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Lilith planted her cheek in her palm. “Two hours later and my answer is still the same: that’s what he told me. I can’t prove it in any way.”
Jarek, like the rest of Kyer’s crew, was now huddled around the splintered table, drilling holes into Lilith as she struggled to keep focus.
There were no public records of Luka existing at all, which was odd for his family. Draven and Caine’s births were celebrated across Reatia and Failen, as was Brialis’ across the entirety of the empire’s territory.
Luka? There was nothing. Not even a whisper.
Tyrsia assumed he was in the city with Brialis, visiting for one reason or another, when he crossed paths with Lilith. Something innocuous, like making an appearance at a festival or perhaps meeting Perex to discuss the growing problem of Reave’s subcity.
Learning Brialis was the one to smuggle him out was an interesting revelation, to say the least.
Kyer continued to hammer away, checking for inconsistencies or misdirection from Lilith as they traded information. She wanted Luka safe and didn’t trust anyone else with that task. It wasn’t outlandish to think she would keep something important to herself. “Does he have any reason to lie?”
“Not about that.”
“But he’s lied before?”
“He’s a kid, of course he lies. Usually about petty things, like breaking dishes or sneaking into someone’s yard. Things that would get him in trouble.”
“Sneaking out of Failen would get him into pretty big trouble. And what about his scars? I don’t consider those petty, and you said he lied then, too.”
“He wasn’t lying so much as avoiding.”
Kyer paused, softening his voice before speaking again. “I’d like to see these marks.”
Lilith bit her lip. “That’s a steep request.”
“Why? Are they still painful?”
Maude’s steadily brewing silence ignited to a hot red at the far end of the table. “Or maybe they don’t exist.”
Jarek was the only one who could see Lilith’s irritation. Her voice and face remained impassive. “His skin may not hurt, but that doesn’t mean his mind or heart doesn’t.”
“We need some sort of validation, kid,” Kyer said.
“Give me a bit to warm him up to the idea.” Lilith’s calm mannerisms began to come undone. “I know how this sounds. The whole thing doesn’t make sense. I don’t know what to make of it either. But you told me yourself, Valen is dead.” She looked to Jarek, speaking to him. “That you even saw it yourself. Luka also told me that, and that is the truth.”
“If what Failen considers dead, then yes,” Kyer said.
“So let’s assume I’m not lying, and neither is he.”
“Alright then. What do you think?”
Lilith paused, glancing to the window. “The only thing I can think of is she learned he ended up with me and would rather have him home now than in Tyrsia’s hands.”
“And the reason he was sent there alone?”
She shrugged.
“Did he mention anything about Chiman Romon being there during these blood drawings?”
She arched a questioning brow. “No. Why would he be?”
Kyer laced his fingers together over the table. “Reatia’s black metal has unique interactions with human flesh, as I’m sure you’ve seen. My first thought is that it’s some sort of experiment relating to life extension that they’re keeping close to their chests. Chiman was known for making rash, often unethical decisions to reach an end goal, and there’s no record he’s passed.”
Sterling spoke up. “Maybe he’s in a Coffer?”
“Doubtful,” Jarek interjected. “Chiman offered that service to his people, but he’d never get in one. He wouldn’t risk handing over what he built to anyone else.”
