of feeling.”
The bell rang, saving them from more tense conversation, and Mistress Fersi called up the stairs.
“There’s no one else has so many visitors, sir,” she complained loudly as Cree went down to meet them. “I run a proper boardinghouse.”
“I know you do. We’ll keep it quiet, Mistress Fersi.”
“If you have overnight guests, there’s board to pay, Master Sylva!”
Jin and Zea followed Cree into the apartment, Zea bearing an infant on her hip. Azhra took a step back into the bedroom at the sight of the child, as if afraid it might bite.
“We just came from the Devil’s Garden.” Zea juggled the child to her other hip. “It was total chaos.”
Cillian made a face at the baby and was rewarded with a grin. “The Devil’s Garden?”
Zea smirked. “Where the Meer’s prostitutes grow.” Behind her, Cree gave a slight shake of her head. Apparently, not everyone was aware of Cillian’s public identity.
“Why?” she asked. “What’s going on at the Garden?”
Jin dug through a bag of infant accoutrements as the baby began to fuss. “The templars were arresting one of the girls. Charging her with that templar’s murder.”
Cillian’s blood ran cold, as if his circulation had stopped. “A courtesan? They think a courtesan did it?”
“One of the street girls, I think. Petra or something.” He fished out a linen-wrapped sugar teat and handed it to Zea.
“Persa.” Zea put the comforter in the baby’s mouth.
It was not a name he knew, but courtesans did not mix with the Lower Bank Street girls. If she was being arrested for Ume’s crime, surely Nesre would do something. The chill sank into his stomach.
“She was an expurgist. It seems the templar was using the prostitutes to get information on the movement. I don’t believe she killed him at all. I think this is a setup.”
Cillian used the discipline of his art to keep his expression placid, but his head swirled with alarm.
Zea turned to Cree. “I need to use your privy if you don’t mind. Jin and I have been on our feet all morning posting bills.” She held out the baby as Azhra stepped away from the door. “Could you take Edme for me?”
When Azhra recoiled, Cillian stepped forward, welcoming a diversion from the sickly maelstrom in his head. “Let me. I haven’t held a baby since my youngest sister was born.” Cillian swooped in to take the infant before Azhra’s refusal was noticed. Edme stopped fussing at once, reaching to tug on his hair with interest. He tucked her against his hip as he remembered doing with his sister Lahni. A few months after Lahni’s birth Cillian had been caught wearing one of the veils his older sisters left behind.
He bobbed on his heels, rocking Edme as he mulled the news. If Zedei had been spying, it wasn’t for the Meer; Alya knew nothing of the expurgist movement. Cillian desperately needed to talk to Nesre.
When Zea returned and took Edme, Azhra picked up her wrap and veil. “I’m going to see what I can find out. The market is close to the Garden, isn’t it? There’s bound to be talk there worth listening to.”
“I’ll walk with you,” said Cillian. “I’m headed that way.”
Cree frowned. “You’re leaving already?”
“There’s something I have to take care of. I just wanted to make sure you were all right and to let you know I was.”
“Well, keep this at least.” Cree picked up the coat he’d returned. “I have another, and it’s getting chilly.” She held it open for him to put his arms into the sleeves and buttoned him up as though he were a child. “Can you come to the meeting later?”
“I have to see someone.” Cillian glanced at Jin and Zea. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
“Well, if you can’t, at least come by after when you’re free.” Cree gave him a reserved kiss. “If you’re free.”
“I will.” He touched the bruise over her eye. “I don’t like this, Cree. Be careful.”
“I am being careful.”
The bell rang, saving them from more tense conversation, and Mistress Fersi called up the stairs.
“There’s no one else has so many visitors, sir,” she complained loudly as Cree went down to meet them. “I run a proper boardinghouse.”
“I know you do. We’ll keep it quiet, Mistress Fersi.”
“If you have overnight guests, there’s board to pay, Master Sylva!”
Jin and Zea followed Cree into the apartment, Zea bearing an infant on her hip. Azhra took a step back into the bedroom at the sight of the child, as if afraid it might bite.
“We just came from the Devil’s Garden.” Zea juggled the child to her other hip. “It was total chaos.”
Cillian made a face at the baby and was rewarded with a grin. “The Devil’s Garden?”
Zea smirked. “Where the Meer’s prostitutes grow.” Behind her, Cree gave a slight shake of her head. Apparently, not everyone was aware of Cillian’s public identity.
“Why?” she asked. “What’s going on at the Garden?”
Jin dug through a bag of infant accoutrements as the baby began to fuss. “The templars were arresting one of the girls. Charging her with that templar’s murder.”
Cillian’s blood ran cold, as if his circulation had stopped. “A courtesan? They think a courtesan did it?”
“One of the street girls, I think. Petra or something.” He fished out a linen-wrapped sugar teat and handed it to Zea.
“Persa.” Zea put the comforter in the baby’s mouth.
It was not a name he knew, but courtesans did not mix with the Lower Bank Street girls. If she was being arrested for Ume’s crime, surely Nesre would do something. The chill sank into his stomach.
“She was an expurgist. It seems the templar was using the prostitutes to get information on the movement. I don’t believe she killed him at all. I think this is a setup.”
Cillian used the discipline of his art to keep his expression placid, but his head swirled with alarm.
Zea turned to Cree. “I need to use your privy if you don’t mind. Jin and I have been on our feet all morning posting bills.” She held out the baby as Azhra stepped away from the door. “Could you take Edme for me?”
When Azhra recoiled, Cillian stepped forward, welcoming a diversion from the sickly maelstrom in his head. “Let me. I haven’t held a baby since my youngest sister was born.” Cillian swooped in to take the infant before Azhra’s refusal was noticed. Edme stopped fussing at once, reaching to tug on his hair with interest. He tucked her against his hip as he remembered doing with his sister Lahni. A few months after Lahni’s birth Cillian had been caught wearing one of the veils his older sisters left behind.
He bobbed on his heels, rocking Edme as he mulled the news. If Zedei had been spying, it wasn’t for the Meer; Alya knew nothing of the expurgist movement. Cillian desperately needed to talk to Nesre.
When Zea returned and took Edme, Azhra picked up her wrap and veil. “I’m going to see what I can find out. The market is close to the Garden, isn’t it? There’s bound to be talk there worth listening to.”
“I’ll walk with you,” said Cillian. “I’m headed that way.”
Cree frowned. “You’re leaving already?”
“There’s something I have to take care of. I just wanted to make sure you were all right and to let you know I was.”
“Well, keep this at least.” Cree picked up the coat he’d returned. “I have another, and it’s getting chilly.” She held it open for him to put his arms into the sleeves and buttoned him up as though he were a child. “Can you come to the meeting later?”
“I have to see someone.” Cillian glanced at Jin and Zea. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
“Well, if you can’t, at least come by after when you’re free.” Cree gave him a reserved kiss. “If you’re free.”
“I will.” He touched the bruise over her eye. “I don’t like this, Cree. Be careful.”
“I am being careful.”
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