Menon shivered in response.
Ione held up a hand, stopping Cynthia from announcing her.Half-hidden beside a display of silk hair ornaments, she surveyed them, absently smoothing her dress.
It was unbecoming to be nervous.Ione poked at her heart, willing it, willing Menon, to quiet down.I know, she thought, huffing:Calm yourself, Menon.Don’t you dare flood this market.
She smiled, irked to feel her hands trembling, and marched out into the sun-bright path.
“Good morning – ” Immediate failure.“Afternoon, I mean.”Ione choked, her mouth going dry, when as one Lina and Ami turned to face her.
Lina froze, one hand pushing her curls off her shoulders.She smiled.They smiled.Everyone smiled.
Ione sensed Cynthia’s amusement beside her and yearned for death.“Shopping?Are we?”
Ami broke first, stifling a cackle.Ione chewed the inside of her mouth, her face burning.
It was Lina who saved them.Quick-thinking, just as she was with the warden.“We got some pocket money from the priesthood.For picking up extra chores.”Lina gestured, indicating the goldenrod fabric.“We’re going to make some new clothes.”
Without warning Ami half-shoved Lina towards Ione.“You’regoing to.You’re the seamstress, after all.In fact – ” She pulled the bolt of cotton, as well as another in sea blue, off their hangers and all but slammed them onto the draper’s counter.“ – since you offered, let me pay for these.”
Lina whirled.“Ami – ”
“I don’t mind!I’ve to hurry back to the undercroft anyhow, remember?”She bundled the fabrics into one heap under her arm and clapped her free hand around Lina’s shoulder.“So,” Ami said, walking one, two, three steps with Lina.
Straight to Ione, whose heart fluttered.
“Relax for the rest of the day,” Ami finished, patting Lina’s shoulder.“Because you’re going to be sewing later.”
Lina hauled Ami back to her, whispering, although Ione could well hear her: “Ami, you arereallysubtle, you know that?”
Ami flitted out of her grasp, grinning.Before she made it far, Cynthia cleared her throat.“I’ll escort her,” she declared, “with your permission, Lady.”
Ione would buy a new book about sea creatures for Cynthia later.“Granted, Cynthia, thank you,” she said mildly, although her pulse hammered.
You’re Menon, Ione chanted inwardly as Cynthia disappeared with Ami into the crowd.You’re strong.You’re in control.
Ione summoned her best smile.“Will we walk?”She offered an arm, a wave of heat flickering through her when Lina threaded her arm through hers.“There is a bakery on the next street – ” She pointed.“ – and I was thinking of buying River this awful little seaweed tart he likes to cheer him up after I tell him what I’m going to tell you.”
Lina sputtered.“That’s kind of you.Will I need cheering up as well?”
“I hope not.I mean, I hope this will be…” Ione took a breath and tugged Lina alongside her, the noise of the market falling away around them.“…good news, to you.”
Lina’s arm tightened in hers, but she stared straight ahead, letting Ione lead them out of the central plaza and down a quieter street of whitewashed storefronts and hanging plants.A couple of blessed peacocks decorated the secluded lane, fluffing their feathery trains and scattering as Ione led Lina through.
“The high priests met this morning regarding the repairs to Caelos,” Ione said, forcing her voice to remain steady.Careless, cheerful.“They’re going well, although if you were to ask my opinion, it’s all a bit rushed, which is no good when it comes to the safety of so many people.Rush makes mush, and all.”
“It’s – it’s haste makes waste.”
Ione smiled, warming.“You understand my point completely, then.”She pulled Lina to the edge of the cobblestoned street, protected by the shadow of a bushy hydrangea shrub climbing up the wall of an atelier.
“I consider it an honour to have housed theCaelosihere.Genuinely, I…” Ione shook her head.She hadn’t come here to get choked up over everything she wished she could’ve done.“Listen.The Archpriest wants to begin moving you all back to Caelos, but I don’t believe it’s safe yet.Not fully, not without more time put into it.”
Lina didn’t speak, her face pale.Finally, quietly, “Oh.”
Ione waited in vain for more.“If you like, you can return, of course,” she went on, edging closer, studying Lina’s face.Why did she look afraid?“I’m sure you miss it.”
Almost unnoticeably, Lina’s head moved.No, she said silently, her mouth bitten shut and head shaking from side to side.
Ione’s heart lurched.“No?”She stood on tiptoes, one hand braced against the rough plaster wall to keep herself balanced.
