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Stavros would probably consider that theft.
It wasn’t that hard,Julita says in a familiar coy tone.He’d fallen from grace, and what better way to prove he can still defend the country than by routing out a bunch of scourge sorcerers who’ve already threatened the royal family?
And she felt comfortable walking up to him and pitching her case just like that?
Well, probably not just like that. It isn’t hard to picture the woman whose image lingers ephemerally in my head slipping over to his side at some school event and making a few leading remarks.
Reeling him in around her finger the way Anya accused her of doing regularly.
I cock my head. “You wanted him on your side because he has the best chance of stopping the sorcerers once you figure out who they are?”
He has the king’s trust and respect. When we’re sure of the details, he’ll ensure the problem is dealt with swiftly and effectively.She pauses with a short laugh.And I did hope that having him around would makemea little safer, but obviously that benefit didn’t extend outside our meetings.
I lean against the edge of Stavros’s desk, careful not to displace anything. “What about the others? How do they fit in?”
Oh, you should find all of them even easier to handle than Stavros. Benedikt’s on the outskirts of the royal family, as I’m sure he’ll tell you about sooner rather than later. He pretends he doesn’t care, but he’s still tempted by potential glory. And he’s friendly with just about everyone in both the college and the palace, so he picks up a wide range of gossip.
“Alek is a scholar,” I fill in. “You wanted someone who could access all the records and delve into research when necessary.”
There, you’re catching on quickly.Julita titters again.Alek was an easy choice. He barely speaks to anyone, so he clearly got into the scholarship division based on actual work and not social influence. And he’s insecure enough that it only took a little flattery for him to jump at the chance to help.
My stomach twists at the way she speaks about the masked scholar’s weaknesses. Would he be so concerned about her if he knew how she actually sees him?
Would any of them?
I swallow down my discomfort. They made their own decisions to get involved, just like I did.
“And the courtesan?”
Well, Cas can find out other kinds of gossip, the sorts of things his patrons might only babble about while they’re feeling particularly… content. He’s good at picking up on people’s intentions—when they’re lying and things like that. The companionship division is keen on attentiveness. And he’s so eager to please that he couldn’t resist yet another way to do that.
“Quite the team you’ve assembled, then,” I mutter.
Before Julita can respond, a soft knock sounds on the door.
I freeze, unsure whether I should admit to being here. It’s obviously not Stavros—he wouldn’t have knocked.
Is anyone else supposed to know he has a new assistant yet?
I’m saved from that dilemma by an equally soft voice carrying through the thick wood. “Ivy, it’s just Casimir. I brought you a few things.”
My skin prickles as if my conversation with Julita might have somehow summoned him. What wouldhehave brought me?
I push away from the desk. “Oh, er, all right. Come in.”
The courtesan breezes inside, swiftly but with a presence so warm it’s hard to feel wary. There’s a bundle of a few different colored fabrics in his arms, silk by the sheen of them.
Casimir flashes one of his bright smiles at me. “I know Stavros can get you equipped for the official work you’ll be doing as his assistant. I suspected he might neglect therealwork, which is blending in during leisure time. That’s when people let down their guards.”
It is true that I’m unlikely to be invited into any conversations around the dining hall or strolling in the gardens while I’m dressed in fighting gear. And no noble lady could get away with wearing the exact same dress every day.
Casimir ambles over to the sofa and unfurls each of the gowns he brought over it in a row. Turquoise silk, then icy gray, then a forest green nearly the same shade as his eyes flow across the cushions like vibrant waterfalls.
The courtesan glances from the dresses to me and back again. “I think they should all fit well. The lacing gives some flexibility. As does…”
He reaches down and tugs at the skirts of the dresses, and my heart leaps eagerly. The folds of fabric overlap enough that you wouldn’t notice unless they’re yanked, but there’s a slit on either side, all the way up to my thighs.
When I take a step closer to confirm the others have it too, Casimir outright beams. “I figured you’d want easier access to your assorted weaponry.” His smile fades a moment later. “Especially considering what happened to Julita.”
