Poor Wax. That had busted him up right good, it had. And Wayne could see why. Still, an apology? Did people what got killed in a flood expect an apology from God? God did as God wished. You simply hoped to not get on His worse side. Kinda like the bouncer at the club with the pretty sister.

Harmony wasn’t the only god, anyway. And that was what Wayne was about today.

After some silence, Wax continued, more softly. “I have to go. Even after what they did, if my uncle is really involved in this… if I can free Telsin… I have to go. Tomorrow night, there will be a gathering of the outer cities political elite in New Seran. Governor Aradel is rightly concerned, and was going to send a representative anyway. It gives me a plausible excuse to be in the city. Marasi can look for the lost spike; I can hunt down my uncle.”

“It is decided, then,” Steris said. “Will we be leaving immediately?”

Wax was silent for a moment. “We?”

“I assumed… I mean, if you are taking my sister, it would look very odd if I were not accompanying you.” Wayne felt like he could hear her blush. “I don’t mean to be presumptuous. You may, of course, do as you wish, but—”

“No,” he said. “You’re right. It would look odd to go alone. The gathering will include a reception, after all. I don’t want to imply… I mean…”

“I can go, but stay out of your way.”

“It could be dangerous. I can’t ask it of you.”

“If this is what you feel you must do, then I will be happy to take the risk.”

“I…”

Rusts. Those two were as awkward as a man suddenly splitting his cheeks in church. Wayne shook his head, picking up one of the vases in the entryway. Good pottery, with a nice swirly-dirly pattern. Maybe that would do for his offering.

Someone knocked on the door, and Wayne put the vase back. It didn’t feel right. He took one of the flowers though, and traded it for an extra sock from his back pocket. Huh. He had a silverware set in his other pocket. From the wedding breakfast? Yeah, that was right. They’d put out a place setting for him, had his name and everything. That meant the silverware had been his.

He put the fork, knife, and spoon back in his pocket and tucked the flower behind his ear, then walked to the door, reaching it right before that butler did. He gave the man a glare—it was only a matter of time before he cracked and tried to kill them all—then pulled open the door.

That kandra bloke stood on the other side. His suit now was an even lighter shade of tan. “You,” Wayne said, pointing. “We just got ridda you!” It had only been… what, two hours since he left?

“Good afternoon, young lad,” the kandra said. “Are the adults home?”