went. They offered Jewel renewed support in various ways—Gerridon was the most circumspect, Marrick the least. No other members of the House Council crossed her threshold, and the only one that had who had dared to mention Gabriel was Haerrad, which was not a surprise. She wasn’t certain if this was an act of courtesy on their part, because she wasn’t certain, in the end, that they understood how much it grieved her to lose Gabriel.
Gabriel, who had served Amarais as her right-kin, her most trusted adviser, for all of Jewel’s life in the House, grieved for Amarais’ loss in almost the same way that Jewel did. Losing him, losing that lifetime of their mutual respect and admiration, losing the solidarity of their bereavement, was like losing Amarais again. An echo. An aftershock.
But even raging—in silence—at Rymark’s very existence, his parting words remained with her. They were not words she had expected to hear in the halls of her own manse.
When Sigurne Mellifas arrived at the end of the day, Jewel was beyond exhausted. Exhausted had occurred hours ago, and because she had failed to surrender to it, she was in a curious half-state. It was possibly the wrong state in which to encounter the Guildmaster of the Order of Knowledge, but when Sigurne was escorted into her office, she saw that Sigurne was likewise graced by the same near-emptiness.
“I have been told,” the guildmaster said, bowing briefly, “that you have reserved the honor of dinner for my appointment.”
She’d said that, and remembered saying it, to Barston. It seemed curiously displaced in time, although she knew she’d said it only this afternoon. Jewel turned to Avandar, who said, “It is the late dinner hour, Terafin.” To Sigurne, he said, “Please follow.”
Jewel wanted to return to the West Wing and its large dining hall—or perhaps its breakfast nook. She did neither. Instead, she allowed Avandar to lead the way to The Terafin’s personal chambers—rooms that Jewel had yet to occupy, because to do so, she had to leave behind the familiarity of the home she’d built. Yes, both rooms were in the same manse—but her den would never be a part of these rooms.
Gabriel had accepted her reluctance—but not in silence. She wondered if Teller would do the same, and the thought surprised her. Before today, she would have assumed the answer was no, because Teller knew what the West Wing meant to her—and to all of them.
“Gabriel,” Sigurne said, as she walked, “is no longer in the office of the right-kin.”
“No. He intended to retire the moment Amarais Handernesse ATerafin died, but he remained in the office—as regent, not right-kin—because the situation in the House became so quickly precarious.”
“Precarious is a charming word, Terafin, and is oft used as understatement.” Sigurne stopped speaking as she mounted the stairs, hand on the gentle curve of the rails. When they reached the upper halls, she apologized. “It has been a very long day. Had it merely been the usual politically motivated form of busy, I would not be here.”
“Nor would I,” Jewel replied, wanting to offer Sigurne an arm. And why shouldn’t she? She paused as Avandar’s lips pursed, and turned to the guildmaster, offering her the arm.
Sigurne took it with a wry smile. “I have displaced my cane,” she said, “And Matteos Corvel is not in condition to join me this eve. I had to order him back to bed—as the guildmaster. He is likely to be quite put out for the next few days.”
“Will you be in the Hall of Wise Counsel on the morrow?”
“Yes. I think it likely by that time that Matteos will either join me, or be forced to wear manacles and chains—and that much of a loss of dignity, I do not think wise.”
The arm that Jewel had offered was not decorative; Sigurne leaned heavily on it as they made their way to the guarded, wide doors of the rooms that had been used for so little. Jewel knew that the servants and the kitchen would nonetheless have the private dining room prepared. Nor was she wrong. But she hesitated in the dining room’s door, and the hesitation was obvious.
She had seen this room, had dined with Amarais, hundreds of times since she had arrived at House Terafin. She had come here as guest, as confidante, and as counsel. But she had never come here as The Terafin; she had never brought guests of her own.