guests.’
    The officer moves to the side, and we step into the lounge. It’s more dimly lit than most of the rooms in the compound. Probably due to the heavy velvet curtains that drape the oversized windows. Enough light streams in that I can make out the plush sofas and slick leather chairs strategically placed around the room, but the lack of natural light leaches the colour from the furniture. Cormac sits by a marble hearth, cigar in one hand and cocktail in the other. He’s clad as always in his double-breasted tux, although his bow tie hangs loosely around his unbuttoned collar.
    ‘Miss me?’ he asks.
    ‘It hasn’t been that long,’ I remind him.
    ‘I’m sure it’s felt like a lifetime,’ he says, running his eyes down me. ‘Adelice, you are looking . . . malnourished.’
    ‘Cormac, you’re looking overdressed.’
    ‘Good,’ he sneers. ‘Now the hair matches the attitude.’
    Beside me Enora fidgets.
    ‘And who are you?’ he asks, turning to her and squinting in the dark.
    ‘Enora,’ she says quietly. ‘I’m Adelice’s mentor.’
    To her credit she sounds calm.
    ‘Nice to meet you, Enora,’ he says, taking a swig from his glass. ‘I’ll have Adelice escorted back to her quarters when we’re through.’
    ‘I’m happy to stay,’ she tells him.
    Cormac chuckles like this is a bold suggestion and shakes his head. ‘That won’t be necessary.’
    With one worried look, Enora steps back through the door, and I’m left alone in the room with the Guild’s official Coventry Ambassador.
    ‘Sit,’ he commands. ‘Cocktail?’
    I shake my head.
    ‘Whatever.’ He sets down his glass and moments later, someone steps from the shadows to refill it.
    I feel my breath catch and turn away, hoping Cormac didn’t notice my reaction.
    ‘Will you be requiring anything else?’ Jost asks him, and I feel heat creeping into my cheeks. I’m suddenly thankful for the heavy curtains.
    ‘Not at the moment, but stay close just in case,’ Cormac says in a dismissive tone.
    ‘Happily,’ Jost murmurs, but our eyes meet as he turns and I can see he’s anything but happy. A moment later he’s faded back out of sight.
    ‘So you’ve been causing trouble,’ Cormac informs me as he swirls his whisky.
    I focus on the soft clink of ice against the glass, and say nothing.
    ‘Maela has overstepped her bounds as usual,’ he continues. ‘Technically, she’s your superior, you know.’
    ‘Technically?’ I ask in surprise.
    ‘Do you think we usually let girls who try to tunnel out of their houses live?’
    ‘So why me?’
    ‘Your skills assessment at your testing was off the charts,’ he admits, setting his glass down and leaning forward.
    ‘Why are you the only person who tells me anything?’ I ask, shifting back in my chair.
    ‘Well, I know more than anyone else.’
    ‘But they know more than they let on,’ I press. His cologne’s heavy musk is making my head swim, and I can’t hold back the thoughts I’ve locked in since my arrival.
    ‘They do,’ he admits, ‘but I have so much more power. It’s easier to share little secrets when you’re in charge.’
    ‘And you are?’ I ask him pointedly. ‘Then why tell me? You have no more reason to trust me than they do.’
    ‘No, I don’t,’ he says, ‘but unlike them, I can have you killed.’
    ‘And I thought we were finally becoming friends.’
    Cormac laughs a deep, barking cackle. ‘You are