'Nothing very exciting. Trousers and a tunic, most of the time,' she admitted, thinking for the first time that maybe Cassi was right and she dressed too plainly. 'I was born on Tertius, so I'm used to wearing clothes for efficiency, not looks. But I'm having a dress made for the party,' she added, hastily.
'Good. You look charming in that suit, but I'll see more of you in a dress.'
'What will you wear?' she asked. 'Your robes hide just as much as this suit.'
His green eyes gleamed.
'As much as I would enjoy showing off for you, I'd scandalize Caster if I arrived in anything other than formal attire. I'm afraid that if you want to see me in casual clothes, you'll have to accept a dinner invitation to my house.'
'I don't think I'd dare.' She felt a thrill, knowing that she was on dangerous ground.
'I could invite a friend to chaperone us, if you insisted,' he said at once, pretending disappointment.
Taya was saved from answering by a knock on the door. At Alister's summons, the servant came in, bearing a platter of food. The famulate had to make three trips from the antechamber before all the food was in. Taya wanted to leap up to help, but she forced herself to sit still, like someone accustomed to being served.
'Would you want anything else, exalted?' the servant asked, bowing. The woman didn't take any special pains to avoid looking at Alister's bare face, although for the most part she kept her eyes downcast. Another concession to everyday practicality, Taya thought, like the abbreviated bows and salutes in Oporphyr Tower.
'No, that's all, thank you.'
The servant withdrew, closing the door again. Taya and Alister began to investigate the dishes, Alister recommending his favorites. Taya took a little of each. Most of the food was fancier than anything she'd ever eaten on her own.
'Do you know who's going to be at the party?' she asked, between helpings.
'The decaturs will all be present, and their families. Some of Viera's and Caster's friends, of course, and the usual political allies who are invited to every Octavus party as a matter of form.' Alister named a few people whose names she recognized from her diplomatic studies and the city papers.
'You said that Viera's your cousin… will any of the rest of your family be there?'
'Viera and my brother are all the family I have, and Cristof never comes to parties.'
'Because he's outcaste?'
'He's not, you know. Outcaste. He's chosen to live outside of his caste, but he's never been legally turned away.' Alister's expression darkened.
'Then he could come to the party.'
'He could, if he wanted. But he hated parties even before he left Primus. Cris never mastered the social graces, and now he's something of a scandal. Viera and I invite him up regularly — he's family, after all — but he almost always declines.'
'Maybe he's trying not to embarrass you,' Taya said, remembering what Cristof had said earlier that day.
'He doesn't embarrass me. I love him. I wish he would realize that.'
'Does he get along with Exalted Octavus?'
'With Viera, yes. Our parents… our parents died when we were young, and Viera's family took us in. We're more like brothers and sister than cousins. But Caster's a traditionalist. He doesn't approve of Cristof breaking the rules of his caste, and even Vee's a little worried that he'll give Ariq strange ideas. It won't be too long before Ariq's seven, and then he'll have to start wearing a mask, himself. It wouldn't do for him to think that Cristof's behavior is normal and try to take off his mask in public.'
'You don't think your brother's normal?'
'My brother is anything but normal.' Alister laughed. 'Don't get me wrong, little hawk. He's not insane. But it isn't normal for an exalted to cut his hair and take off his mask and move down to Tertius to live with the plebs.' He sobered. 'Cris has a bad temper. It's better for all of us that he went to live someplace where he can surround himself with machines instead of people.
'Why — why did he leave?'
Alister shook his head.
'I wish I knew. I think every exalted has daydreamed about throwing away the mask at one time or another. Caste restrictions can become tiresome. I'd love to go flying on a pair of metal wings without worrying that my bare skin might be seen by a stranger. Maybe you'll take me, someday? But Cristof's the only exalted I know who has ever acted upon the dream. Lady, the uproar he caused! I couldn't believe it, the day he cut off his hair — he hacked it short with a pair of scissors, all by himself. It was horrible.'
Taya tried to put herself in Alister's place, to feel his shock, but there wasn't anything comparable in icarus life. Icarii were free to wear whatever they wanted, to style their hair any way they wanted, to do whatever they wanted — as long as they carried out their duties. The central caste restriction on an icarus was to serve the city and its residents with loyalty and responsibility. Even if an icarus couldn't fly, for some reason, there was almost always a groundling job available in the eyries or docks, sorting mail or repairing armatures.
'My brother set up a small shop down in Tertius, buried in a basement where nobody can find it. I don't know why he hides himself down there — maybe he's ashamed of himself, after all. He could have made himself a celebrity. I would have, if had been in his place. I would have traded on my castemark and the scandal and made myself the darling of the gossip columns and fashionable salons. But Cristof keeps to himself, and most of the city doesn't even know that one of our caste has defected.'
'I think I feel sorry for him,' Taya said, at last. 'It's awful, never fitting in.'
'You have a kind heart.' Alister's voice gentled. 'Especially considering how he scolded you. He wasn't very polite to a weary icarus who had just saved his cousin's life.'
'He wasn't so bad, later. I mean, he's not nice,' Taya elaborated, 'but I think he's well-mannered, behind that sharp tongue of his.'
'I should hope he is. When did you meet him again?'
Taya related the story of the attack the night before, but she didn't tell him that she'd returned to the clockwright's shop that afternoon to accuse Cristof of being a bomber. Alister's brother had enough problems without her casting any undue suspicion on him.
'I'm surprised he helped you,' Alister said, when she was through. He sounded puzzled. 'Cris is such a gearhead… it's hard to imagine that he'd have the stomach to shoot a mugger. And where did he ever get an air pistol? But I suppose he's had to grow bolder, living on Tertius.'
'It can be a dangerous place,' Taya agreed.
'And you should be more careful when you go down there, too.' Alister leaned forward to touch the back of her hand, looking at the scabs across her knuckles. 'I'll add my voice to his in insisting the lictate investigate the mugging. Lately, they've been more concerned with hunting down terrorists like the Torn Cards, but attacking an icarus is a serious crime, too. And who knows; the two crimes could be linked. The king of Alzana has a number of spies funneling money to Ondinium's radical elements, hoping to unbalance the Council. He'd love to possess one of our armatures.'
'Your brother doesn't trust Alzana, either.' Taya realized Alister's fingers were still resting on the back of her hand.
Lady, he really is flirting with me
, she thought, torn between pleasure and panic.
'We both lost a dear friend to Alzana's conflict with Ondinium.' Alister sighed. 'But let's not talk about unpleasant matters. Tell me about your family.'
Taya allowed him to change the subject, and their conversation wove back and forth as they ate, touching on families and friends, favorite foods and books. A loud knock on the door startled them both.
'The coach is here, exalted,' the servant announced, without opening the door.
Alister slipped a watch from a hidden pocket inside his sleeve and opened it.
'Forgefire, I should have told him to come back in three hours,' he muttered. He raised his voice. 'Buy him a drink and tell him Taya will be out in a few minutes.'
