“But . . .” Ascanio began.

“Hang back,” I told him, sinking an order into my voice.

“You heard her,” Derek said.

“I’m going,” Ascanio said.

They went back a few feet. We resumed our trot through the glass labyrinth.

Desandra laughed under her breath. “So this is what a boy bouda is like.”

“Usually they’re worse,” Robert said. “I’ve known Raphael since he was six and I was eleven. He was insufferable as a teenager. Beautiful, but so high maintenance. Ascanio is typical.”

“The boudas feel like outsiders,” I said for Desandra’s benefit. “There aren’t that many of them and the chance of loupism runs high within their clan, so every child is a precious gift spoiled rotten. But Ascanio is in a class by himself. It’s a long story.”

“Back to my questions,” Robert said. “How long have you had the ability to sense vampires?”

“You can’t compel me to answer, Robert.”

“No, I can’t,” he said. “However, I can explain my reasons for asking. Wererats have certain advantages when it comes to covert work.”

The wererats were quiet and stealthy, and they could dislocate their bones in a pinch, which let them hide in very small places. A lot of Jim’s surveillance people came from Clan Rat.

When not sure which way the conversation was going, say something vague and flattering. “Clan Rat is well-known for its uncanny stealth.” So help me, I sounded like Curran. The Pack had slowly driven me out of my mind.

The anxiety stabbed me like a knife.

Curran was okay. Worrying about him wouldn’t help him be okay, it would just make me distracted. I had to disconnect from it.

“We also have our own network of information gatherers,” Robert said. “We get our information from two channels: official briefings from Jim and from our own people. There was always a gap between the information coming to us from Jim and through our own channels. Since you moved into the Keep, that gap substantially widened.”

Robert waited.

I didn’t say anything. My patience was wearing thin. I could just imagine Barabas’s voice in my mind. Alienating Clan Rat was not a good idea. They were the second-largest clan . . .

“Consort?” Robert asked.

Oh, so we’re back to “Consort” now. “So you’re upset, because you feel Jim is holding back information?”

“I have proof he is.”

I would have to word this carefully. Diplomacy wasn’t my strongest suit, but I had a good memory and I’d read the Pack’s code of laws cover-to-cover several times. “Has his withholding of information impeded your ability to effectively govern your clan or compromised the safety of your clan’s members?”

“If you’re quoting Article Six . . .” Robert began.

I was quoting Article Six. It outlined the duties of the Pack’s chief of security. “Please answer my question.”

“Not yet,” Robert said. “However, we’re concerned it might.”