A trace of the old Saiman’s impatience touched his face. “Curran did it, but only because you asked him to. The money I paid the Guild is a formality. A pittance. I would’ve given Curran everything I have, but I know him. I remember our history. All the gold in the world wouldn’t convince him to lift a finger for my sake. He did it for you. Why did you ask him?”

“Do you want the real answer or the one you’re comfortable with?”

“I’ll take the truth.”

“Because you are someone I know, Saiman. You’re someone who helped me. Always for a price, but still you helped. You’re a selfish prick, narcissistic, egocentric, obsessed with your own importance, but you’re still someone I know. I couldn’t leave you with my father.”

He looked away from me again.

“If it helps, I can tell you that if I left you there, it would give my father the license to kidnap my citizens at will, and whatever he was doing with you likely made him stronger, which is bad for us, since the Oracle is predicting he will burn the city in a few weeks. Would that be easier?”

He didn’t answer.

“Rest,” I told him. “Eat and rest. You need to heal. And one more thing.”

I got up, slid the window up, and pulled the thick metal rods securing the grate up, releasing it. I strained, lifted the grate, and slid it aside. Wind blew into the room, stirring the sheets and papers on the desk.

“You’re not a prisoner. You can leave when you’re ready.” I nodded at Julie. “Come on.”

“But you didn’t ask him,” she said.

Thank you, Julie.

“I know. He’s in no shape to do it. Come.”

“In no shape to do what?” Saiman called.

“Rest,” I told him, and left the room.

Julie hurried after me. We walked down the staircase together.

“Why didn’t you ask him?” she asked.

“Because he’s sitting in that bed, drowning in his trauma and refusing to eat. Now he knows I want something and it will drive him crazy, until he finally eats, gets dressed, and comes to find me to see what was so important.”

Right now I would trade places with Saiman in a heartbeat. He could run around and do all of this bullshit, while I lay in a nice soft bed.

The magic hit, rolling over us. The electric lights in the lobby died and the blue feylanterns slowly ignited, growing brighter.

“Kate!” The Clerk called from his counter. “A call for you.”

Maybe it was the Keep to tell us if Dali was alive.

I ran down the last few steps and picked up the phone.

“Hello, Sharrim,” a female voice said. “Please hold for your father.”

“Tell him to go fuck himself.”

I hung up and turned away.

Behind me magic splashed.

“HELLO, DAUGHTER.”

•   •   •