Page 29 of A Trade of Blood

“Doing what? Can you tell me that? Or will I get nothing?”

“I was attempting to explain my silence. I have been busy doing many awful things for the Iudex, and trying to get promoted, so that I can keep paying off Father’s debts.”

“For three years? You were kept busy forthree years?”

I opened my mouth, wondered what to say that could possibly satisfy, and closed it again.

“I see,” she said icily. “But here you are on the Plains of Tala. And I note the look of surprise has not yet left your face. So. I’ll assume you didn’t know I was here.” She sighed. “Did you intend toevervisit our home while you were here, brother? To seek me out even once?”

Again, I felt a heat in my cheeks. “There is a ring wall between here and home.”

“And you’ve imperial credentials! It’d be an easy thing for you to visit.” She let out a low laugh. “How much like Father you are! Always leaving the room, slipping out the door to escape to your strange business.”

This cut me deep. I looked away and touched my head. I recalled Ana’s discussion today, about how my augmentations were “maturing” whether I liked it or not, and felt anger flash hot withinme.

“How am I the one earning this castigation?” I said. “You seem to have gotten the very good end of whatever deal this was.”

“HaveI?”

“Oh, clearly! Your skin’s the same color you were born with. And now, aren’t you engaged to a gentryman? To the son of Trikao Armenta? Hell, Fotia, I almost wond…” I forced myself to stop talking.

“Say it,” said Fotia.

“I did not say anything.”

“But I know what youweregoing to say.”

“I thought the sum of this conversation,” I said rather acidly, “was how little we knew about each other after all these years apart.”

The bar clerk returned with two tiny glasses and a pot of sackwineso ripe it made my eyes water when he opened it. Fotia swiftly and expertly poured a glass, tossed it back, then looked me in the eye and said, “You,Dinios, were going to say that I had found another source formoney,weren’t you? After we’d used you up, for all your pay.”

I coolly met her gaze. “Well. That was exactly what Grandmother told me I was doing, when I left. Something about beingthe man of the house.Shouldering family burdens. And Father, of course, said nothing at all.” I poured myself my own little glass and drank it. “As Kols, we are quite accustomed to financial desperation, Fotia. So—Iam given to wonder.”

“Then you’re a poor investigator, and you know fuck-all, dear Din. Because then you’d know that Trikao Armenta—”

“Oh, you meanGrandfatherTrikao?”

The smile became a scowl. “I have great fondness for that man. I’ll not see you mock him.”

I waved at her to continue.

“The inheritance of the Armenta spreads does not pass through him. So it will not pass to Ippeas.”

“Ippeas,” I said, tasting the name in my mouth. “That’s the boy, then? Your fellow?”

“Oh, titan’s taint,” muttered Fotia. Again, a glass expertly poured and swiftly drunk. “You can’t do this, Din.”

“Do what?”

“You can’t come swaggering back into my affairs, playing the role of the stiff, disapproving big brother. Not after three years of absolute silence!”

“I suppose you’re going to tell me it’s love, then,” I said. “Because it can’t be money. Not if he’s notinheriting.It’s not like justbeingpart of a gentryclan doesn’t grant him fortune and privileges few could imagine.”

At that, a shadow passed over her face. “Maybe some, yes,” she said. “But not the Armentas. Not these days.”

A long, heavy silence. I turned the tiny glass about in my hand, watching the purple dregs wash about. I poured myself another glass, and then—slowly—one for her.

I studied her out the side of my eye. How strange it was, to see her face, yet beautiful and mature—and suddenly so full of genuine fear.