Taya sat on the porch stairs at eight, her hands in warm gloves and her collar pulled high. Their hunt through the eyrie for a suitable dress had spread the news of her dinner appointment, and the other icarii had started offering her scandalous advice about 'what exalteds want.' Explaining that her date was a cousin of the exalted she'd saved hadn't stopped the chaffing. Finally, she'd fled outside, preferring to sit in the cold than listen to more jokes.
At last she heard one of the city's small, one-horse hacks rattling down the street. She stood and waved to the famulate driver, who saluted and pulled over to the porch.
'Taya Icarus?' he asked.
'That's me.' She watched as the coachman wrapped the reins around a rail and hopped down to open the door. 'Where are we going?'
'Rhodanthe's, on Primus. Fare and tip are already paid.' He smiled pleasantly at her. 'Never carried an icarus as a passenger before. Always seems a little strange to see one of you without your wings, don't it? My map says I can get to Regent if I keep following Cliff Road, but I thought Cliff dead-ends at the flight docks. Is the map right, then, or am I?'
'Both, actually. Cliff Road forks, and you can get to Regent if you take the left turn, but it's not Cliff Road anymore. I think it turns into Catamount.'
'Wide enough for us, you think?'
'It's used by delivery wagons making their rounds, so it must be,' she assured him. 'It's dark, though.'
'I have lanterns. Well, in you go, then, and my thanks for the directions.'
'Sure.' Taya slid inside, then leaned forward as the coachman was about to close the door. 'What's your name?'
'I'm Gregor, and my mare here is Bolt. We make the city circuit during the day, the two of us, but we can be hired special if you leave a message at any of the hack stations.'
'I'll remember,' she promised. He touched his cap and closed the door. In another moment, the hack lurched forward.
Riding in a hack, Taya decided after about ten minutes, was considerably more uncomfortable than walking, and a lot less efficient than flight.
Most Ondiniums walked. Because the city was so crowded and steep, only a few horse-drawn vehicles were licensed to operate in the sectors. Most of them were wagons for deliveries and hacks for the elderly and crippled. Exalteds used the wireferry or their own light carriages for travel, and icarii, of course, flew, delivering the post and acting as couriers and messengers to spare others the long walks from sector to sector.
Foreigners were the economic mainstay of the hack system. Few of them had the lungpower to manage the steep hikes through the city that native Ondiniums took for granted.
By the time the hack had reached the smoother streets of Primus and stopped, Taya was thoroughly shaken and disgruntled. She stepped out of the coach with a grimace and stretched.
'You all right, then?' Gregor asked.
'No offense, but next time I'll fly.'
'Inside the sectors proper, you get a smoother ride.' he apologized. 'That Catamount needs to be cobbled, it does.'
'It probably doesn't get used often enough.' She looked at the restaurant door. The sign and facade were lit with gas. They were in the commercial part of Primus, but she'd never been to this street before. 'Do you know this place? What's it like?'
'Mixed-caste. I ain't never been inside, but it's popular enough. I drive up plenty of fare from Secundus for business dinners, don't I? Now, I'm supposed to pick you up again in two and a half hours, and I'll wait here if you ain't out. If you leave before that, any hack will serve, but tell the man at the door about me, won't you? Otherwise I'll be sitting here all night waiting for you, I will.'
'Don't worry.' She smiled. Two and a half hours. Business for real. That relieved some of her concern. 'I think I might rather walk back, though.'
'Now, that wouldn't be safe, would it? ‘Sides, you'd be chilled to the bone even under all that leather. You wait for me, and I'll pay particular attention you don't get too rattled up on the journey back.'
'Fair enough. I'll see you in a few hours, Gregor.'
He touched his cap and lifted the reins. Taya turned to the door.
The maitre d’ looked surprised when she walked in. He recognized her flight suit, but he looked puzzled as his eyes rose over her shoulders and registered her missing wings.
'I'm Taya,' she said. Through one of the doorways she could see a large dining room filled with well- dressed Cardinal castes, eating and laughing together. She was going to look very out of place among them, she thought, her stomach churning. 'I'm a guest?'
'Taya Icarus, yes, you're expected,' the man said, at once. 'Please follow me.'
To Taya's relief, he opened another doorway, leading her into a wide, empty hall lined with doors. He opened one of them and bowed her through, closing the door behind her.
The room was small and almost empty, with only three chairs and one low table. Another door stood on the opposite side of the chamber. A liveried servant bearing the circular caste-mark of a famulate stood and bowed.
'Taya Icarus?' The uniformed woman waited for her to nod. 'Decatur Forlore awaits you.' She opened the second door.
This door revealed a much more lavishly appointed room, and Taya suddenly understood. Of course, an exalted couldn't eat in the main room; not in a mixed-caste restaurant. These chambers must have been set aside for private dining, with the antechambers keeping the exalteds out of the sight of lower-caste guests and restaurant staff who might be passing by.
She stepped inside. Gas lamps on the wall brightened the room, their light reflecting off gilt-edged mirrors and well-polished tables and chairs.
Decatur Forlore was already on his feet, smiling.
'Taya! I feared you wouldn't be able to come. I apologize for the short notice, but I found myself at liberty this evening and hoped to make the best of my unexpected night off.'
'I–I appreciate the invitation, exalted,' Taya stammered, bowing and pressing her palm to her forehead.
He wasn't masked, of course, but he glittered with gold and jewels, and he wore the traditional three layers of flowing silk robes. Each robe was embroidered in silver and gold thread, and small gemstones glittered on their stiff cuffs and lapels. The exalted's long, shining black hair was swept around his head and held in place by golden combs and emerald-studded chains that reflected his green eyes.
'Sit.' Alister stepped forward to take her arm, leading her to a chair. Taya stiffened at the touch of his fingers, her gaze flying to his face. He paused. 'What's wrong?'
'I'm sorry, I just—' she stopped, confused.
He laughed and drew her forward, pulling out her chair.
'I was hoping we could avoid standing on caste tonight,' he said. 'Frankly, I find it tiresome, and I would like to talk.'
'Of course.' Taya was chagrined. 'I'm just used to standing at arm's length from… exalteds.'
'I never keep anyone I admire at arm's length.' Alister gestured to the chair and Taya sat. He picked up a bottle. 'May I?'
Taya nodded, remembering what Cristof had said about Alister pouring drinks for her. Color rose in her cheeks.
The exalted was acting like a man who expected an icarus to be available for his evening's pleasure.
No — no, he's not, he's just being polite,
she scolded herself. Wasn't he? How did exalteds act in private, anyway? She didn't have any basis for comparison. Except Cristof. And he didn't count.
Alister finished pouring and handed her a glass. 'My servant will order for us and bring in the food. I told
