'That's very kind of you. I live in Three Alcides. I'm sure the landlady would let you in as soon as you explained why you were there.'
'Maybe if…' He paused. 'You said you're off-duty today? Is it a reward for saving Viera yesterday?'
'Who? Oh, no; well, not exactly.' She remembered the morning's rush and blushed. 'Exalted Octavus sent me an invitation to a party, so my friend Cassi and I took the day off to find an appropriate dress.'
He slowly nodded. 'Of course. Viera wouldn't have remembered that some people don't have a wardrobe full of formal clothes. Do you… do you want me to say something to her?'
'No!' Taya recoiled. 'Don't do that! What would she think of me?'
'She could send you something to save you the expense—'
'No, please, I'm fine,' Taya protested, turning red. 'I have an excellent dressmaker.'
I hope
.
'Well, if you're certain. I was only trying to help.'
'I'm certain.' Taya stood to prevent any further objection. 'And I'm also certain that I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you for lunch, exalted.'
'You don't — are you going back to your eyrie?' Cristof got to his feet, facing her across the cluttered table.
'Yes, I think I should.' She checked one of the many clocks ticking around them. 'It's a long walk back, and I want to check on my armature before the smithy closes.'
'Will it be all right?'
'I think so. It didn't give me any problems on my flight back from the explosion, but I'll be happier when all the feathers are straight again.'
'Of course.' He blinked, as if suddenly remembering. 'And your shoulder?'
'It's not bleeding anymore.'
'Did it need stitches?'
'I haven't had time to see a physician,' she admitted. 'It wasn't bleeding this morning.' She looked at the scabbing cuts on her hands. 'I assume it'll be fine.'
Cristof closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking pained.
'Careless.'
'Huh?'
'I said last night that you are either careless or unlucky. I've decided that you're careless. You do realize that untreated wounds can become infected?'
'I'll have someone look at it when I get back to the eyrie,' she said, nettled. 'I've had a busy day.'
'Yes, I'm certain that accusing me of being a bomber was far more urgent than seeing to your own health.'
'Well, it would have been if you had been a bomber,' she retorted.
He drew a deep breath, then slowly let it out and turned, picking up his greatcoat.
'Yes. I suppose you're right.'
'Where are you going?'
'To look at the clock in Three Alcides.'
'I — you don't have to do that today!' Taya protested. 'You told me you had work to do.'
'Nothing that can't wait.' He picked up a small black bag. 'I will examine the clock while you're at the physician's having your shoulder examined.'
'Exalted!'
'Icarus.' His voice was cool. 'Why are you arguing with me?'
She flushed, not certain, herself. If he'd been wearing proper exalted's clothing, she would never have dared to raise her voice to him. It was easy to forget that he wasn't just another famulate, as long as she didn't pay attention to his castemark.
'Why do you want to come with me?'
'I intend to make certain you don't endanger the city by endangering yourself. If you had been injured yesterday, you wouldn't have been able to save Viera and Ariq.'
'I promise, I'll see a physician before tonight. I don't need an escort through the city.'
'That hasn't been my observation.' He paused. 'And I have no doubt that Viera would want me to see you kept in good repair.'
Taya gave him an exasperated look, then turned and began buttoning up her coat. Fine. He was as stubborn as a lictor.
Still, if nothing else, I'll have someone to talk to on the long walk back up,
she thought.
Or argue with, more likely.
They didn't argue, however, and although she found herself trotting to keep up with his long-legged pace, she discovered one unexpected advantage of traveling with an exalted — the lictors took one glance at his castemark and waved them both through the gate ahead of the lines.
'Maybe I should draw a wave on my cheek, too,' Taya mused aloud as they stepped off Whitesmith Stair and into Secundus.
'They know me.' Cristof's voice was flat. 'I'm the only exalted who lives on Tertius.'
'I'm just joking. I don't even look Ondinium.' Not to mention that fact that forging a castemark was a serious crime.
He nodded, studying her. 'You're native though, aren't you? I've never heard of a naturalized icarus.'
'Second generation. My father's grandparents moved here and became citizens when they were in their twenties. My mother was pure Ondinium. How long has your family lived here?'
'House Forlore's birth records go back seventy generations. The books before that were lost in the Last War.'
'Is your brother the oldest in the family?'
'No. I am.'
'Oh.' For some reason that surprised her. 'Are you two close?'
'I suppose so.' He shrugged. 'I'm a dissident and he's a decatur. We're as close as we can be, under the circumstances. I'm pleased with his success, and he does his best not to condemn me for my shortcomings.'
'You said he recommends you to other exalteds. That doesn't sound like condemnation.'
'Alister's too considerate. He shouldn't have anything to do with me. I'm a threat to his chances of ever becoming the head of Oporphyr Council. If he weren't such a brilliant programmer, they never would have made him a decatur; not with me in the family.'
'I thought political positions were awarded on the basis of merit, not family.'
'That's the theory. In practice, family is an important variable in the equation.' Cristof stared straight ahead. 'I try not to embarrass my brother too much.'
Taya fell silent. They walked through the Markets, past the University and up until they reached the topmost point of Secundus and Cliff Road, which led into the icarus neighborhoods and then to the practice fields and flight docks. It wasn't an easy climb, and Taya longed for her wings.
'I've never had any reason to be in this part of the city before,' Cristof said at last, during one of their rest pauses. He looked up at the tall houses built along the narrow, steep streets. 'Who repairs the clocks here?'
'I don't know.' Taya shrugged. 'The city, I guess. I've never met an icarus who owns a watch, so I wouldn't know who to ask.'
'I'll leave my card at the eyrie, then,' he said. Taya looked at him, trying to decide if he were joking. She couldn't tell. She'd like to think that he was; that he might be making an effort to get along with her. But… she just
