“‘Mess’ is right. Poor kids.” Tiberius blew out a long sigh into Bel’s plush shoulder, then stepped away, toward Adamo. With a flick of his wrist, he encouraged the ice to creep up and around the body. He looked down into the dead man’s dreadfully young face. Did it help, knowing flight to Orlais would have brought only another tragic end?
No, not really.
“Thank you, Konstance. Now, back to sleep with you.” The spirit did not want to go, pleading and struggling futility as the ice encased him. Tiberius winced, picking apart the binding thread by thread until the muffled cries stopped and the light of the Fade vanished entirely. This time was so much worse than Ser Cog at the Archon’s party. He’d take the dead’s crude threats over heartbreak and confusion any day.
Dazed, he met Tacitus’s watchful gaze with a blank stare. Until Belona shoved past to sniff around the body. Thankfully, the big cat couldn’t get at him anymore – but it didn’t stop her licking the ice with obvious pleasure. A deep rumbling growl started in her chest, audible from the alleyway entrance.
“Hegemone … Of House Verax, I assume?” There couldn’t be that many women named Hegemone out there. Konstance spoke of Proserpina’s younger sister, if his memory was not failing him. Verax was a newly risen Low House, outspoken and ambitious. Difficult to anticipate when they weren’t following House Tilani’s example. “I could make myself a nuisance. Get his family what they are due – beyond what we'd usually pay out for an unmarried man’s contract.” With the class difference involved, it might be the best they could do. Not exactly justice, but an approximation of it in aurums.
“Though that raises more questions. What if the young lady is pregnant? I can think of few other reasons to suddenly decide to murder her lower caste lover.” Tiberius shook his head and led Bel back out of the alley. He swung up into the saddle and waited for Tacitus to mount his horse.
Or was.
“To House Verax. I’d like to know the full story.”
No, not really.
“Thank you, Konstance. Now, back to sleep with you.” The spirit did not want to go, pleading and struggling futility as the ice encased him. Tiberius winced, picking apart the binding thread by thread until the muffled cries stopped and the light of the Fade vanished entirely. This time was so much worse than Ser Cog at the Archon’s party. He’d take the dead’s crude threats over heartbreak and confusion any day.
Dazed, he met Tacitus’s watchful gaze with a blank stare. Until Belona shoved past to sniff around the body. Thankfully, the big cat couldn’t get at him anymore – but it didn’t stop her licking the ice with obvious pleasure. A deep rumbling growl started in her chest, audible from the alleyway entrance.
“Hegemone … Of House Verax, I assume?” There couldn’t be that many women named Hegemone out there. Konstance spoke of Proserpina’s younger sister, if his memory was not failing him. Verax was a newly risen Low House, outspoken and ambitious. Difficult to anticipate when they weren’t following House Tilani’s example. “I could make myself a nuisance. Get his family what they are due – beyond what we'd usually pay out for an unmarried man’s contract.” With the class difference involved, it might be the best they could do. Not exactly justice, but an approximation of it in aurums.
“Though that raises more questions. What if the young lady is pregnant? I can think of few other reasons to suddenly decide to murder her lower caste lover.” Tiberius shook his head and led Bel back out of the alley. He swung up into the saddle and waited for Tacitus to mount his horse.
Or was.
“To House Verax. I’d like to know the full story.”
10-22-2024, 11:43 AM
