In a chilly passageway she took my face in her hands, forehead wrinkling as she peered at me in the dim light. “Is all well? You escaped the spirit world unscathed and unbound?”

“Not unbound, but unscathed except for the ruin of one of his favorite dash jackets.”

With a hiccupping laugh she crushed me against her in an affectionate embrace. “Oh, Cat! I’ve had all sorts of adventures but I felt so lonely without you.”

I pulled her hands down and squeezed them. “Not as lonely as all that, it seems. Answer me truly! Is there something between you and Brennan?”

Her hesitation told me everything I needed to know.

“Blessed Tanit! Are you sleeping with him?”

Her fingers tightened on my hand. “We have been traveling together for months. I must say there are benefits to being a young woman who knows she is barren, when it comes to activities of the amatory sort. But I’m not in love with him, not in that way. We’re more like attentive companions.”

“Attentive companions! Are you telling me you’re engaged in a companionably attentive affair with one of the most notorious and dashing radicals in Europa?”

“Shh! Lower your voice. This isn’t the place to have this conversation!”

“Does he want to marry you?”

“Strangely, Cat, not every man wishes to marry me, starting with your husband and ending with Brennan Du. I find it’s a relief to negotiate a relationship that is based on respect and friendship rather than all this overheated romance.” Her voice dropped so low I had to lean my head against hers to hear. “The truth is, he’s been in love with the professora for years, but she is married. I heard Brennan and Kehinde arguing once. She admitted that she dislikes her husband. It was a marriage arranged for her at a tender age. You would think an intellectual of such radical sensibilities would take it upon herself to shed such imprisoning traditional customs, but she refuses to do anything that would bring dishonor upon her family.”

“There’s a great deal I do not understand about this situation!”

Brennan’s laugh floated from the kitchen, where he was evidently soothing the cook.

“I do not want to be discovered gossiping with you!” Bee finished, dragging me on.

Upstairs, at the very back, we entered a modestly furnished dining chamber lit by cold magic and cooling rapidly. Rory lounged under a blanket on a threadbare couch situated beside the brick chimney and its dead fire.

Vai rose from a chair. “Catherine! You look… confounded. Was there trouble? Beatrice! Is all well with you? Have you peace and good health?”

Bee kissed him on either cheek in the effusive Kena’ani manner. “Andevai! Here you are! What a startling color that dash jacket is! Please allow me to tell you how very glad I am that you are back with us.”