The Artifact of Foex Read Online Free

didn’t know
if you would come.”
    “Yes, well, I got your message.” The new
Flame looked sober and didn’t say more.
    Journey ushered him inside and introduced him
around. Knife was well named, Chet decided—he looked like a weapon,
all sharp edges and keen glances. Nothing wasted in that spare
figure. He was clearly unconcerned about local views. Though his
head was covered, he wore no wig.
    Journey was bubbling on, her whole face
animated. “Knife is another member of the Council of Six,
professor. He also knows something about what’s buried under all
that dust.”
    “Splendid, splendid,” Tibbets said, warm and
welcoming as always.
    Rory, however, looked sullen, even murderous.
Chet had only seen her look that way once, when a fellow graduate
student had edged her out on a pet project. Why did she seem to
feel the Flame were infringing on her territory? She excused
herself curtly and went upstairs.
    Some hours later, Chet was coming out of the
hall bathroom and was about to go upstairs himself when he noticed
the two Flame whispering to one another near the staircase. They
were speaking the language of Tache. Chet, who had learned the
language at his father’s insistence, eavesdropped shamelessly.
    “... I figured he’s your meat, or I’d leave
them to it,” Journey was saying.
    “No, you were right to call me out. It
is
heartening that the Shadow Dancers are keeping an eye
on the proceedings; a very good thing for us, all things
considered. Have they found anything?”
    “They’re getting close. Tomorrow, I think, if
we both pitch in. I wonder if that young woman will give us
trouble. I hate not trusting our allies, but their failure was
pretty spectacular last time.”
    The whispering stopped; they were both
staring in his direction. Chet smiled blankly, as if he hadn’t
understood a word, and ascended the stairs. Whatever Knife meant,
something
was down in the dust. Something important to
both the Flame and Rory’s people. It seemed tomorrow would be
interesting.

    Chet woke with the salient question,
Which one?
Which pit would Journey and Knife volunteer to
help dig? The carriage with its buried ceroses? The gaudy
grandfather clock? More pertinent, however, was the tension between
Journey and Rory. Chet trusted that Rory had good reason to be
suspicious, and indeed, the Flame did seem to be up to something
nefarious, or at least clandestine.
    Alas, it was Rory’s turn to drive their
collective finds back up to the university. It was an hour's drive
each way, with unloading and documenting to do besides. Chet
regretted not seeing more fireworks between Rory and the Flame, or
at least finding out more about her issue with them.
    Rory cornered him after breakfast with a
put-upon expression. “Could I trade shuttling duty with you? I
should be at the dig site this morning.”
    “Why?”
    “No reason.”
    “Then no thanks.”
    “Look, just trade with me! It matters.”
    Chet frowned. “If it really mattered, you’d
tell me why. I just did it three days ago. Besides, Tibbets put
me
in charge of looking after Journey.” He was afraid he
sounded whiny, but he didn’t want to miss out on the action. This
was just too exciting. He felt like he’d fallen into a pulp novel
filled with affiliate intrigue. Working on the find of the century
was fun, sure, but it was also dull and monotonous. “Why were you
were making scary eyes at the Flame last night, anyway? What do you
think they’re up to?”
    “I can’t tell you that.” Rory crossed her
arms tight, her expression thunderous. “It’s none of your business.
Besides, you wouldn’t understand.”
    “Thanks a lot.”
    “Come on. You have to trade with me,
Chet.”
    “Hey, we’re not going out anymore. You can’t
lean on me for favors.”
    “I was asking as a friend,” she hissed.
    “You don’t sound very friendly.”
    “Fine! You’re nothing but a snotty,
dull-witted ass.”
    He glared. “And you're a stuck-up affiliate
who