wanted, she thought, but she didn't intend to lie to Viera Octavus for him — not by commission or omission.
'Were you going to tell me that?' Viera asked, turning to Cristof. He bared his teeth in a humorless smile.
'I don't have to tell anybody anything anymore,' he said, in a voice like vinegar and honey. 'I'll just leave all my talking to the icarus.'
'Perhaps that would be a good idea.' Viera stood. 'I'll show you the papers, for the family's sake, but you can't take them away, and I intend to tell the lictors you were here.'
Cristof nodded once, looking grim. They followed her out.
On the way down the hall, Taya caught Cristof's eye and raised an eyebrow.
'What?' he snapped. She decided to let his snide comment about speaking for him pass and asked another question, instead.
'Did your brother lie a lot?'
'I don't know.' He looked away from her. 'My brother cared what people thought. That can make a man do stupid things.'
'I don't like it when people have hidden agendas and try to use me to meet them.'
'My agenda isn't hidden.' They followed Viera up a flight of stairs. 'I want Alister's killer. I'm letting you work with me because you want to and because if I didn't, you'd just get in my way.'
'You're ‘letting’ me work with you because you're too bad-tempered to get information out of anybody on your own,' she retorted. 'I don't know why the lictors thought you might be useful to them. What do you do, stab prisoners with the sharp edge of your tongue until they beg for mercy?'
He gave her an amazed look, then turned away again.
'Here.' Viera opened the door to Caster's office. 'Keep his things in order, Cristof. And leave Taya alone. Right now, I like her more than I like you. Taya, please make sure my cousin doesn't walk off with anything.'
'I will,' Taya said, putting her palm on her forehead and bowing. 'Thank you, exalted.'
'I'm not angry at you.' Viera touched her cheek a moment, then turned. 'Come again without Cris, so that we may enjoy a civil conversation together.'
'Thank you,' Taya repeated, as Viera walked back down the stairs. Then she turned. Cristof was already sitting at Caster's desk, his thin face intent as he rummaged through his papers. 'You're going to apologize to her, right?'
'Of course I will,' he said, sounding preoccupied.
Taya rolled her eyes and sat down at the desk. 'What am I looking for?'
'Anything useful.'
They spent two hours going through Caster Octavus's papers and files, searching for anything that might have led to his death. Taya confirmed from his correspondence that he'd intended to vote against the Clockwork Heart.
'Alister really did lie to me,' she sighed, leaning back in Caster's oversized leather chair and pulling her legs up.
Cristof set down the file he was perusing.
'He's dead. Making yourself sick over him won't do you any good.'
'I'm supposed to be a good judge of character. I have to be, if I'm going to be a diplomatic envoy.' She rested her arms on her knees, staring out the window. The autumn sun was already low, although it was only afternoon. 'I hate to think a man could just smile at me, and I'd forget everything I've learned about human nature.'
'You care what people think, too.'
'Not really.' She glanced at him, saw his skeptical look, and gave him a rueful smile. 'All right. Maybe a little. I don't want people to think I'm an idiot, anyway. And I'm feeling pretty idiotic right now.'
'You're not an idiot.' He picked up the file again. 'I'll tell you when you're an idiot.'
'Thanks.'
'Just returning the favor.'
Well, how about that,
she thought.
He has a sense of humor, after all.
'You sound better.'
'Work's therapeutic.' He turned a page in the file. Taya nodded, looking out the window again. It was too high up for her to see the Octavus's gardens. All she could see was sky and clouds. A bird flew by.
'Icarus.'
'Hmm?'
'I don't have a hidden agenda. Nor do I intend to use you or mislead you with my charm.'
Despite herself, she smiled, glancing at him. His face was studiously neutral.
'The day you act charming, I'll know something is wrong.'
'Good.'
Taya watched him as he looked back down at his work. He still reminded her of a crow, his unruly black hair sticking on end and his black greatcoat wrapped around him. Just like a crow. Loud and mocking, but not without a sardonic sense of humor.
'It's nice to know that you care what I think about you,' she added. 'And it hasn't even made you do anything stupid yet.'
He looked up and blinked at her once, puzzled. Then he realized what she was saying. He frowned.
'Wanting to avoid yet another unfounded accusation isn't the same thing as worrying—'
'Be careful, exalted. You're about to talk yourself into a corner.'
'Have you finished looking through all those papers?' he asked peevishly, sticking his beak back into the file he was holding.
They abandoned the office as the sun began to hang low between the mountains. Back in the Octavus foyer, Taya strapped on her icarus armature.
'Did you find anything useful?' Viera asked, holding a sleepy Ariq as they took their leave. Subdued voices from the parlor indicated that she had more visitors.
'A list of his intended votes on upcoming issues, and a better understanding of what kind of man he was,' Cristof said. He took her hand and held it a moment. 'Caster thought things through very carefully and did his research. I'm impressed.'
'I wish you had known each other better.' Viera sighed, then leaned forward and kissed his thin cheek. 'Good luck, Cris. I'm still annoyed at you, but be careful. Don't let them take anyone else away from me.'
'I won't.' He returned the kiss and stepped back as Viera hugged Taya, Ariq squirming between them.
'You be careful, too.'
'I will.' Taya looked down at Ariq. He stared at her, his cheek against his mother's shoulder. 'Bye-bye, Ariq. I'll see you later.'
They walked down the estate path to the gate. A cold wind blew past them as they stepped out into the street, and long shadows stretched across the cobblestones.
'I told Dispatch I was working with you, so I don't need to report back,' Taya said, glancing up at the red- streaked sky. 'What time is it?'
'A little past four,' Cristof replied, glancing at his gold watch.
'I think the bomber was after Alister.' A gust of wind tugged her wings, carrying the faint smell of smoke from the factories far below on Tertius. 'There doesn't seem to be any reason to target Exalted Octavus, but Alister was working on all those important programs. Plus, he knew something was going on, even if he thought you were the one involved. He must have said something to tip off the real spy.'
'Unfortunately, any proof of that would be up there.' Cristof pointed to the isolated Oporphyr Tower. 'Do you know how long it will take to fix the wireferry?'
'A week or two, if they can beat the first snow,' Taya said. 'If it snows, it'll take longer.'
'Damn.' Cristof stared up at the mountaintop. 'That's the next place we need to go to search for
