Page 24 of The Lost Art of Revealing Hidden Truths (The Lost Arts #3)

“I’m working on a new carving.” They all turned to look at him, and he went bright red, but he soldiered on. “It’s commemorating a new birth. It’s not turning out quite the way I expected, and I’ve already had to consign three to the fire, but I’m still working on it.”

Bennan took over. “He’s a perfectionist. He tosses them in there so that I can’t save them.”

“They’re terrible.”

“They’re beautiful .”

And just like that, they were off, talking about art and critics and perception of self, and if Chamis had not been across the table, Perian would definitely have hugged him.

As it was, Perian pressed himself up as close to Brannal as he could get without climbing into his lap in the middle of the dining hall, and he mostly just played with his food.

Cormal was there, too, and he was quiet. He didn’t say a single rude thing to Perian, but he didn’t offer much in the way of conversation. At one point, their gazes crossed, and Perian realized he needed to say something.

“I’m not sure I remembered to say thank you before, Secundus. Thank you very much for your timely intervention. I couldn’t have done it on my own. I really appreciate it.”

Cormal opened his mouth, seemed to consider for a moment, and finally said, “You’re welcome.”

It was a little short and not entirely graceful, but it hadn’t been an insult. Perian offered him a smile, Brannal squeezed his hand, and Molun started a story about fisherfolk—nets, hooks, and a ribald punchline was involved—that was a good distraction from the serious moment.

Periodically, Molun or Brannal would put something else on Perian’s plate, like they thought they could tempt him to eat, but Perian’s stomach was still in knots, and he wasn’t sure if he was waiting for something else to happen or if this was just leftover worry from the day.

Maybe his stomach had simply decided it didn’t want to eat food anymore.

Cormal left quietly and early, and Perian didn’t blame him.

And then Brannal said, “Look, berry pie.”

Oooh, berry pie !

It seemed that knots or no knots, his stomach could still eat berry pie.

Saliva pooled in his mouth, and his stomach grumbled.

Brannal moved his plate full of the dinner that he’d mostly not eaten and pushed over his own mostly clean plate with a large slice of pie and fresh cream piled on top of it.

Perian could have scooped it into his mouth with his hands, but he managed to use a fork. Barely.

He realized that most of the table was watching him with bemusement.

“Pie is so good,” Perian mumbled. “Berry pie is the best.”

“It’s late in the summer for berry pie,” someone observed.

“But berry pie is Perian’s favorite,” Brannal told them.

Perian actually paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “Did you ask for berry pie just for me?”

He peered around and suddenly realized that he couldn’t see any at the other tables.

Brannal’s lips tipped up. “Someone may have asked me what your favorite was, and I let them know.”

Perian just goggled at him for a moment. Someone in the kitchen had asked Summus what Perian’s favorite food was so they could make it for him? Aww. That was the sweetest thing ever. Perian felt like he was going to melt.

“That’s so thoughtful.”

Brannal nudged him gently. “So eat up. You don’t want it to go to waste.”

Perian really didn’t want that to happen. It was so delicious that he wanted to eat and enjoy it forever.

That was definitely a nice way to end dinner. It made Perian feel a lot better, and he was much more relaxed as they all headed towards the door. He’d have to thank everyone in the kitchen tomorrow.

There was a sudden swell of noise, and Perian realized that Gribon was in front of him. Everyone around him tensed.

The other man met his eyes, a resolute expression on his face as he… held out his hand?

Perian stared at it, confused.

“I wanted to apologize,” he said, sounding awkward but determined. “I… didn’t know. I didn’t want to believe. I apologize for how I treated you.”

And Perian couldn’t really blame him for that, could he?

How would Perian feel if he learned something this shocking about his friends?

That seemed completely impossible, but even though he ’d never liked Venoran, that didn’t mean that it wouldn’ t be the same sort of shock for the man’s friends.

There was a wide gap, after all, between snide comments and assault .

Gribon may have made him uncomfortable the next morning before he had all the facts, but he’d picked a very public venue to apologize. And he’d done so after the verdict, in a place where Perian was fully protected.

Perian reached out his own hand, only realizing belatedly that it was, of course, his injured right hand. It was much better but not fully healed.

But the other man shook it gently, like he was mindful of Perian’s injury.

“Thank you,” Perian said. “And I understand. He’s your friend.”

The man still looked awkward, but there was resolution in his honey-brown eyes, too. “Was,” he corrected. “He was my friend. It’s become clear I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did.”

Perian nodded, because that was fair enough.

Perian didn’t imagine for a moment that Venoran had treated his friends the same way he treated the people he attacked.

They all showed different sides of themselves to different people, and this man had a very ugly side that he’d kept mostly hidden for a long time.

“I hope you’re well enough to train again soon,” Gribon said, actually sounding sincere.

Perian’s lips tipped up. “It’s funny to watch, isn’t it?”

The man’s face creased with amusement, and he looked very relieved. “It is, actually. But you’re not quite as terrible as you were when you started.”

There was general laughter from the group that had been standing witness. Perian nodded at Gribon, Gribon nodded at Perian, and that seemed to be that.

Perian waited until they were far enough away from the dining hall that they couldn’t hear the rumble of sound anymore. “So, that was interesting.”

“Cynically, it was a very public performance,” Arvus said.

Molun and Nisal nodded in agreement.

Perian shrugged. “Could be, I suppose. And honestly, as long as he’s not hiding any similar secrets, I’m all right with that.

