“I am. But I thought we all agreed: this is for Thomas. I assume I’m not the only one willing to sacrifice.”

“You are not,” Khalila said, and looked down at her folded hands. “I confess, I already applied to the Artifex as well.”

“You what?” Dario turned on her with a stare, which she met squarely.

“Don’t look so shocked,” she said. “I am capable of just as much folly as you, you know!”

“I don’t want you to—”

“Dario. What you do or do not want applies to you, not me. I didn’t ask your permission, and I don’t seek your approval!” Khalila’s voice had taken on a hard edge, and Dario was the first to look away.

“Congratulations,” Glain said. “You’re both wildly independent, and now the Archivist has to be wondering why both of you would want to get close to him at the same time. Clearly, neither of you are cut out to be spies.”

“Forgive us—we didn’t grow up criminals and self-made adventurers!”

“Dario, you know nothing about me,” Glain said. She didn’t sound angry, just a touch amused.

“I meant the criminal part for Jess.”

“Yes, I got that,” Jess said. “It’s not a bad idea, getting close to the Artifex, but I doubt he’ll take either of you up on it. He’s not a stupid man.”

“Just a cruel one,” Glain said. “We need more. Much more than this.”

“What about . . .” Jess hesitated, then plunged in. “What about the Black Archives?”

They were all silent. He expected at least one of them to scoff, to dismiss them as rumor, but Khalila finally said, “I’ll look into it.”

“Carefully,” Glain told her.

“I know. I should go,” she said. “I have more work to do tonight. Dario?”

“Go on,” he told her. “I’m drinking.”

“I’m not,” Glain said. “Khalila, I’ll walk you back.”

Jess started to get up, but Dario kicked him in the shins under the table, hard enough to make him wince. “I’ll have a cup,” Jess said, and gave the other young man a sharp-edged smile. “See you later.” Glain and Khalila walked away into the early evening, and Jess stared at Dario. “Well?”

“Something for the two of us. I didn’t want them involved.”

“Why not?”

Dario shrugged. “It’s a job for two, not four, and I know Glain. She’ll push her way in if we let her.”

“And you don’t like her.”

“Well, I don’t like either of you, to be fair. But you’re the one with the skill I need.”

“Which is?”

“Smuggling,” Dario said, and gestured to the waiter. “That’s why we both need a drink.”

“You can’t be serious,” Jess said, and looked up at the tomb of Alexander the Great.

Dario hadn’t told him where they were going, or he’d have refused outright back at the café. Maybe the wine had lulled him too much, because he’d agreed to at least take a look. And now, here he was. Looking.