a rumor of the opposite floating around? I’d have to dig into it.
“Why do you care?” Ian persisted. The man was like a dog with a bone. I’d have to give him something or he’d never drop it.
“Mother was concerned the House would be destabilized if the marriage was unhappy,” I lied smoothly. “She sent me to determine if her concern was warranted.”
Ian didn’t look entirely convinced, but he didn’t push for more. Unfortunately, that probably meant he’d be doing digging of his own when he got back to his office. I didn’t need Ian Bishop sticking his nose into my business.
“What else do you see?” I asked.
“A lot of people who don’t value what they’ve been given.”
I rolled my eyes. “You used to be much better at this game. Getting old?”
When his flashing eyes met my gaze directly, I remembered that it wasn’t the best idea to taunt him. He proved me right. “You are unhappy,” he said quietly.
I barely kept my mask of nonchalance as the verbal dagger slid home with deadly precision. How did Ian know something not even my siblings had picked up on? Nothing to do but bluff my way through. “Of course,” I said lightly, “I lost my husband.”
He shook his head, but I was saved from his response when the room seemed to decide I’d had enough time to eat in peace, never mind that I hadn’t actually finished my plate.
“Lady Bianca,” an older woman I vaguely recognized said, “please allow my daughter to apologize for earlier.” She dragged forward the brunette from Lady Taylor’s tea. Ah, here were Lady Patel and her daughter Chloe.
Chloe simpered at me. “Lady von Hasenberg, I am so sorry for Lynn’s behavior earlier. I had no idea she would behave so poorly or I never would’ve invited her along. I hope you put her in her place.”
Keeping my mask in place took an extreme force of will. This chit thought to betray her friend again? My smile was not nice—Chloe took an involuntary step back.
House Patel wasn’t an ally, but they weren’t an enemy, either. I considered my options while Chloe started to look a little ill. A wave of whispers then a ring of silence radiated out from our little group.
Finally, I said, “It seems House Patel has much to learn about loyalty and friendship.” I waited just long enough to see her eyes widen and her face pale, then I turned and walked away.
“Was that wise?” Ian asked under the cover of excited voices.
In five minutes, everyone in Serenity would know I’d slighted House Patel. But if House Patel thought to come after me for it, I’d level them. Luckily, Lord Patel was known for his cool head.
“Yes,” I said. “And once they calm down, they will realize I could have done so much worse.”
The rest of the night passed in fake smiles and polite small talk. Everyone wanted to know what had happened with Lady Chloe, but when it became clear I wouldn’t discuss it, they moved on. When my head ached enough that continuing to smile became difficult, I decided it was time to wrap up.
“Ian, please call the transport while I say good-bye to the hosts.”
He nodded, touched his earpiece, and murmured to the operator. After a brief good-bye to House Chan, I headed for the door. I was done.
“Wait,” Ian said, touching my elbow before I could exit the lobby. “The transport is still a minute out.”
To distract myself, I let my mind drift to the messages flying through the ether. One communication channel was using a form of cryptography I’d never seen before. Interested despite myself, I began mentally pulling it apart.
I was so immersed in the task that I barely noticed when Ian guided me outside.
Chapter 3
I couldn’t consciously explain how I broke encryption. Encrypted data looked like puzzle pieces to my mind’s eye and I intrinsically knew how to put them together. When I did, a void revealed the key and the encryption unlocked.
For most encryption, the entire process took seconds. For encryption I’d seen before, I could do it without thought.
This encryption was far trickier.
The puzzle pieces slid around my mental landscape like nothing I’d seen before. Pain spiked behind my left eye but I refused to give up. Finally, finally I pinned the pieces in place and revealed the key. The encryption unlocked, revealing a second layer of encryption, one I knew well because it came from my own House.