"Thanks." She opened the door and stepped aside for Cristof. The exalted's cold glower was back in place, and he kept his face down as he stepped inside.
"You didn't have to come," Taya whispered, giving him a concerned look. He ignored her, his grey eyes falling at once on the long-case clock that stood against the foyer wall, ticking loudly.
"You said you'd see a physician," he reminded her. He set the bag down next to the clock.
"Just a moment." She stepped through the doorway into the salon, where Gwen Icarus, the eyrie's landlady, kept her business desk.
"Oh, good. I have a letter for you, Taya," the woman said. She dug out a heavy parchment square and handed it over. Taya turned it. This one was sealed in wax, too, but it wasn't as ornate as the Octavus invitation.
"I asked a clockwright to look at our clock and find out why it's losing time," she said, raising her eyes. "He said he wouldn't charge anything just to see what's wrong."
Gwen scowled. "Can he be trusted?" She hoisted herself out of her chair. After she'd retired from flying, she'd put on a few pounds, although she had as much muscle as she had mass.
"Yes." Taya leaned forward, touching the woman's arm and dropping her voice to a whisper. "He's an outcaste exalted, so don't be surprised."
"An outcaste!" The landlady's eyes widened. "For the Lady's sake, Taya, what are you thinking, bringing an outcaste into my house? I run a—"
Taya tightened her grip. "An outcaste exalted
! Exalted Cristof Forlore, and he's doing us a favor. His brother's a decatur."
Gwen snorted. "You're flying awful high, icarus."
"Not in his case," Taya said wryly, thinking of Cristof's basement workshop. "But he's touchy, so be diplomatic."
"Diplomacy's your job, not mine," Gwen said. "Now let go. I won't throw him out on his ear, but you know the rules — no strangers in the eyrie without an escort. Lady knows what this place would be like if I let you lot have free run of the place."
Taya sighed, trailing after the larger woman.
"What are you doing?" Gwen shrieked, when she walked into the foyer.
Cristof had taken off his coat and rolled up his sleeves, and he was kneeling in front of the clock as he unhooked its pendulum. He glanced over his shoulder, then turned back to his work.
"I can't figure out what's wrong unless I check the mechanism."
"I'm not going to pay you to put together what you've taken apart!"
"I'm not going to ask you to." Cristof laid the pendulum on the wooden floor and turned. He gave Taya a sharp look. "Don't you have someplace to go?"
"All right! Can I leave you alone here?" Taya was worried about Gwen. The landlady was staring at Cristof's castemark, her eyes wide despite Taya's warning. Gwen was a kind, motherly woman, but she wasn't very subtle.
"I expect so." Cristof glanced at the letter in her hand. "You'll see a physician before you deliver that, I trust."
"This letter is for me." Taya lifted it, studying the seal, and then turned it over. Her name was written across the front:
Taya Icarus
, in a firm, flowing script.
Cristof climbed to his feet and reached out. Taya let him take it, without protest, and he tilted the envelope up. His scowl darkened.
"What is it?" she asked.
"That's the Forlore seal."
"Oh!" Taya took another look at it, then broke open the letter.
Brave and beautiful Taya Icarus:
Although I know Viera has already arranged to thank you for your rescue, I'd enjoy a chance to demonstrate my own gratitude for the assistance you've provided to my family. I'll send a driver by your eyrie tonight to see if you're available at eight; if so, he'll bring you to Rhodanthe's on Primus, where we can meet for dinner. If you have other business tonight, then I'll dine alone and hope that your duties will bring you to Oporphyr Tower on the morrow.
Respectfully yours,
Alister Forlore
Taya glanced at the clock, now stopped at 2:10, and swallowed, her cheeks burning.
"It's from Alister, of course," Cristof said, his voice flat.
"Yes." She bit her lip. "He wants to have dinner with me tonight." She held out the letter, feeling like she had to prove it.
"Of course he does." The exalted's hand hovered over the note a moment, and then he took it, pushing up his glasses as he read.
"But why?" She looked up.
"You've piqued his interest." Cristof handed the letter back. "You still have time to see a doctor before you go."
Taya flushed. She knew what he was thinking. Icarii had a reputation for moving as easily from lover to lover as they did from sector to sector. But before she could say anything, Gwen broke in.
"What's this about a doctor?"
"I got cut last night." Taya folded the letter back up. "Exalted Forlore thinks I should have it looked at by a professional."
"Exalted Forlore is my brother," Cristof corrected her. He knelt in front of the clock again. "Master Clockwright will do, if you insist on being formal."
"Whatever you wish, Master Clockwright." Taya jammed the letter into her pocket. "I'm going. Please don't wait for my return."
"I didn't plan to."
Taya shook her head and left the eyrie. Of course Cristof wouldn't approve of his brother seeing an icarus — icarii were hardly better than whores, in some people's eyes. But an outcaste should know better than to believe in stereotypes.
Dinner with Alister Forlore. The thought of the decatur's handsome face and bright green eyes was tempting, but Taya knew she'd be a fool to accept. Alister probably assumed the same thing about her as his brother. Even if he were a gentleman over dinner, it wouldn't mean that he didn't have expectations, and… and, well, what on earth would she wear to a restaurant on Primus, anyway?
Besides, what if he made a pass and she couldn't resist it? She prided herself on being choosy about her lovers, but it had been a long time since the last one, and Alister was undeniably attractive.
No, all things considered, it would be best if she turned Alister's servant away tonight. She would meet the decatur at the Octavus party under safely reputable conditions, and then she'd see what happened.
Chapter Five
The physician cleaned and bandaged her cut, warned her not to rescue anyone from a wireferry accident for a week or two, and sent her on her way. Taya hurried back to the eyrie and felt a twinge of disappointment to find the clock back in one piece and Cristof gone.
"Taya!" Gwen shouted for her as she turned to head up the stairs, and Taya spun, changing direction to enter the parlor.
"What?"
"Your outcaste left. He gave me an estimate and took off looking like he'd been drinking vinegar." The landlady sniffed. "So, you got an invitation to dinner from an exalted?"
"Yes." Taya dropped into an overstuffed chair and made a face. "The cousin of the woman I rescued yesterday. He wants to thank me."
"And the outcaste disapproves?"
"His name is Cristof Forlore, and he's the exalted's brother."
"Oh." Gwen's eyebrows rose. "It's a family affair, is it?"
"It's not any kind of affair at all," Taya objected, nettled. "Cristof doesn't approve of me, and I don't want to cause any trouble between him and his brother."
"Who is a decatur."
"Decatur Alister Forlore."
Gwen looked impressed. "Well, if a decatur is asking you to dinner to thank you for saving his cousin's life, you can hardly say no. Is he well-mannered? Do you like him?"