Taya took it, giving Gwen a resigned look.
'I already told you what I thought about him,' Gwen said, darkly. 'You can do better.'
Cristof cast the woman a resentful look before opening the door.
'So, what is it?' Taya asked, shivering as they stepped out onto the porch. Cristof's coat was still warm from his body, but her feet felt like they'd been plunged into ice water.
'The lictors have issued a warrant for my arrest. The engineers confirmed that the bomb was in the clock.'
'I thought you'd already gone through all that.'
'It was just a suspicion, then. Now they have enough evidence to detain me for questioning. I spotted lictors staking out Alister's house when I returned, so I avoided them and tracked down Amcathra. He told me what happened and said if I was still around by the time he pulled on his boots, he'd have to arrest me.' He rubbed his eyes, frowning. 'Under any other circumstances I'd go to headquarters and answer their questions, but what if Alister really was writing a security bypass program?'
'It won't make any difference if the lictors get the proof or you do. Unless you're planning to cover up for him.'
'No.' He shook his head. 'I wouldn't do that. But — maybe it's arrogance, but I won't believe Alister's guilty until I see the proof with my own two eyes. Accusing him without evidence would be a poor way to avenge his death. And… you said he was going to do the same thing for me.'
'All right.' Taya yawned. 'Then nothing's changed, unless Amcathra's going to turn you in.'
'He seemed to be having some trouble finding his boots. But something has changed. If you help me now, you'll be aiding a fugitive. I promised that you wouldn't lose your wings if you took me up to the Tower. I can't promise that anymore.'
Taya frowned.
'If I refuse to take you up, will you turn yourself in?'
He met her eyes.
'No. I'll figure out some other way to get there.'
'Why don't you just talk to the lictors and let them sort it out?'
'We're talking about a potential plot to take over Ondinium's Great Engine and a criminal who will apparently stop at nothing to keep his secret. I need to know how deeply my brother was involved, and who was involved with him. If there were other decaturs….'
Taya studied the determined set to his mouth. She'd seen that expression before, in mirrors. There was no arguing with it.
Lady.
She leaned on the porch railing.
Do I really want to risk my wings for this? Alister was a liar, Cristof's a pain, and Viera —
Viera's nice enough, but I don't owe her anything. In fact, she owes me.
But I like her, and I like her son, and they deserve to know the truth.
And I want to know the truth, too.
She closed her eyes, weighing her options.
'I'll find another way up,' Cristof said, sounding downcast.
'Just shut up and let me think this through.'
One short flight. Up and back. She could claim that she hadn't known Cristof was suspended. That she hadn't known there was a warrant out for his arrest.
He needed her. He'd helped her escape her attackers, he'd shared his lunch with her, and he'd let her borrow his handkerchief and watch and coat.
He was snappish and sharp-tongued, and he had envied his brother's flirtation with her.
She opened her eyes and glared at him. He looked irresolute, his thin face pinched by the cold.
'You're still a pain in my tailset, Cristof,' she grumbled. 'But I'll take you up and trust that Viera will bail me out of prison.'
'She wouldn't let you down.'
'Where are you going to go tonight?'
'I don't know. Does your landlady have any rooms to let?'
'You'd get a warmer reception from the lictors.'
'I'll find a squat in Tertius, then,' he said with resignation.
She eyed him. 'Stay there. I'll be back in a minute.' She ran back into the eyrie, waving to Gwen, and burst into Cassilta's room.
'Wha—?' Cassi rolled over in bed, waking up.
'It's me. Go back to sleep.' Taya grabbed Cassi's purse and headed downstairs again.
Cristof was huddled in a corner of the porch when she got back, shivering in his thin cloth famulate's coat.
'Oh. Sorry.' She pulled off his greatcoat and handed it to him. Then she rummaged through the purse. 'Perfect. Sit down.'
He wrapped the coat around himself and sat on the porch rail, watching her with wary curiosity. When she pulled out Cassi's small jars of cosmetics, his eyes lit up with understanding.
'I think this will do it,' Taya said with satisfaction, choosing a color.
'This isn't your foundation, is it?' he asked as she dabbed a coppery base color over the blue waves on his cheeks.
'No. My friend Cassi's. Why?'
'It isn't your shade.'
'So you're an expert on cosmetics, as well as a clockwright and a secret lictor? Are you living another secret life I should know about?'
He shook his head, and she tsked, dabbing at a splotch with her fingertip.
'I've had to cover my castemark before.'
'Too bad. I know a dressmaker who'd love to have an exalted as a patron.' She corked the bottle and opened a small pot of eye darkener. 'Do you want to be cardinal or plebeian?'
'Plebeian. I'm going back to Tertius.'
She leaned over him and drew a famulate castemark on his forehead.
'It's not perfect, but it'll do,' she said, drawing back and assessing her work. 'Don't reach up and smudge it.'
'I won't.' He grabbed her fingers, warming them a moment between his hands. 'Thank you.'
Taken off-guard by the gesture, Taya stared at him. Even half-sitting on the porch rail, Cristof's head was an inch or two higher than hers.
Gawky. Skinny. Crowlike.
Not such an awful guy, after all.
'That's what friends are for,' she said, at last.
He didn't say anything, scrutinizing her with his hands curled around her fingers. Taya felt like some kind of machine he was trying to figure out and forced a laugh to dispel the tension.
'Although,' she added, 'this friendship ends if you keep waking me up in the middle of the night.'
He released her, standing.
'I'll keep that in mind. Good-night, Taya Icarus.'
