Babel by R. F. Kuang
Author:R. F. Kuang
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-06-02T00:00:00+00:00
It was a week into the voyage before Robin, Ramy, and Victoire had a private moment to themselves. Halfway through their morning stroll, Letty went back below deck, claiming an upset stomach. Victoire offered half-heartedly to go with her, but Letty waved her off â she was still annoyed with them all, and clearly wanted to be alone.
âAll right.â Victoire stepped closer to Robin and Ramy as soon as Letty had gone, closing off the gap made by her absence so that the three of them stood tight, an impenetrable silo against the wind. âWhat in Godâs nameââ
They all started talking at once.
âWhy didnâtââ
âDo you think Lovellââ
âWhen did you firstââ
They fell silent. Victoire tried again. âSo who recruited you?â she asked Robin. âIt wouldnât have been Anthony, he would have told us.â
âBut isnât Anthonyââ
âNo, heâs very much alive,â said Ramy. âFaked his death abroad. But answer the question, Birdie.â
âGriffin,â Robin said, still reeling from this revelation. âI told you. Griffin Lovell.â
âWhoâs that?â Victoire asked, at the same time that Ramy said, âLovell?â
âA former Babel student. I think heâs also â I mean, he said heâs my half-brother. He looks just like me, we think Lovell â I mean, our fatherââ Robin was tripping over his words. The Chinese character å¸ meant both âclothâ and âto relate, to tellâ. The truth was embroidered on a cloth tapestry, spread out to display its contents. But Robin, coming clean to his friends at last, had no idea where to start. The image he displayed was a jumbled and confused one, warped no matter how he told it by its complexity. âHe left Babel several years ago, and then went underground right around Evie Brookeâs â I mean, ah, I think he killed Evie Brooke.â
âGood heavens,â Victoire said. âReally? Why?â
âBecause she caught him on Hermes business,â said Robin. âI didnât know until Professor Lovell told me.â
âAnd you believe him?â asked Ramy.
âYes,â said Robin. âYes, I think Griffin would â Griffin is absolutely the kind of person who would have . . .â He shook his head. âListen, the important thing is that Lovell thinks I was acting alone. Has he talked to either one of you?â
âNot me,â said Victoire.
âNor I,â said Ramy. âNo oneâs approached us at all.â
âThatâs good!â Robin exclaimed. âIsnât it?â
There was an awkward silence. Ramy and Victoire did not look half as relieved as Robin expected.
âThatâs good?â Ramy said finally. âThatâs all youâve got to say?â
âWhat do you mean?â asked Robin.
âWhat do you think I mean?â demanded Ramy. âDonât avoid the subject. How long were you with Hermes?â
There was nothing to do but be honest. âSince I started here. Since the very first week.â
âAre you joking?â
Victoire touched his arm. âRamy, donâtââ
âDonât tell me that doesnât infuriate you,â Ramy snapped at her. âThatâs three years. Three years he never told us what he was up to.â
âHold on,â said Robin. âAre you angry with me?â
âVery good, Birdie, you noticed.â
âI donât understand â Ramy, what did I do wrong?â
Victoire sighed and glanced out over the water.
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