“Tonight? She’s not stupid. Gods, she’ll get upset if youdon’tgo with her.”
“Alright.” Her skin is tinted purple in the coloured light that illuminates the statue we’re standing beside. She moves as if to go, then hesitates. “You’ve been avoiding me, since Solivagus.”
“I’ve just been busy. Mainly making sure he settled in.” I nod toward Diago. It’s mostly true. That, and spending every other second I had practicing using either Adoption or Harmonic imbuing in preparation for tonight.
She smooths her dress. Unsure of herself. “I didn’t tell my father, you know. About you getting rid of me to go and do … whatever you did.”
I study her. She thinks that’s why I’ve been avoiding her. Better than wondering what I’ve been up to, I suppose. “Why?”
“Because I know you’re trying to find out what happened. I know you’ll do what you can to find the people who … who killed my brother. I don’t want to make things harder for you by getting you in trouble.”
I nod slowly. She’s being genuine, I think. “Thank you.”
“And I just wanted to let you know,” she presses on. A little desperately, as if anxious to force the words out. “What I said. In the carriage, on the way to Placement.”
“It’s alright.”
“It’s not.” Awkward in the admission as she stares at the ground, brow furrowed. “Callidus wasn’t your fault and it was cruel to have said otherwise.”
She glances up, just long enough to meet my gaze, to check that I’ve heard and understood. Then she smiles tightly and strides off.
My heart eases as I watch her go. Some part of me feels responsible for her. I think, maybe, that’s what Callidus would have expected of me.
“Are you quite done?” I’m lost enough in thought that Relucia’s voice by my left ear makes me start. I remember our façade just in time to smile instead of scowl as I turn to her. Cheerfully offer my arm for her to loop hers through. And we walk jauntily again, Diago padding after us, this time through the ring of Praetorians and into the shadows of brooding Caten’s evening.
AS SOON AS WE’RE OUT OF SIGHT RELUCIA TAKES THElead, guiding me through several alleys adjacent to the Forum before finally stopping in front of an entirely nondescript wooden door set into a high wall. A residence, identical to a hundred others in the area. She knocks gently and a moment later, we’re slipping inside.
“You’re late.” It’s dim in here, and the owner of the brusque voice is veiled in shadow, only just enough of his narrow features visible for me to be sure it’s him on the other side of the table. I feel a renewed flush of sick anxiety. No backing out. No escaping. Not now.
“Hail, Ostius. Somebody decided to bring his pet. It got a lot of attention.” On cue, Diago stalks inside after us. He bares his teeth and issues a rumbling growl of warning across the room.
The man—Ostius; strangely relieving to finally know his name—is surprisingly unperturbed, at least from what I can make of his silhouette. “An alupi?”He takes Diago in. “My, my. I thought these things only defended the Nexus here. How interesting. You and Imustexchange stories soon, young man.” He sighs. “I can imagine he caused quite the stir. Well done. I assume, though, you know he won’t be able to tag along for what comes next.”
I keep my face smooth.Nexus. One of those strange terms I found myself unwillingly speaking aloud in the ruins. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I have no idea what he’ll do without me around.” Diago will likely wait patiently wherever I tell him to—I’ve tested exactly that a few times since arriving back from Solivagus, and he seems to reliably obey—but it’s an excuse to find out more in advance. “Depending on where we’re going, I can make sure he stays out of sight.”
“Just a short journey. It’s not a question of subtlety, though. Simply logistics.” Ostius pauses. Peers forward. “Although …”
He strides into the light, eyes completely black, ignoring a warning growl as he seizes the alupi’s head between his hands and crouches so that his nose is only inches from Diago’s. There’s a second of shocked silence as both Relucia and I just stare, and then before I can say anything, he’s stepping back again with a delighted chuckle. “Oh, my boy! I stand corrected. Your alupi ismostwelcome to join us.”
Diago is still growling, but it’s more unsettled than angry now. I lick my lips. Of all the eventualities I anticipated for tonight, this was not one of them. The alupi being allowed to stay by my side can only be a good thing.
Right?
Vek.
Ostius is already moving on, entirely disregarding the giant wolf to stand in front of Relucia. All taut confidence and authority. “Where are they?”
“In the Basilica.”
“Perfect.” He hands Relucia something. “Everyone is in place?”
“Yes.”
I watch curiously. Their dynamic is so different from the first time I saw them together, back when I thought Relucia was in charge. Not that there was anything specific that led me to believe it. Just the body language, the tones of voice. But something in the interim has shifted. Ostius treats her, oddly, with less respect than he does me.
He turns to me. “You have a mask?”
“I do.”
