Page 28 of Salt in the Seas
“It hasn’t failed me yet.” His teeth practically sparkled with his triumph.
She narrowed her eyes. “Something tells me you didn’t just come here to check on me or even solve my problems. What are you trying to charm me into right now?”
Velden’s grin turned sheepish. “I mostly came to avoid Sylmar. He’s trying to get me to train Felk’s little army.”
Aeliana chuckled. “They’re like puppies right now. Practically harmless.”
His face scrunched up. “They’re a little more eager than I like. I usually come away with several bites and scratches.” He rubbed at his arms as if sensing them now.
Aeliana set her book on the table and tugged Velden back to his feet.
“Seriously?” he groaned. “I thought you out of everyone would be the one to let me slide by training.”
Aeliana tugged harder on his arm, pulling him out into the hall. “You forget how much I like Felk.”
“More than you like me?” Velden asked.
“Today you’re lucky,” she said. “Today I want you to come with meto see Brogdon. Usually it depends on who you’re spraying with water.”
He shot the liquid from his hands into her face as if to prove her point, then wriggled out of her grip and ran down the hall laughing. She shook her head but didn’t give chase. He was old enough to be her father, but he often acted more like a child. When she caught up to Velden outside Brogdon’s room, the guard standing outside the door gave both of them somber pause.
“Can we see Brogdon?” Aeliana asked.
The guard bowed and pressed three fingers to his forehead before stepping aside. After a knock, Brogdon called for them to enter.
His room seemed more like a workshop, full of wood furniture in various stages of completion with a bed hidden somewhere beneath the table he was constructing. The petite man sat in a chair, huddled over a table leg that he continued sanding.
“Sorry about the mess.” His voice boomed out across the room, making Aeliana jump, more so because it was an exact copy of Jasperus’, which she hadn’t heard for a few moons now.
“I didn’t realize you enjoyed woodworking,” she said.
His gaze remained on his work. “It’s more that I want to be useful, and this was the best way how.”
“I think you’ve been plenty useful by giving us confidence that Mayvus no longer has access to her brands.” Aeliana tried to smile, but her words came out strained.
Brogdon’s hands stilled. “I’m glad you came.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” she said softly.
“I understand.”
For a while, the only sound in the room was the hush of his plane and scraper on the wood.
Velden cleared his throat. “Aeliana wants to ask you about Mayvus’ research.”
Aeliana glared at him, but the older man beamed as if he’d done exactly what she’d asked. She turned back to Brogdon apologetically. “I wanted to see if you knew anything about her research on the winex. Your name was mentioned among those conducting the studies.”
Brogdon winced, then slowly nodded. “She wanted a way to recreate their ability to be reborn. Instead she found ways to quickly heal people, but the side effects outweighed the benefits. As far as I know, that’s as much as she got from it all.”
“What about Tychus and Piorre?”
His gaze flicked up to hers in surprise. “They came back?” Then his mouth clamped shut, and he turned back to the table leg, resuming his vigorous sanding. “I mean, I thought they’d died. Maybe there was something to her research after all.”
Aeliana’s heart picked up its pace, the throb echoing in her ears. She didn’t have Sylmar or Kendalyhn’s ability to sift the truth of someone’s words, but something about Brogdon felt off. Maybe she’d never be able to trust him. Maybe that wasn’t fair.
“I don’t remember any soldiers by those names,” Velden said. “But I haven’t met them all.”
“No.” Aeliana kept her gaze on Brogdon. “They were in her research notes. I haven’t met them either. Maybe they are dead. But they were the two she trusted with the winex, besides Brogdon. They all knew the most.”
