“No, I’m saying I couldn’t outrun a sphinx,” he corrected. “I’m lucky to be alive, and no thanks to our little Spanish prince.”

“Jess . . .” Her lips were parted, but she clearly didn’t know what to say to him. “Allah must love a fool.”

“Let’s hope that extends to Dario, too.”

She took him down four flights of stairs to what proved to be a residential floor, thickly carpeted and boasting carved doors of cedar that gave the whole hallway a rich, woody smell. She rapped on one of the doors, and it almost immediately swung open.

Dario was still alive. Injured, Jess saw, but alive. Relief flashed in his eyes when he saw Jess, but he quickly buried it. “Scrubber,” he said, and stood aside to let them come in. “Happy to see you still standing.”

“What happened to your leg?” Khalila asked, and helped Dario limp to the bed.

“I twisted my ankle falling off the damned tomb of Alexander,” Dario said. “I challenge you to find anyone else who can say that. What happened to your arm?” That last, Jess realized, was directed to him.

“Sphinx,” he said.

“You just always have to win, don’t you?” The joke was almost a reflex, because Dario stared at the blood and rips on his jacket with real concern. “Is that a bite?”

“Their teeth are like razors, in case you ever wondered,” Jess replied. “But I learned something important.”

“That I’m a fool?” Dario asked bitterly. “I’d have thought you already knew. You’ve said it often enough.”

“You’re not a fool, just a dilettante at what I’ve been doing all my life,” Jess said. “Never mind. We’re both alive. That counts.”

“Did you get the book?” Jess shook his head, and Dario’s expression set into a grim mask. “Then it was all for nothing. I got a man killed for nothing.”

“Not exactly,” Jess said. “I know how to turn off an automaton.”

EPHEMERA

Text of a coded, self-deleting Codex exchange between Morgan Hault and Jess Brightwell

How could you be so stupid?

Don’t blame me. I said it was a bad idea. I’d give you two guesses whose idea it was, but you won’t need them.

I know you could have said no. You can’t take these kinds of risks! The High Garda commander nearly caught you. I saw the report. I knew it had to be you.

Not every foolish thing in Alexandria is my fault.

Please tell me you got something out of it.

Nothing I want to tell you this way, even if you’re erasing these messages. Too dangerous.

Try not to let him talk you into any more of this.

Careful. I might begin to think you care.

I always have.

Morgan, tell me what I need to do to make it right between us. Please.

There’s nothing you can do. I’ll do what I can for you.

I want to help you!