I’m not expecting to become best friends, and if he wants to distance himself from Venoran by using me, as long as it actually means he doesn’t get involved in any of the heckling or anything that might come out of this, that’s fine with me. ”

Molun nudged him. “You’re too nice. ”

Perian huffed a laugh. “I’d much rather not fight than fight.”

He’d much rather make love, though that clearly wouldn’t do for dinner.

The meal had been oddly devoid of desire, now that Perian thought about it.

It was something he’d become more aware of as he got to know all these people, and he was sure it was ages since the room had seemed so…

flat. Perhaps because the topic of conversation had been of desire twisted and gone so horribly wrong, Perian hadn’t noticed any of the usual looks or feelings, not even among his own group, who’d been closest to him and whom he knew best.

Perian shrugged. “I could be wrong, but he seemed sincere to me.”

Brannal slipped an arm around Perian’s shoulders, and Perian happily slotted in at his side.

“Time will tell,” Brannal said. “And we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

Perian certainly felt safe in this group.

It was a relief when Brannal informed him that Venoran had been transported.

Perian hadn’t heard so much as a peep from him since he’d been incarcerated in the dungeon, of course, but there had been a chance he could have gotten out.

He was still in the same building, and that had made Perian more uneasy than he realized, until the man was gone and he suddenly relaxed completely.

Brannal and Onadal had both given the Mage Warriors and the Warriors stern lectures about the standard of behavior that was acceptable.

They made it very clear that everyone had better hold themselves up as role models or they weren’t going to be working here very long.

Brannal and Onadal had also made clear that they, Yallon, or Delana were all available should anyone need to report any issues that they had witnessed or experienced, and all allegations would be treated seriously.

Brannal had asked Perian to come with him when he announced it to the kitchen staff, thinking they might be reassured by Perian’s presence.

Unprompted, he’d assured everyone that they could always talk to him, too.

He’d been both happy and horrified when three people had slipped up to talk to him over the next few days.

No allegations were as severe as Venoran’s, thankfully, but none were good.

He wished no one had to go through this, but he was glad they now felt safe enough to speak up.

There was a shuffling of staff amidst the Warriors, Mage Warriors, and castle staff.

(Brannal had been particularly stony-faced about the Mage Warrior, but he sure hadn’t been lenient.)

Perian kept receiving little hearts, and he collected all of them.

Brannal produced a basket that he could keep them in, and he carefully arranged them on a shelf in the sitting room.

He thanked everyone in the kitchen for the berry pie and the hearts, and he hoped everyone would feel safe and happy in the future.

And then he went to Brannal and Onadal and proposed self-defense classes for anyone who wanted to join.

The two of them exchanged glances.

“Not Warrior classes,” Perian clarified.

“But… kneeing people in the groin. Grabbing hair, breaking noses, jabs to the kidneys, that sort of thing. How to fall and get out of an attacker’s grasp.

So people can fight back. It’s great that you’ve talked to everyone, and the Warriors and Mage Warriors should be doing a great job of protecting everyone, but they’re not everywhere all the time, and—”

Brannal laid a hand on Perian’s arm, and he stopped talking.

“We should have thought of it sooner,” Brannal said.

Onadal was nodding his head in agreement.

Perian deflated in relief as he realized he didn’t need to keep arguing.

Brannal sighed. “Tramad was… very traditional. When he was Summus, we all had set roles, and there wasn’t a lot of overlap. I didn’t realize how much of that mentality I carried with me unconsciously.”

Grimacing, Onadal said, “We’re the best-protected location in the country, and it didn’t occur to us to offer the people we care for the means to protect themselves. Thank you, Perian.”

Perian smiled at them. “Yes, of course.”

Actually, it explained a lot about the atmosphere Perian had encountered when he’d started training.

Brannal had only been Summus for six years when Perian arrived.

Tramad had apparently been Summus for thirty years before that.

Brannal always spoke of him with respect, but Perian had the feeling he wouldn’t have liked the old man very much .

“Perhaps we can see if Delana would like to do some of the training,” Brannal proposed.

Onadal nodded. “That’s a good idea. I’m sure she’d like to be involved.”

They settled in to talk about the details, and Perian felt very accomplished for having gotten the ball rolling.

Brannal left again, for two nights this time, for a lesser demon attack in a nearby village.

He took Delana, Onadal, and multiple Warriors with him.

Perian spent two nights with Molun and Arvus as they assured him that everything was going to be fine, and he agreed with them and then stressed about it anyway.

They came back, perfectly fine, just as they’d left, and Perian dragged Brannal to bed and showed him just how happy he was that he’d come through this unscathed.

Perian had never seen a lesser demon in the flesh, but they were apparently bigger than horses and had lots of fur, teeth, and claws.

And unfortunately, to get the energy they needed to consume to survive, they had to kill people.

They ate the energy as it escaped the dying body, or so the books Perian had read on the subject explained. It made them dangerous.

Brannal had the best shield of all the Mage Warriors, a fused version of all the elements, which made it the strongest, and so he’d been able to easily protect everyone as they’d hunted down the demons.

This was yet another example of how strong Brannal was, and Perian would just have to not think about how accidents could happen.

He was happy to start training again, and he didn’t get a lot of weird looks from the Warriors, for the most part.

The sheer scope of Venoran’s crimes seemed to have taken them off guard.

On Perian’s part, he just wanted to focus and keep growing his skills.

He was never going to be able to match the Warriors, but he would really like to give himself every possible advantage.

He hadn’t been stronger or faster than Venoran, after all, but he’d still been enough, in the moment, until help had arrived.