“You’re just reporting this now?” Gasni asked through my comm as I laid in the guest room bed. Nal had a guest room. So strange.
“I was busy,” I said. “Do you know what’s going to happen tomorrow night?”
“Only Eujia’s wedding to the emperor, in the middle of a gods damned festival.”
“Does your Council give a single fuck about security?”
“They are unaware of the threats.”
“Threats plural?”
“Yes. I need you to attend the wedding.”
“You want me to go back into that city.”
“You’ll blend in just fine. There will be large crowds, and the guards are highly unlikely to recognize you.”
“Any ideas what I should look out for?”
“Unfortunately, no. Also, make sure to dress appropriately for the wedding. I wouldn’t want you to draw attention to yourself.”
A stuffy suit, he meant. “Fine. I’ll head out soon.”
“Report in once you arrive.” He hung up.
I gathered my things and headed downstairs, where Sana was making lunch.
“There you are, sleepyhead,” she said. “Have a seat. I’m almost done. And I think Tisa has something to say to you.”
Tisa sulked in one of the chairs, so I sat beside her. “What did you want to say?” I asked.
She stared at the table. “I’m sorry I jumped on you. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
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“Hey.” I poked her shoulder until she looked at me out of the corner of her eye. “It’s okay. I’m not mad.”
“You’re not?”
“Nope.”
She sniffled. “Okay.”
Sana removed a large pot from the stove and set it on a folded towel in the center of the table. Whatever kind of soup she’d made, it smelled amazing. “Nal!” she shouted. “Lunch!”
Sana set out bowls and spoons, but Nal didn’t come down the stairs.
“Can I wake him up?” Tisa asked.
“Go get him,” Sana said.
Tisa grinned and sprinted for the stairs. “Daddyyyyy!”
A minute later, Nal came down holding Tisa in his arms. She giggled as she combed her fingers through his messy hair, and he winced when she found a tangle. He set her down and yawned before he sat across from me. “Sorry,” he said.
Sana sat beside him, dropping a large ladle into the pot. “Help yourselves!”
Tisa reached for it, but Sana snapped her fingers at her, and she dropped back into her seat with a huff. I laughed and filled her bowl for her. “Thanks!”
“I need to be going after this,” I said.
“Already?” Tisa said with a full mouth.
“I have to get back to work. I’ll come back and visit, though.”
She smiled and dug in again.
“I’ll get you our address and take you back to your Sparrow,” Nal said.
So, he was staying. Good.
“You’re welcome back anytime, Genet,” Sana said.
Fuck, I was not going to cry again. “Thanks.”
After lunch, Nal grumbled as Sana hemmed up the pants of his only suit and checked the fit of the matching jacket. It was black, but with a subtle leafy pattern that shined under the lights. I didn’t want to know how expensive this had been. It was a little long on me, but it would have to do. I packed the suit into a backpack Nal dug up, traded hugs with Sana and Tisa, then took a portal back to Gradis’s ranch house.
The rotting stench almost made me gag. No one had found Gradis yet. Only flies.
Nal covered his mouth and nose. “Let’s get out of here.”
We hurried outside, and my Sparrow was still parked right outside the front door.
“Damn,” Nal said, circling it. “Where’d you get this, anyway?”
“Stole it from some rich asshole’s private collection.”
He snorted. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He came back around, and he was crying.
“Whoa, what now?”
“Shut up. You know what.” He rubbed a sleeve across his face. “Just be careful out there, okay?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
“I’m serious, Genet. You’re working for the fucking Spymaster. I just… I have a bad feeling about it. Watch your back.”
“I will.”
He pulled me in for a hug, nearly crushing the wind out of me. “I meant what I said about you having a family. Don’t forget that.” Then he let me go and disappeared through a portal.
I climbed into the Sparrow and slumped in the pilot seat, getting some tears out of the way before I tried to fly.