Regards, E. Constantinos.’”
“Yes, that one. You always laughed at it. You always understood that it was a joke.”
He smiled with the memory of the little girl she had been. Her chest tightened. “Did you like to go there because that’s where you first met Lady Callista?”
“No, I went because I loved the way your face lit up whenever you crossed that threshold. There were other places that sold similar fare, but Mrs. Hinderstone’s was the one for you. And you always liked to sit at the same table by the window, and watch everyone go by on University Avenue.”
“Someday we’ll go back there,” she said impulsively. “Someday when all this is behind us, we’ll ask His Highness for a special dispensation to give you your old professorship back. Then you can teach there again and maybe I will even take some of your classes, if I can manage to get myself admitted.”
“Let’s have a special dispensation for that too,” said Master Haywood, getting into the spirit of things.
She laughed. “And we’ll have our old house back too. And it’ll be as if . . . as if . . .”
She realized how silly she must sound. How could they pretend as if nothing had changed when they both knew now that the arrangement that she had found so wonderful had been the source of so much pain and confusion to him?
Her guardian set his hand on her shoulder. “Yes, let’s do, if at all possible. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. I would be thrilled to go back to the Conservatory, go back to the old house, except this time with you all grown up and attending my classes.”
She took his hand in hers, overcome by both joy and sorrow. “Thank you. I would love that.”
They didn’t say anything else for a while. It dawned on her that the laboratory had fallen silent, that both Titus and Kashkari gazed upon them, the former with wistfulness, whereas the latter . . .
Kashkari looked upon her with grief.
He quickly turned to Titus. “It’s been a long twenty-four hours and I’m worn out. Is it possible to go to the inn soon?”
“Of course. I will vault you there. Master Haywood, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you would like. I can come back for you later.”
Master Haywood rose. “No, sire. You’ve already vaulted too much this day. I will go too.”
He hugged Iolanthe again. “I’m so glad you are safe.”
She kissed him on both cheeks. “Likewise. Until tomorrow.”
With Master Haywood and Kashkari waiting outside, Titus kissed Iolanthe on her forehead. “I will bring back some supper for you,” he promised.
“I already ate,” she reminded him.
“I know,” he murmured.
And kissed her again before he left.
The inn was simple, almost crude, but it was warm inside and the food decent—Titus could attest to the quality of the cooking, as he had bought the occasional soup and sandwich from the place.
It was getting late. The proprietor informed his new guests that they had better hurry if they wanted anything to eat. Haywood bowed to Titus and decamped to the taproom.
“Will you put some food in a basket for me? I am not hungry now, but I might feel peckish later,” Titus said to the proprietor.
“That can be done,” said the man in his thick Scottish accent. “Will you want it in your room, sir, or will you wait for it?”
“I will wait for it.”
“Anything for you, young man?” the proprietor asked Kashkari.
“No, thank you. I’m fine.” Kashkari turned to Titus. “May I have a word with you?”
Something about the solemnity of Kashkari’s tone made Titus’s stomach drop. “Yes, of course.”
They stepped outside the inn, which was enshrouded in fog. Kashkari set a sound circle. Titus stuck his hands into his pockets and willed himself not to shiver—what was barely enough clothes for Paris felt like sheets of paper in the near arctic cold of the very northwestern tip of Scotland.
Kashkari had changed into a set of Titus’s spare nonmage garments from the laboratory. He ought to be freezing too, but he seemed not to feel the teeth of the air. “Before you left Luxor today, you asked me whether I had any prophetic dreams you should know about.”
“And you said you would let me know if you did.”
In the feeble light cast by a lantern hung over the door, Kashkari’s features drifted in and out of the fog. “I had a dream this morning.”
The vapors penetrated through all