That thought filled Marasi with worry. But she needed to focus on preventing the disaster. She had to leave helping Elendel to her sister.
“Moonlight,” Marasi said, “surely there’s a place in the city you could send Maraga? A place of safety for someone who did us such great service?”
Moonlight considered for a moment. She wasn’t the type to rush into things, it seemed. Careful. Calculating. Finally she slipped a small card from her sleeve, marked with the interlocking diamond symbol. “Do you know the Knightbridge district?”
“Yes,” Maraga said, hesitantly taking the card.
“Go to Thirty-Third and Finete, house number one eighty-seven. Knock, show them this, and tell them Moonlight said you could ask for asylum as recompense for services rendered. They’ll take you in. Even the Set will have trouble assaulting that place.”
“Thank you,” the woman said, clutching the card to her chest.
“I’ll send someone to collect your research,” Moonlight said. “Though I have the plates all copied. You need to go. Quickly.”
“I’m going to fetch my sister too,” Maraga said. “Please?”
“If you must,” Moonlight said. “But be warned, since the Set knows we’re here, each moment you waste endangers your life.”
Maraga rushed to the door. She paused to look over what she was leaving, then steeled herself and hurried out.
“What about us?” Moonlight asked.
“We need to determine a likely entry point to the underground caverns,” Marasi said. “Do you have maps of enemy movements? Lists of places you think might be owned by the Set?”
“Not on me,” Moonlight said. “Perhaps we could return to the records office and do some research.”
“I think I have a better idea,” Marasi said, leading the way out the front door. “Riskier, but hopefully faster.”
“I’m intrigued,” Moonlight said, joining her as they walked to a busier street where—with some effort—Marasi managed to flag down a cab. She found it amazing how quickly coachmen had made the swap between horse-drawn carriages and motorcabs.
They settled in the rear of the motorcar, and the cabbie—a woman with dark hair in a ponytail—glanced back at them. “Where to?”
“Knightbridge district,” Marasi said. “Thirty-Third and Finete.”
The cabbie nodded, pulling out into the flow of traffic and taking them westward.
“Clever,” Moonlight said to Marasi. “I’m going to have to watch myself around you. But what makes you think our safehouse will have the maps you want?”
“You found me in the caverns beneath Elendel,” Marasi said. “Plus, a moment ago you implied such maps existed—you didn’t have them ‘on you.’ Ergo, I assumed this was a good path forward. Your people will have the information we need.”
“They might not let you in,” Moonlight said. “What then? You’ll have wasted time.”
“Wasted time,” Marasi snapped. “Wastedtime?” She glanced toward the cabbie, uncertain what she should say.
“Darkwater, dear,” Moonlight said to the cabbie, “give us a little privacy.”
“Sure thing, Moonlight,” the cabbie said, shutting the window separating the front of the car from the back.
Marasi gaped. Then she looked at Moonlight, who shrugged.
“Moonlight,” Marasi said, focusing her thoughts, “what kind of game do you think we’re playing? Didn’t you say your entire purpose was protecting this planet? Now you imply you’dkeep me locked out of your safehouse, and the vital information it contains?”
Moonlight settled in her seat, thoughtful. “My organization,” she eventually said, “was created to protect and advance the needs of the planet Scadrial. It’s not my homeland, but I am committed to seeing it remain stable. There are terrible forces moving in the cosmere; my people are going to need allies.”
“So why are you so resistant to helping me?”
“To be honest,” Moonlight said, “I’m worried we’re being played. Autonomy is adept at misdirection, at false leads and confusing shadows of half-truths. Restarting the ashfalls? That seems… outrageous. Impossible even for her. Something is off about all this. A shade too red to be natural.”
“So help me find the truth, Moonlight,” Marasi said. “Stop toying with me.”