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Their last conversation had been rather pivotal for Ren. After learning that Mat had been chosen by House Winters to conduct medical research, she’d decided to take the matter of her stalled career into her own hands. That had led to her decision to alter the portal spell, which led to the death of her friends, which led to the current bond she shared with Theo Brood. Her darkest shame and her greatest hope, spun from the same moment. It was hard to imagine it had all started with plain-as-rain Mat Tully.

“I thought the same,” Mat replied. “The Winters family assigned me here instead. There were rumors about the healers who attended to the gladiators in the pits. Herbal remedies. Unique magic. I was assigned to make contact with them, study any unusual traits, and report back. I’ve been here for nearly half a year.”

He looked like he’d been there for half a century. Ren didn’t say that, though. She could see that he was itching to share more about his situation. As if holding his tongue was actually painful. Ren’s mother had taught her there was wisdom in letting a fool run his mouth.

“And?” she asked invitingly.

“And this is also where they abandoned me.” His cheeks blossomed a bright red. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but after Clyde…”

That name, mentioned so casually and in such a different context, caught her completely off guard. Clyde. She saw flickers of memory. Clyde sitting in the corner of her ethics class, offering up lazy answers. Clyde unleashing a spell, moments before the portal magic erupted. Clyde out on the river, no longer truly Clyde at all, snapping Avy’s neck. And then up in the mountain pass, pulling Timmons down by her white-blond hair. Ren could see the way her best friend fell. She could hear the way she screamed.…

Ren’s heart was thrashing in her chest. She forced her mind back to logic. Back to a separate set of facts. Disassociation. Mat had been one of Clyde’s better friends at school. More of a hound, she recalled, always following at the wealthier boy’s heels. But still. The closest approximation to a friend that any of the heirs could have at Balmerick. She’d been too focused on her own plight to think that his death might create consequences for others, like Mat Tully. Her heart rate was slowing, but she thought if she spoke, the words might come out strangled and wretched.

“Well,” Mat went on awkwardly. “The Winters family severed ties with me. Sent a final stipend, and then left me here. On my own. My father isn’t rich. Not like they are. I’ve been saving up money to try to get back to Kathor, but I owed rent, too. It hasn’t been easy out here on my own.”

Ren nodded, guessing his suffering was still rather limited to the kind of suffering that wealthy people experienced. A slightly-less-than-normal sort of suffering.

“I’m sorry about that, Mat.”

He shrugged. “Anyways. That’s a sad song. Not worth singing out here on such a fine day. What about you? Why are you here?”

Ren had been carefully considering what story to tell him. If he’d been here that long, it was quite possible that he had no idea about most of the current events in Kathor. He certainly wouldn’t know about Theo’s exile. He might not even know about the fact that they were bonded. But she also didn’t want to overstep on the information she shared with him. It was possible that he was still connected with other Kathorians in Ravinia.

“I was sent by House Brood,” she answered. “I am investigating a matter on their behalf.”

His eyes lit up at that. “So, you found a house! I remember… at the party. Honestly, I was such a prat. You asked for help, and I just kind of… didn’t help. Sorry about that. You clearly landed on your feet. What’s your role with them? Are you working for one of the cousins?”

Now she had a chance to really impress. “I’m bonded to Theo Brood.”

If Mat Tully had been drinking tea, he likely would have spat it out. She watched a run of emotions flicker across the features of his face. He landed on something between shock and elation.

“Good for you. Seriously. Good for you. That’s a very nice upward move.”

“Maybe you can help me,” Ren said, leaning a little closer. “I have some money to spend on resources for the investigation. I could certainly pay you for your services. I’m not sure who your contacts are in the city, but I’m searching for a very particular person here in Ravinia.”

Mat was nodding enthusiastically. “I’ve made some connections. It just depends on who you’re looking for.”

Ren knew it was a risk to say the name. Mat could take her inquiry back to someone else, but if she could really sell herself to him as the true envoy of House Brood, he’d have no reason to report to anyone except for her. This could be a very useful relationship.

“Have you ever heard the name Dahvid Tin’Vori?”

Mat’s quiet smile faded. His face completely shut down. He no longer looked simply tired. He looked almost dangerous instead. A building fury. “Seriously? You know, you didn’t have to backpedal into it like that. Pretending to be all friendly just to drive the knife home. That’s some slick to pull. I know we weren’t exactly friends or whatever, but I never treated you poorly.…”

Ren was completely lost. “What?”

“Come on. Don’t act like you don’t know. Why the hell would you bring that up if you didn’t? It must be fun, now that you’re established in House Brood, to kick a man when he’s already rolling around in the gutters.…”

“Mat. Wait. I don’t actually know what you’re talking about.”

There was an awkward silence between them. He was more red-faced than ever now, breathing raggedly. He stared at her long enough to get a proper read and realized she was telling the honest truth. “Really?” he asked. “That’s just a coincidence?”

“Mat. What is a coincidence?”

“Dahvid Tin’Vori. That’s the name you said.”

“Yes. I’m looking for him.”

Mat was actually pacing around. “Sorry. It’s just… odd. It’s odd. Fine. I’ve been telling people that the Winters family let me go because of Clyde’s death. Selling it as… you know… them not caring to keep up with connections that no longer existed after he passed. That story allows me to save face. The truth is that I was removed from their employ because I informed on them. And a few of the other great houses.”