Page 38 of The Malice of Moons and Mages (The Broken Bonds of Magic #1)
Thirty-Eight
Selene
T he ferrets skittered down the hall in front of Selene. Their brown-furred bodies slid from the fumbling reaches of the guards who sought to capture them. The creature’s annoying chittering bounced off the walls.
It had been a mistake to let Maya have her little beasts. They were surprisingly conniving, and their antics had given the servants more expertise in hunting ferrets than anyone needed. It wasn’t just their escapades that annoyed, though. Their stench was assaulting, and they left a trail of destruction everywhere they went. Shitting, shredding curtains and rugs, scratching anyone who caught them. The only one who went seemingly unscathed was Maya. The girl swore the creatures were just overly curious, and Grethin supported her. Still, Selene had begun to wonder if this was the girl’s plan all along.
Selene didn’t visit Maya daily anymore. Why she’d kept Maya alive, Selene wasn’t quite sure. Still, she’d need to be eliminated before the staff grew more attached to the girl.
There were other issues that came first.
Ever since learning Xiang had nearly died, Bolin’s worry threatened to overwhelm her. Lua shouldn’t have been that strong, and her general offered no reasons for their failure. Xiang’s tightly controlled expression was guilt-ridden, and it wasn’t like him to withhold information. It annoyed her that there was no way to adequately question him.
Xiang’s eyes slid to her frequently while trying to communicate with them, also unusual. Typically, he only looked at Bolin. It piqued her curiosity. She ordered him to bury their losses and return to Uduary.
Sharine, the highest-ranking Song mage on the council was hesitant about aiding Selene at first. After all, executing one’s comrades didn’t usually increase one’s popularity. But the promise of control over future council matters had swayed her, and she’d been aching for Fallue’s position for years. Sharine would bring her stock of liger’s bane wine to the ceremony and let it spoil before having it served to the anchors. It was more subtle than Selene liked, and the timing would be tough to pull off, but Sharine was convinced that it was manageable.
In any case, Selene and Bolin would have to travel to the monastery, despite her desire not to.
A guard stood clumsily, carefully hoisting the smaller ferret in his hands. The creatures looked so similar it was difficult to tell them apart, but this one was probably the female, Oani. The guard stepped back and bowed to Selene as she made to pass.
Oaklai was further down the hall, busily scratching at a closed door. It chirped at Grethin as she desperately tried to contain him.
The guard gasped as Oani’s teeth found soft flesh. The ferret launched from his bleeding hand. Selene turned at the commotion. Her escort flung themselves into the ferret’s path—but it was too late. When Oani’s claws sunk into the Oja’s shoulder, her magic latched onto it. With a soft chirp, a husk dropped to the ground, leaving a clump of ash and fur on the rug. It was over in an instant.
Oaklai squealed from Grethin’s arms down the hall. Its nose lifted in the air, catching the dross that drifted toward it from its sibling. The ferret trembled.
Selene ignored the rushed apologies that came from the guards. She caught the servant’s eyes, noting the suddenly subdued demeanor of the remaining ferret.
“Return them to Maya’s room. ”
“B-both, Oja?” Grethin looked stricken. “What should I tell her?”
She nudged the corpse with the toe of her boot. “Tell her this is what happens when the rules here are broken. Tell her to keep the other one under better control.”
The servant bowed while the Oja passed. That should serve as warning enough, at least until she returned with her brother in chains. After she siphoned all of Lua’s thirteen stars, she’d determine what to do with Dain’s daughter.