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Nodora took a seat. “You understood what Epodos said?”
“Yes. I suppose—I’m learning—faster than I thought.”
“Cassia, that is…astonishing progress. But what a wretched repayment! On behalf of Blood Kitharos, allow me to say that my brother’s conduct was reprehensible. He has dishonored the gift of your presence and debased our fathers’ hospitality. And on behalf of myself, let me say what a bloodless vulture Epodos is.”
The door slammed open, then shut. Stepping in was too calm for Xandra, it seemed. Her pale cheeks were flushed with anger, and Cassia could feel magic latent in the air.
“I am going to file a formal complaint,” Xandra said calmly. A spark popped at her fingertips. “We’ll see how Konstantina likes having her own laws used against her.”
“I’m going to slaughter them.” Kia appeared and stood protectively over Cassia.
“That’s our job.” Lyros stepped in beside her. “I’d like to hear that flimsy poet recite his ballad in the fighting ring and see how hygienic he feels after we’re done with him.”
Mak’s big hand came to rest on Cassia’s back. “He’s not worth crying over. He’ll be worth even less when we’ve knocked all his teeth out and strangled him so he can’t sing.”
In spite of herself, a laugh escaped Cassia. She realized she was sitting surrounded by beautiful, fragrant Hesperines with her nose running all over Lio’s silk handkerchief, and they were all looking at her like she was the dearest person in the world. Xandra plopped down on the rug to pet smelly, drooling Knight. Lio put Cassia’s snotty handkerchief in his pocket and handed her a fresh one without even bothering with a cleaning spell in between.
“You are all—so— I will never stop expecting kindness, because I know you.”
Lio kissed her hair. “That is the highest praise any Hesperine could hope for.”
“We’ll let the Queens know you’re all right,” Mak said. “They sent us two ‘young things’ to check on you.”
“Please give my gratitude to the Annassa for their concern.” Cassia sat up suddenly. “But the embassy—I was not careful enough when I left. Earlier—”
Lio hugged her closer. “Don’t worry. We took care of covering your departure.”
“We were planning a circle during the ball anyway,” Mak said. “Time to conspire again.”
“I’m not sure it’s safe,” Cassia cautioned. “When I was in the arcade earlier tonight, coming to meet Lio—”
“Tychon was following you,” Lio said, “presumably on Chrysanthos’s orders. We succeeded in deflecting him for this circle, although earlier I deemed it an unnecessary risk to exert the power required to kiss you under an attentive apprentice war mage’s nose.”
“I’ll give you an extra kiss later, after I’ve washed my face.”
His cleaning spell dried her tears and cleared her nose. She blushed, but could not resist giving him a quick kiss on the lips. She had seen Hesperines give one another such brief, tasteful gestures of affection in front of others. It was not inappropriate.
Their friends clapped. Cassia’s cheeks got warmer.
Lio smiled at her tenderly. “That will tide me over the whole night.”
“Now then,” said Lyros, “the Stand has a report for you all. While Mak and I were on guard last night to make sure none of the mages tried to sneak back into their old rooms, one of the mages tried to sneak back into their old rooms.”
“So predictable.” Mak shook his head.
“Who was it?” Cassia asked.
“Chrysanthos,” Lyros answered. “We did not make our presences known or attempt to prevent him, so we could discover his purpose there.”
“Don’t tell me he was that desperate to see if any of his wine survived,” said Cassia.
Kia smiled wickedly. “He was probably looking for those spurred boots he got from the Gift Collector. As they melted, I enjoyed envisioning Chrysanthos’s man tears.”
Lyros shook his head. “He lost something more significant, it seems.”
“He dug through the ashes for hours.” Mak frowned. “Didn’t care a bit about his pretty clothes, either. Got himself covered in soot, he was so frantic.”
“What could be so important to him,” Lio asked, “and did we destroy it?”
