Night had fallen over Verdis. The sky was strewn with stars, but neither Earth nor any other moon was visible from the window.For the first time in a long while, I was able to take my usual seat at Novak’s tea table and gaze out at the impressive view beyond the glass — and, just my luck, as if to match my foul mood, it was the least impressive view I’d ever seen from the big boss’s office.Novak began pouring the tea, and I turned my head away from the night sky.There was only one teapot on the table this time — green, with pine trees painted on it. The tea itself smelled of pine as well, but without apples, so it was clearly not the Yellow Pine Blossom blend Novak had served before. This was something far simpler, but most importantly, it wasn’t Clear Thoughts. Which meant there would be no deep, serious conversations tonight.At least, none where I was expected to provide much brainpower.That was fine by me, because at the moment my mind was tuned entirely to sniffing out negativity. No need to wind it up any further.Novak poured tea for Kate, for me, and then for himself — movements unhurried, yet without the air of ceremony. I thought he seemed more relaxed than usual tonight. Not that I’d ever seen him truly tense — more focused, perhaps, as if all the schemes in the world were neatly catalogued in his head and he was just waiting for the right moment to pull out the one he needed.Today he looked lighter, freer somehow.Still, Novak wouldn’t have invited me here just for a casual cup of tea. That wasn’t his style. There was going to be a conversation, and my thoughts drifted between two possibilities, demons or the tournament, and I hadn’t yet decided which it would be when he raised his cup in a small salute and took a tiny sip.Kate and I mirrored the gesture, putting a little more flourish into the salute and adding a slight bow — as much as the chairs and the teacups allowed.The (...)