Taya stared. She'd never seen Alister so worked up before. Maybe he wasn't all good looks and flirtation, after all.
"How will you know if it works?"
He took a deep breath.
"It won't be easy. So far we've only run simulations based on past cases. What we intend to do next, if the Council approves the experiment, is start a volunteer program. We'll run the couples’ cards and monitor their relationships for a year or two. Then we will compare the experiment's successes or failures to those of a control group; couples that don't get any advice from the Engine. If we find a statistically significant difference between the two groups that proves the program's advice is having a positive effect on marriage outcomes, then we can begin to fine-tune the models. Clockwork Heart runs very slowly right now, but eventually, especially if the new prototype engine works out, we may be able to process a couple's data in just a few hours."
Taya shook her head.
"What if the Engine tells you a marriage won't work out, but that's really the person the Lady meant you to be with?"
Alister laughed, relaxing.
"Mere mortals can't defy the Lady of the Forge. If a marriage is meant to be, it'll come about, regardless of Clockwork Heart's computational robustness. People can always choose to ignore the program's findings, if they prefer."
"Do you really think it'll work?"
"Yes." He met her eyes, his chin jutting forward with determination. "I do. I've written the best program I can, I've tested it every way I can think of, and I believe it will make a difference. It still needs development, but if the Council gives me a chance, in our own lifetime we could see broken hearts and bad marriages become all but nonexistent."
Taya nodded, although she couldn't help harboring reservations. How could a machine possibly predict the vagaries of the human heart?
"Anyway," Alister said, leaning against the table, "you understand why it's causing so much debate. Clockwork Heart is a complicated, time-consuming program to run, and it's going to take a long time before the city sees any benefits from it. A number of decaturs aren't convinced it's important enough to pursue. Caster felt that way at first, but I showed him the data I've collected on the long-term economic impact of broken marriages and abandoned children, and he finally changed his mind. The simple fact is, strong marriages lead to strong societies. Caster agreed to approve the experiment and review our data after a year."
"So you think the Torn Cards found out he'd changed his mind?"
"It's possible. They wouldn't like this program. They don't like anything the Great Engine does." Alister sounded scornful. "If they thought Caster was slipping away from their agenda, they might have tried to kill him to keep the other decaturs from following his lead."
"But how would they know that Exalted Octavus decided to change his vote?"
"That's a good question." Alister shook his head. "I don't know how many people he has talked to about this."
"He'd only tell another decatur, right?"
"Any of his clerks might know, or a guard may have overheard him talking about the vote. If he has discussed it with Viera, his house servants might know. I'm not trying to blame terrorism on the lower castes, but it doesn't make any sense for an exalted to work with the Torn Cards. We were born into this caste to protect Ondinium, not destroy it. And destroying the Great Engine is tantamount to destroying the city."
"But what if…" Taya faltered.
"What if?" he urged, after a moment.
"Last night, at the party, I heard some men talking, and they mentioned Pins. They were talking to an exalted."
Alister fixed his gaze on her.
"Who?"
"I didn't want to say anything, because I didn't know if something bad was going on." She felt miserable. "But now that Pins is dead… maybe one of the men I saw killed her. I don't know. I could be wrong. But I have to report my suspicions, don't I?"
"Yes. I think you do. Tell me, Taya, and I promise I will conduct a quiet investigation and keep your name out of it. Nothing will come back to haunt you if you've made a mistake."
"I hope I'm wrong. Really, I do." She took a deep breath and steeled herself. "Because they were talking to your brother."
"Cris?"
"He sounded like he was in charge." She didn't want to mention the night the refinery had blown up or the wireferry map she'd found in Cristof's shop. She'd had her suspicions then, but Cristof had explained everything. But this… Pins was dead. She'd witnessed Cristof receiving the package and heard him mention Pins’ name. This was something she couldn't keep to herself.
She described exactly what she'd seen and heard at the dance.
"I'm sorry," she finished, feeling terrible. "Maybe it's just coincidence."
Alister stood still, his handsome face as blank as the mask on the floor.
"I didn't think it would be my brother."
"I don't know if it was! It might be a coincidence. He's probably got a good explanation for everything."
Another moment of silence stretched between them. Alister's blank expression transformed to amazement.
"I knew he was angry when he left, but I didn't think he would do anything this rash. Clock repair made sense. But to spend years pretending to be something he isn't…."
"You think he's involved, then?"
Alister seemed to shake himself. "No. No. I don't think he is. I'm going to talk to him. He's family, Taya. Our parents are dead, and we're all we have left. It must be a misunderstanding. Or perhaps he doesn't realize what's he's gotten himself into. Cris can become so focused on his work that he doesn't notice what other people are doing around him. He could be an innocent dupe. And if he's not innocent…" Alister looked away, gazing at the clock on his table. "Then I'll tell the lictors. And, Taya—"
"What?"
"Stay away from him." Alister met her eyes. "He knows you overheard him last night. If he's involved with the Torn Cards, then you could be in danger. I don't want you to get hurt. That's one thing I'd never forgive him for."
Taya felt guilty for the warm feeling that filled her.
"I'll avoid him," she promised.
"Good." He pushed himself away from the table and took her hand. For a change, his fingers were cold, and she thought she felt them trembling. "Thank you for telling me, and thank you for letting me deal with this myself. Cris and I have our differences, but he means a great deal to me." He paused. "As do you."
The warm feeling intensified. Taya started to take a step back, to try to defuse the moment, but Alister wouldn't release her.
"Why do you keep backing away from me?" he asked, holding her hand captive.
She swallowed.
"You're an exalted," she said, unsteadily. "We're…" She gestured around them with her free hand, trying to indicate the office, the whole situation.
"I know things are confusing right now. But they won't always be like this." He moved closer, pulling her in. All at once her flight leathers felt too constricting, the harness straps too tight. Her heart hammered and she laid her free hand flat on his chest, meaning to hold him away. For a moment she faltered, feeling the hardness beneath his robes. Then she mustered her thoughts and pushed, stepping backward again.
"Not now," she said, struggling to maintain her dignity. "You're upset."
"Yes, I am," Alister agreed, releasing her. "So?"