“At a reduced pay, of course,” the young woman continued with an earnest look on her face. “For as long as you feel is necessary.”

He held his silence, but Ani didn’t appear panicked. Her large dark eyes were pleading but respectfully lowered. If he hadn’t spoken to Harald last night, he would’ve bought her story.

“Let’s do an interview then,” he said. “I don’t care where and how my guests come to me, but it’s different for my servants.”

“Of course, my lord.”

“Your previous employer?”

“Rockwreath Inn, my lord. It’s in the 7th ward, along the southern hills. I was a serving girl.” She bit her lip. “That’s how I found Harald actually. He had walked by the window during one of my shifts.”

“And you said you lived in the 3rd ward?” He studied her carefully. “How long did it take you to get to the 7th?”

She didn’t fall for it. “I live in the 1st ward, my lord,” she corrected him. “Even further. But as you know, the only work to find there is in the mines. My father didn’t want me to be like him. Luckily, the owner of the inn owed my aunt a favor.”

“And how did you meet Mairwen?” Their friendship seemed true enough but he knew the head maid hailed from the 3rd ward. How would she explain that?

“Well…” Ani paused for a moment, her expression not changing. “I’m a bastard, actually. I grew up in the 3rd ward when I was younger and that’s when I met Mairwen. My father claimed me when I was thirteen. I’m sorry if I seemed like I was being vague about my past. It’s a hard thing to talk about.”

“Where did you learn to lie like that?” he asked, genuinely impressed.

She looked confused. “My lord?”

“Cut the crap,” he said, holding up his hand. “I’ve already spoken to Harald.”

“That man is a liar, my lord,” she said, her face flushing. “My father contracted him to bring back fossilweed and he–”

“Did you truly see a human who can Worldrend then? Or was that a lie, too?”

That silenced her. An array of emotions passed her face – denial, anger, panic, and then nothing – and when she spoke, she sounded bitter but calm. Her voice was lower, too; she’d been speaking in a higher pitch.

“I’m never trusting Harald again,” she said.

“How exciting that was,” he said with a wide grin. “Your performance felt like it came straight from a play.”

“It’s important to always have a cover. Harald already told you I was a Hound, too?” He nodded and her frown grew. “His promises are worth nothing,” she muttered.

“And the Worldrender…?”

A beat passed before she answered. “I saw what I saw,” she said in a firm tone. “That night, we were assailed by a human who could Worldrend.”

He didn’t reply. He had never feared the Worldrenders simply because he had never seen them. He found observed horrors much more terrifying than the unobserved. However, this woman had clearly seen something at the very least because the fear was in her eyes.

“He called himself Lydos,” she continued. “He said he was the true Foretoken and that he was coming to lead us back to the Worldrenders.”

“A true Foretoken?” He sat back in his chair, a smile on his lips despite her ominous words. “Is he planning to start a rebellion the same way the seven founding Forespeakers did? But instead of freedom, he promises captivity?”

“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head in frustration. “But we won’t stand a chance. I’ve seen a Worldrender before. We can’t win.”

“You’ve seen one before?” he asked with surprise.

Her lips became a hard line. He waited, but it was clear she wasn’t going to say more than that.

“Fine, don’t answer me. But why were you seeking my employment?”

“It’s a simple reason. Harald must’ve told you. Most of my team is dead. It’s hard finding a new one. Though being a servant wasn’t my first choice,” she said, looking displeased at the idea.“I thought about seeking apprenticeship from one of your artists here, but that man Thracius kept butting into my conversations.”

Clovis smiled bitterly. Thracius always came off too strong like that.

“And I had a suspicion,” she continued.

“Of what?”

“Of you.” She looked at him intently, searching for something. “They say you’re cursed.”

His stomach turned. “Really? By who?” he asked, mockingly dumbfounded.

“I knew about you before I came here,” she said, ignoring his sarcasm. “Hard not to. You’re a common piece of gossip among the Foretoken. The genius Vivineer who invented the thrasher pikes and created the cure for blackhorn fever.”

“I was one of many trying to cure the fever.” He shrugged and tried to play aloof, but he couldn’t help himself from frowning. “But because I was a rising star at the time, they credited the cure to just me. The other Vivineers certainly weren’t happy about that.”

“But then you quit being a Vivineer,” she said.

He said nothing, but he looked away and tugged at his earlobe. Ani’s tone was measured and held no malice, but the words re-ignited the smoldering fire in his chest. It was an accusation that had been lobbied at him for years.

“You went on a trip six years ago, outside of Truweld,” she said, the excitement mounting in her voice. “And when you came back, they say you were a changed man. You had seen something that had lain its curse on you. It was a Worldrender, wasn’t it?”

“No,” he said flatly.

She frowned, clearly disappointed by his answer. He could tell by her eyes that she didn’t believe him. “Then what was it?”

“I saw nothing,” he said. “When I came back, I devoted my life to the development of the arts. The outside world, I discovered, was filthy and ugly. So I sought the beauty in others.”

“That’s a bad cover.”

“Says the one who was caught lying.”

“When you left Truweld, you contracted a large band of Hounds to escort you,” she said, her tone becoming accusatory. “It was before I started as one, but they still talk about it now. ‘Never listen to a Foretoken that promises adventure,’ they say. ‘Or else...’”

The fire that had been raging in his chest was washed away by cold guilt. Eighteen dead. He was the only one who came back alive.

“What are you getting at?” he said quietly.

“They said you stopped inventing things,” she said. “But that’s not true.”

“Know something I don’t?”

“That rapier,” she said triumphantly. “The one you were holding last night. What does it do?”

His frown grew. “It’s a normal rapier,” he said coldly.

“Please, your stance was awful. You certainly weren’t going to stab me with it.”

“Was it really that bad? I’m glad we didn’t fight then.”

“Don’t try to change the subject.”

“It’s been less than a day and I already miss the Ani who curtsied at every breath I drew.”

“What have you been working on?” she pressed.

They stared at each other in silence. Above them, someone began playing the piano. It sounded like a funeral dirge but not a very good one. The tempo was too fast and the notes clashed against each other.

“You’re a very unpleasant woman,” he said finally. “I don’t think I like you.”