Four Dead Queens(42)

He flew off the bed and began pacing the room. “You knew this all night, and yet you said nothing. They’re our queens!” He ran a hand through his already tussled hair. “The very foundation of Quadara is at risk.”

“I needed to make sure you upheld your end of the agreement. I relive the memories, and you help me hide from Mackiel. I was keeping my end of the deal.”

He let out a racked breath. “I don’t want to deliver these chips.”

“Who are you supposed to deliver them to?”

“I don’t know. I only know I was supposed to deliver the chips yesterday morning at the border to Ludia. But before I got there, I found my bag empty.”

I gave him a sheepish grin. “Do you usually know the contents of the comm chips?” I thought back to his memory collection.

His eyes locked on mine. “No, I don’t.”

“Then why did you watch the rerecording this time?”

“When you first ingested the chips, there was this expression on your face . . .” He let out another breath. “I had to know what you’d seen.” Curiosity. Well, that was something I could relate to.

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Now what? You need to deliver them, right?”

He nodded slowly, but there was uncertainty in his movements.

“You want to do something about it, don’t you?” I said with a groan. “You want to take the new comm chips to the palace authorities.”

“Don’t you?” Something flickered behind his eyes, something that seemed like drive. Passion. Emotion. Very un-Eonist.

“What can I do? These memories must be to confirm the assassin has completed the job. The queens are dead.”

“We could still help!” He gestured at the new chips. “This is evidence!”

“We only know how the queens died, not who did it.”

“We know someone was meant to receive these chips and be notified of their deaths. That’s one person involved we know about.”

“Two,” I reminded him. “Mackiel. He wanted me to steal the comm case from you and then refused to sell it. He has to be involved.”

“Yes.”

I shook my head. “That’s not enough.”

“Why haven’t we heard anything?” Varin asked. “Why hasn’t the palace sent out a warning?”

“Perhaps they’re worried about the panic the news would cause? We’ll probably only hear once the new queens are upon their thrones. They might not even tell us the previous ones were murdered. They’ll probably say it was some kind of accident.” I leaned back into his bed; it was surprisingly comfortable. Fatigue weighed down my eyelids. A few hours’ rest. That was all I needed.

“We should go to the palace,” he said. Of course, he decided to be chatty now.

When I didn’t reply, he continued, “Information like this, powerful information, which could be used to bring this murderer to justice, will be valuable to the palace.”

I sat back up. Now he was speaking my language. “How valuable?”

“Enough to ensure you never have to work with someone like Mackiel again.”

Working for Mackiel hadn’t been just about the money, but Varin wouldn’t—couldn’t—understand that. He accepted his position in the world, while I had rebelled against mine.

“I’m a criminal,” I said with a shrug. “The palace isn’t going to give me anything, even if I do help them find the murderer.”

“Keralie.” The low intensity of his voice sent a shiver down my spine. “Do you want to be a criminal?”

Why did everyone assume I wasn’t exactly who I wanted to be?

“Keralie,” he said again when I didn’t reply. This time his voice was soft.

“What?” I snapped.

“Fine. You don’t have to come with me.”

I didn’t want to go anywhere. I wanted to stay here, on this comfy bed, far from Mackiel. But I also wanted to know how this ended up. I wasn’t sure if it was merely curiosity or my long-delayed conscience emerging. Perhaps both.

But what if the palace did reward me? While I didn’t really need the money, there was something I desperately wanted. Needed. My family.

If the doctors were correct, then my father had weeks to live. I didn’t know much about the palace, only that they continued to deny access to HIDRA, despite my mother’s best efforts. Perhaps I could change that? I could barter the information on the assassin for a dose of HIDRA. If my father was revived, I might be able to forgive myself.

“For argument’s sake,” I said, twisting a lock of hair around my fingers, “if you were to go to the palace with the comm chips, what would you say?”

I thought I saw a hint of a smile, but then it was gone. “That I have evidence on who the murderer is,” he said.

“Really? I’ve seen the memories twice now, and I still have no idea.”

“What are you suggesting, then?”

I put a hand to my chest. “I don’t believe I was suggesting anything. I was merely inquiring about your plan.”

“All right, theoretically, then, what would you do if you were to go to the palace with this?” He held up a silver comm case.

“I wouldn’t.” I put my hand up as he opened his mouth to interrupt. “I’d gather more information first.” I smirked. “If I wanted a reward.”