Chapter 231: Round Table
Gera
Month 9, Day 4, Saturday 8:00 a.m.
Gera’s constantly running divination took in the others sitting at the round table they had set up in the center of the Undreaming Order’s second floor. Deidre, Anders with his dog lying by the foot of his chair, Jackal, Martha, Sharon, Enforcer Turner, the artificer Liza, and Healer Nidson were all in attendance.
Most, like Gera, were there representing the most dedicated members of the Undreaming Order, though the latter two were only adjacently involved in their efforts, and had been called to this meeting for their outside perspectives and their particular areas of expertise. Gera could not see them, but she could sense each contour and movement of their bodies, along with everything else in a moderate radius around her.
She cleared her throat gently, pressing her fingers gently against the newspaper lying on the table in front of her. “We are here today to discuss what I believe might be the latest move by the Raven Queen. Sebastien Siverling dueled and defeated Frederick Pendragon, heir to the High Crown, yesterday afternoon.”
Several of those around the table nodded, but Liza narrowed her eyes, and Nidson yawned and pinched the bridge of his nose. The man had been up late working on a particularly tricky injury to one of the flock—a woman who had been half-flayed by her husband. Nidson was not a true member of the Undreaming Order, but he was happy to work for gold when they encountered an injury that their simple stock of potions and bandages couldn’t heal. Deidre especially appreciated that he tended to undercut his prices whenever he felt moved by the more pitiful patients, but the man obviously had little time for rest. “Pardon me, but I fail to see how the latest gossip is relevant? Do you believe the Raven Queen somehow sabotaged the match?” he asked.
“Those who do not follow news of the Raven Queen closely might not be aware,” Gera said, “But she places special importance on Sebastien Siverling. We…” She shared a look with Deidre. “Well, we do not know why. However, she has bestowed upon him a boon of anti-divination, and she admitted before the Red Guard that they have some sort of special connection.”
Liza looked down and raised her fingertips to her mouth, but it didn’t completely cover the secret, amused twitching of her lips.
Gera didn’t need to be a prognos to know the other woman thought she knew something the rest of them didn’t. She turned her head so that it seemed she was staring pointedly.