Page 21 of Of Love and Treason
“Uncle Val! Up!” Rue accentuated her demand by holding both little arms straight up at Valens.
Lalia tugged his hand, pulling him toward the opposing wall, where three sets of double doors opened to the balcony overlooking a small public garden. “Come see the trees with me! I know all their names.”
“I’m hungry,” Rue announced as Valens hoisted her to his hip.
“Me too.”
“So good to see you, dear!” Bea swept over to Martha and kissed both her cheeks. “I’ve brought sweet pastries from Paulina’s for after dinner.”
“How wonderful!” Martha made room on the low table for Bea’s basket. “Nothing rivals sweets from Paulina’s.”
Cato followed Valens as Lalia dragged him to the balcony.
“Don’t drop me!” Rue squeezed his neck until he choked.
Valens tugged at her arms to loosen her grip. “I’d never do that.”
Lalia hung over the marble railing, pointing out and naming the different trees and shrubs.
“You’re very smart.”
“Iamfour.” She looked up at Valens, hands on her hips.
Cato shot him a look of mock sternness. “Sheisfour.”
“Forgive me, my lady. I forgot how grown-up you are.” Valens bit back a grin and gave Lalia a deep bow, much to Rue’s delight. She squealed and threw back her head of springy black curls. Valens barely caught her before she tumbled out of his arms.
Lalia rolled her eyes. “I’m not a lady. I’m a girl.”
Valens straightened and glanced at Cato, who shrugged and shookhis head. “There’s no winning with women.” He ruffled Lalia’s curls. “The sooner you realize that, the sooner you’ll find one.”
Valens groaned. “Not from you too.”
“Sorry. Do you have time to come with me on a call tomorrow? There’s a fisherman by the docks in a bad way.”
“I can in the afternoon, if that isn’t too late.”
“Should be fine. Meet me here.”
“So I can carry all your things? You need to get yourself a basket.”
“Fffft.”Cato waved a hand. “I don’t need a basket when you always show up to carry everything.”
“Someday I won’t be available to help. You need a plan.”
“Threats, threats.” Cato rested a hip against the railing. “You always say that, and yet you show up every time. How was the office?”
Valens let out a long breath. “When I got there, it was full of people nearing a riot. The supervisor dismissed us till after lunch and then called the Urban Guard to dispel the crowd.”
“Were they rioting about the marriage edict or something else?”
Tiring of the trees, Lalia began to twirl.
“The edict, yes. But now the priests have banded together and—”
“They’re actually cooperating with each other?”
It was no secret that the priests of the varying gods and goddesses competed for the popularity of their patron deity.
