A Pinch of Phoenix by Heidi Lang & Kati Bartkowski

Author:Heidi Lang & Kati Bartkowski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

25

ELISTER’S GAME

This was hardly necessary.” Lord Elister’s face gave nothing away, those green eyes as cool as ever, but his tone was disapproving enough that all three of the guards flinched back.

“But, sir, she was up to something in that restaurant,” the head guard said, her narrow face turning red under Elister’s critical gaze. “And you did tell us to bring her to you.”

“Bring her, yes. Not arrest her.” Elister sighed.

“Er, sorry, sir. Our apologies, sir.”

“Oh, go away, would you?” Elister waved his hands. “You’re dismissed. Go . . . patrol.”

“Yes, sir. Of course.” The guards bowed and practically ran into one another on their rush out the door.

Elister ran a hand over his face. He was sitting behind a small table, and across from him sat a very familiar redheaded girl. Even though Lailu could see only her back, she knew it was Wren, and her fury burned hotter than Greg’s malfunctioning stove. Wren could have killed Greg! And he had nothing to do with her mother’s death.

“And what were you up to in that restaurant?” Elister asked.

Lailu scowled. “Maybe you should ask Wren what she was up to. She almost destroyed Greg’s restaurant! And Greg,” she added. She realized some of her anger was reserved for Greg, too. She’d gone through all this trouble to get to him, and he wouldn’t even help her.

“Wren?” Elister said pointedly.

Wren’s shoulders hunched up around her ears. “I . . . wanted to send Greg a message.”

“And what kind of message?” Elister asked, his tone coaxing but stern, like a mother asking her toddler what was in her mouth. “Did you send one of your creations to threaten him?”

Wren nodded.

“Wren Volan, that is very disappointing. We’ve talked about this, haven’t we?”

She nodded again.

“And what did we say?”

“There’s a time and a place for attacks,” she whispered.

“And Gilded Island is never the place,” Elister finished. He looked up at Lailu. “There, all settled. Wren won’t do that again. Right, Wren?”

“Right.”

Elister smiled at Wren. It was the same kind of smile he’d once given Walton, the automaton Starling and her scientists created and the best butler Elister had ever had. A fond smile with actual warmth in it.

Lailu’s jaw dropped.

“Now,” Elister told Wren, “as I was saying, in this game, controlling the king is the key to winning. But the king itself is a weak piece.” He moved something on the table. Lailu craned her neck, noticing the black-and-white board, and the pieces, and recognized it as a game of chess. Her father used to carve the boards and pieces, and they always sold out whenever a trade caravan passed through their village. For all she knew, this was one of his.

“The queen, however,” Elister continued, “can move all over the board. Take the queen out, and the rest is easy.”

Lailu pressed her lips together. She knew some people believed that the queen was the most valuable piece, but her father had always taught her not to underestimate the other pieces.

“Do you disagree, Miss Loganberry?” Elister asked abruptly.

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