“This is the bloody fucking original.”
“I said that already, you know.”
“There are scribbles in the margin and everything.” He pointed at the sloppy text. “Look, he misspelled sanguinary.”
“You like it?”
“Like it? People would kill to see this.” He stopped short. “Are you going to get into trouble?”
“For what?”
“I don’t know. For fiddling with palace property.”
“Tobias, this is mine.”
“This is yours?” he spat.
“I get gifts sometimes.”
“Gifts like this?”
Leila giggled. “Do you want to see more?”
Tobias nodded enthusiastically, and Leila went to work, eagerly plucking scrolls from their compartments. Soon her arms were overflowing, and she waddled to the center of the room and dumped the scrolls into a pile.
“You’re making a mess!”
“Oh hush up, I know where they go.” She plopped down onto the floor, then patted the spot beside her. “Come. Sit.”
Tobias took a seat as she unrolled the scrolls one by one.
“This is ‘The Hero’s Escape’,” she said. “And this is ‘Reclaiming the Crown’—”
“No.” He ripped the scroll from her hands, inspecting it closely. “Original?”
“Not original, but penned in her very own ink.”
“Original enough.” He dropped the scroll and picked up another. “Oh my God, is this the ‘Epic of Ethyua’?”
Leila nodded, hiding her grin behind her hands.
“Fucking hell, this was my favorite growing up. Had it memorized—I still do, I’m certain.” Tobias skimmed the text. “This is madness.”
He read the epic for a while, captivated, while Leila laid scrolls out along the floor. The haze was gone; it had lifted once he entered the gallery, all because of her. Without a word, he pulled her toward him, giving her a long, smooth kiss.
Leila smiled. “What was that for?”
“I know what you’re doing,” he said. “Thank you.”
“I just hate to see you sad.”
“You make it difficult to remain sad for long.”
Her gaze became far away. “I won’t be seeing you tomorrow. You’re to spend the day with Cosima. All five of you.”
Tobias tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Well then, if I don’t get to see you, I suppose we’ll have to make the evening count, yes?”
He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, then the tip of her nose, treating her as if she was precious, because she was. One last kiss just for her lips, and he made it count, determined to soak her up until he could feel her in his bones. Their lips parted, and he abruptly turned away.
“All right then, back to the epics.”
Leila swatted his arm, the two laughing together as they pored over the slips of parchment.
***
Don’t look.
Tobias peered around his canvas, gazing at Orion’s bed—empty. Of course it was, but the sight stung all the same.
Dammit, I told you not to look.
His eyes flitted back to his painting, and he tried to focus on its completion, on anything but Orion’s passing. His murder. Wincing, he dabbed at the canvas, determined to leave some mark behind.
The door swung open, and Delphi waltzed in with a satchel over her shoulder. “Hello, love. You’re looking better than the last time I saw you.”
“Apologies. For the window.”
Delphi shrugged. “It wasn’t my window.”
Tobias scooted his easel out of the way as Delphi laid out her vials. “You’re here to freshen me up?” he said.
“Indeed I am.”
“But why?”
“Because it’s my duty.”
“But it isn’t.”
Her eyes darted toward his. “It seems I’ve been caught. You’ll keep those lovely lips sealed, yes?”
“How about a trade. My silence for a favor. You told me once you understand The Savior. I assume you know what She likes in a man. Could you make me look the opposite of that? Make me repulsive with your…” he scanned her vials, “…creams, or whatever those are.”
Delphi chuckled, pinching his chin. “I love it, you know. How fond you are of my sister. You know which one I refer to, I’m sure.”
Her words were kind, yet they triggered him in a way he hadn’t anticipated. Delphi massaged something fragrant into his skin for some time, while he gazed emptily ahead, his thoughts churning.
“What’s wrong?”
His eyes darted back to Delphi. She stared at him, waiting for an answer.
“Just say it.”
He faltered. “Leila’s keeping secrets from me.”
She frowned. “I know.”
“Why?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I’ve heard that before,” he mumbled.
“Leila’s secrets are no trivial matter. She’s caught in the middle of something very dangerous. You understand that, yes?”
The sharpness of her voice sent him to silence. All the worries he had forced down suddenly fought their way to the surface, and one in particular was especially assertive.
“Delphi?”
Her gaze panned back to him, and he braced himself. “Is she