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“You killed it.”
I nodded, remembering the warmth of its blood on my hands, the softness of its fur, the sadness I had felt at its death. “One of the women made me a coat out of its pelt,” I said quietly. “They called me Little Wolf for the longest time . . .”
Louis-Cesare sighed. “I do not think there is time to waste, then.”
No, but I’d been wasting plenty of it! “I need to talk to Hassani,” I said angrily. “I need to talk to him now!”
That was easier than I expected, as it was a smart T.V. that could connect to the computer in his office. I’d gotten out, dried off, and put on a robe by the time Louis-Cesare managed to get him online. But Hassani still looked a bit shocked.
Like I gave a damn.
“Yesterday morning, you were trying to ship me off to Whatshername’s temple without a word.”
“Hatshepsut’s Temple,” he agreed.
“With all this happening? With time running out?”
“As I believe I said, it would have reassured my people to see us carrying on as normal whilst the investigation was made.”
“But that’s not what you did. You took me downstairs—”
“Yes. After you made it clear that you intended to follow your lover—excuse me, your husband—and find your sister. It occurred to me that you might be the only one who can.”
“But your people must have seen something. They were all over that bazaar—”
“And I have shown you what they saw. I have held nothing back.”
“I need to talk to them, everyone who was there—”
“Lady Basarab—”
“—and I need to see the bodies. I know they’ve been gone over, but I want to see them again—”
“Lady Basarab—”
“—along with anything they were wearing, and that includes—”
“Dory!”
I paused, because the volume had just missed a shout. But he was looking a lot less prim and proper, suddenly. For the first time since I arrived, he looked like the man I’d seen at our senate. For the first time, he looked like the assassin instead of the teacher.
I immediately liked him better.
“Do you know why I help you?” he demanded.
“Because we’re friends of the court?” I deadpanned.
His eyes flashed dangerously, and Louis-Cesare tightened the hand he’d placed on my arm. I didn’t need the warning. I could almost feel the consul’s power, his anger, from here, and he was in his office almost a block away.
But I didn’t think the anger was for me, something he confirmed a second later.
“I lost ten Children in the assault on this court, killed not in combat, which would at least have been an honorable end, but by a coward’s weapon, a missile that tore through my shields and incinerated them where they stood. I lost six more in the fight that followed, chasing thieves and murderers through the streets, and another seven in the temple below us, battling the ancient curse they unleashed upon me. Twenty-three, young one. Twenty-three who drank of my blood, who shared my trials, who lived in my heart. Twenty-three whom I shall never see again.
“Someone will pay for that.
“Someone will bleed for that.”
“Fuck, yeah,” I whispered.
