'Wouldn't he have voted for you anyway?'
'Perhaps.' He turned and hooked his arm through hers. 'May I escort you to the door this time, my swan?'
'I'd like that,' she said, smiling up at him. She was glad Viera had told her to take another carriage. She could flirt now without worrying about where it would lead later.
'One thing, Taya Swan,' Alister said, as they reached the foyer. She paused. He looked serious. 'Please leave the investigating to the lictors. I would be devastated if you were hurt.'
She gazed up at his face, touched by his concern. But what if he were the one hurt? If Cristof was involved in something illegal, Alister's position on the Council could be in danger.
'Taya Icarus.' Caster Octavus stepped into the foyer. 'Viera has informed me that you are taking your leave of us.'
Taya shifted mental gears with an effort, turning and bowing, her palm on her forehead.
'I apologize for leaving so soon, exalted, but we icarii need to get off to an early start in the morning.'
'I understand. Thank you very much for joining us, and thank you again for your brave rescue.' He clasped her hand. 'The Octavus family owes you a debt, and it will not be forgotten.'
'I consider the debt repaid,' she protested. 'Tonight has been… well, I never imagined being invited to something like this.'
'Don't be ridiculous. Tonight simply makes public our gratitude to you.'
Taya studied him, her hand still in his. The white-haired decatur looked serious. This wasn't casual good manners, she realized. Exalted Octavus was making her a promise.
She slipped her hand from his and pressed her palm against her forehead again, bowing more deeply this time.
'Thank you, exalted.'
To her surprise, when she straightened, he returned the bow.
'Fly safely, icarus.'
'Yes, but not tonight,' Viera added, as she entered the foyer. 'Our carriage is waiting outside.' A servant followed, holding Taya's borrowed velvet cloak and a heavy fur. 'A cloak of feathers might be more appropriate, but it wouldn't be nearly as practical. Here, I'm giving this to you. I hope it will keep you warm this winter and for many winters to come.' She handed Taya the fur cloak.
Taya's fingers sank into the thick beaver pelts, each one worth a month of her salary. She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again when she saw Viera's expression.
'Allow me.' Alister took it and wrapped it around her shoulders. The inside was lined with soft doeskin, warm against her flesh. He regarded her with mock criticism. 'I approve of the brown against her hair, cousin, but fur doesn't flatter her dress. Now she looks more like a Demican chieftain than a swan queen.'
Taya ignored him, running her hands over the fur. It probably had come from Demicus, she thought, overwhelmed.
'It's gorgeous. I don't know where I'll be able to wear it.'
'You should wear it to the market and anywhere else you may need to go this winter,' Viera said, practically. She reached forward and fastened the neck. Taya looked down and saw that the gold clasp had the Octavus sigil worked into it. 'Good night, Taya Icarus. Fly safely.'
'Good night, exalteds,' Taya said again, draping her velvet cloak over her arms. The fur was heavy on her shoulders, but it was a solid, comforting weight.
They walked her out to the carriage and waved as she was driven away. Taya watched until the lights of Estate Octavus vanished around a corner, then let the window curtain fall and pulled her new cloak around her.
Pins , she mused, staring into the darkness.
Tomorrow I'm going to find Pins and see if I can track down the Torn Cards. For the Octavuses… and for Alister.
'Pins?' Pyke set down
The Watchman and narrowed his eyes. 'Why?'
'Someone at the party bought something from her, and I want to find out what,' Taya explained, warming her fingers on her second cup of tea. Cassi had made her stay awake to talk about the party for another hour after she'd gotten home, so she was working on only five hours of sleep and relying on the bitter drink to keep her eyes open. 'Come on. You know her, don't you? I can tell.'
'Yeah. She attends the same Inquiry and Liberation meetings I go to.' Pyke still sounded suspicious.
'Spirits, Pyke. I can't believe the Council hasn't thrown you out of the eyrie yet,' Cassi exclaimed, spreading jam over her breakfast roll. 'Isn't I&L some kind of reactionary group?'
'You don't know anything about politics, do you?' Pyke looked disgusted. 'It's a free-trade group. Did you know Ondinium levies a ten-percent import tax on spices from Si'sier, but when we send—'
'Pyke. Please. Don't.' Cassi waved a hand at him. 'I don't care. You know, you'd be a lot more fun if you took up a real hobby, like darts.'
'You like men who play darts?' Pyke asked, dubiously.
'It was just an example. Although I'm pretty good at darts.'
'Hello? Pins?' Taya waved a hand between them. 'Please, Pyke, just give me an address. I'm not going to cause her any trouble.'
'How can I be sure? You're hobnobbing with exalteds and decaturs now. Maybe they're turning you into their spy.'
Taya rubbed her forehead.
'More like the opposite. They said she was dangerous and I should stay away from her. Look, I just want to ask a couple of questions, that's all. Then I'm gone. I won't tell anyone I saw her, and I won't tell her how I got her address.'
'Dangerous?' Pyke rubbed his chin. 'I didn't know she was dangerous.'
'Pyke!'
'Taya, just go to Dispatch and look her up,' Cassi advised. 'It'll be faster than trying to get an answer out of tall, dark, and paranoid here.'
'I'm not paranoid, I'm just cautious.' Pyke frowned. 'It's not a secret, I guess. She owns a copperwares shop on Operand and Cascade. There's a big beaten-copper basin in the front window. You can't miss it.'
'Thanks.' Taya finished her tea and stood. 'Well, off to work. You two coming?'
At the dock, she and Cassi pulled on their flight leathers and strapped themselves into their rigs. When they were ready, they joined the line at the dispatch office to punch in. Taya dropped off a thank-you note to be delivered to Estate Octavus.
'Nice of you two to join us today,' the dispatcher said dryly as they hung their time cards back on the rack. 'All finished playing dress-up?'
'Better be polite,' Cassi warned him. 'Taya has friends in high places.'
'Yeah, I get a nosebleed just looking at her.' The dispatcher handed them their morning's delivery satchels. 'Fly safely, ladies. It's cold and clear, but the diispira will be kicking up again this morning, so mind your tailsets.'
'We will.' Taya picked up the bag and began looking through it as she and Cassi left the warm office and joined the line at the icarus flight docks. The docks were long wood and iron strips that extended far out beyond the cliffs and provided clean drops down into the wind.
