Depths of Madness - Erik Scott De Bie [73]
" 'Tis not true," said Liet. He slid his soft fingers along her welts and scratches, caressing her. Twilight winced a little, but she did not stop him. "Not true."
It took Twilight a moment to realize what he meant-he was answering her last words. "Yes, it is," Twilight said. "I shouldn't have listened to you. Wanderer's sand! I should have followed my instinct and gone back."
"No one blames you," said Liet. – She looked him in the eye. "For all your vigor, dear boy, you're a terrible lover."
"Why so?" he asked, hurt.
"You simply cannot lie." She settled down with a sigh.
Liet smiled weakly. "Maybe, but you can, and you're doing it to yourself. 'Tis not your fault. 'Tis no one's fault," said Liet. "The hangman was merely passing-"
"Passing over us, through the door. It attacked us in the mage's chambers. Makes perfect sense." Twilight's voice was angry. "Whoever created that iron golem must have done it. Set it on us."
"Mayhap. But none of us could've known of that… thing."
Twilight let the silence linger. "Are you so sure?"
Liet fixed her with an odd look. "I don't understand, lass."
Twilight didn't correct him.
"Too many coincidences," she said. "The wights' ambush, the tunnel of traps, the grimlock attack, the golem in wait that the lizards stumbled across, the rope golem." She shifted. "We're being watched. Someone's luring us into ambush after ambush."
Liet laughed-a forced sound. "You're imagining this."
"And whatever watches us left this where I could find it." She fingered her star sapphire amulet. "Because it would make me believe it impossible."
"The amulet that-ah…"
"Blocks scrying," said Twilight. "Our keeper could watch directly, with magic-but the amulet protects me and anyone close by. Or it could watch indirectly, with a spy."
"You're jumping at shadows-thinking about this too much."
Twilight found that ironic. "That's why I told each of the others a different direction," she said. "This way, I can see which one it is."
"I'm dense," Liet said. "Which what is what?"
"The spy," said Twilight. "Think about it. How many weapons were in that chest? How much clothing? How many of us were there supposed to be?"
"Six sets of weapons, six sets of clothing, seven of us." Liet shrugged. "I suppose that makes sense, but would that not make it… I don't know, obvious?"
"We're supposed to think that," Twilight said. When Liet frowned, she sighed. "Whoever's watching us did it-the clothes, the equipment, my Shroud-purposefully, so that we'd wonder if there were a spy, and guess that there must not be, because it would be too obvious. What more perfect way to cover up a spy?"
Liet blinked at her and Twilight sighed. Her mind was simply faster than his.
"There were enough supplies for six, and the spy makes us seven. That's one." Twilight put up one finger. "The wards on the spell chamber were penetrated from our side, and that door was one-way." Two fingers. "And from the golem's tracks-whoever released it must have done so through magic, from under our very noses." Three. "Whoever the spy is, he or she is still with us." She eyed Liet pointedly.
"Are you accusing me, 'Light?" he asked carefully.
"It could be you," Twilight said. "Why such a reaction?"
Liet smiled and Twilight read him, as she had read so many in her century of life. She noted every tic of his body, every twitch of his fingers, every flick of his eyes. She could see the rising warmth in his cheeks and hear his heartbeat. Twilight would know if Liet lied to her.
"Well?" she asked.
"I'm no spy," said Liet. "Whether you believe me or not is your prerogative."
Twilight allowed the faintest of smiles to tickle her cheeks.
"We shall see." She knew, though, that he told the truth. Another thought occurred to her. "Now. Back to your blankets."
Liet looked at her hard, as though searching desperately for a jest and finding none. Then he rose and walked stiffly away, hurt in his every step. Why didn't he fight?
"Liet," Twilight breathed. "Wait."
The youth turned back, arms crossed.
She