The frown returned as quickly as it had disappeared. “And you render my guard unconscious. An interesting way you have of saying ‘hello’. It looks like you came here to steal.”

“This?” I hefted the sword. Gio flinched. “Does it belong to you? Did you even know that your hideout had secret doors?” I thought of the other secret room that looked like it had seen some use. “You told me you’d not found any Alanga artifacts in the tunnels, that there was nothing here you could use as a weapon. You sent me a note that Lin has a similar sword in her possession and you wanted me to steal it. Are you collecting these artifacts? Why? What do they do and why do you want them?”

The sword was lighter in my hands than I’d expected. It felt like it was made of wood rather than metal.

“Put the sword back,” Gio said.

“Is it yours?”

Mephi glanced between me and Gio, finally seeming to notice this was not a friendly reunion. “Jovis, can we just talk?” Mephi said. “Do we need to fight?”

It always hurt me to feel like I was disappointing him. “No,” I said, but kept the sword raised. “We don’t need to fight. Again, is it yours?”

“No,” Gio said.

I tucked the staff beneath my arm, took the scabbard and held it out for Mephi to take. “Well then,” I said cheerfully, “I suppose it’s mine now. Whoever owned this is obviously long dead. You weren’t aware of these hidden passages, which I’ve kindly revealed to you. And I was lucky enough to find this sword.”

“Jovis,” Gio said, hands raised, “you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I’m walking out of here with this sword,” I said, starting toward the doorway.

His daggers were out in a flash, catching my blade between them. He twisted. The old bindings on the hilt slipped beneath my fingers. I tightened my grip and the sword stayed put. He was strong for an old man, and quick. For a moment we stared at one another, and I had that feeling like I had the last time Gio and I had nearly come to blows – like we were standing on the edge of a precipice with only rocks below to break our fall. He jerked back and darted in again.