“Yes, because you’re so hopeless at subterfuge you have to take lessons from an illiterate fire warlock. But the point is, when someone’s worried about getting caught, the first thing they do is check all their loose ends.” She walked her fingers on her palm in a parody of frantic running about. “As soon as the duke lets her out of the palace, you can bet your ruddy life she’ll scurry around meeting with all her people, cracking the whip at our funerary friends from last night, and checking on the little lost brats. Buttoning everything down tight.”

Marcello rubbed his chin. “That’s not a bad idea. I’ll get some soldiers to—”

“No,” Zaira interrupted. “Good Graces, not more of your pathetically obvious soldiers. They’d get caught, for sure. I’ll do it.”

“You can’t go out in the city alone.”

“I’ll bring her.” Zaira jerked a thumb at me. “If I have to. But no more. If we start a parade, she’ll notice.”

Marcello shook his head. “That would put the Lady Amalia in danger.”

I straightened. “Lieutenant Verdi, you have many admirable qualities, but your overprotectiveness is not one of them.”

He blinked as if I’d slapped him. “But there are kidnappers after you.”

“And Zaira has proven herself capable of dealing with them.” I wished I could say the same about myself. My cheeks burned, but I pressed on. “I’m not going to stay cooped up in this town house like … like …”

“Like a bird in a mews?” Zaira’s eyes gleamed with a hard light.

“Well, yes. And more to the point, Zaira is the only one with the skills to do this, and if she goes, I have to go with her.”

“I don’t like it.” Marcello’s shoulders drooped. “But you’re right. It has to be done.”

I took his hand and squeezed it. “I’ll be careful.”

He brushed my fingers with his thumb, worry shadowing his face. My hand warmed like a solar circle.

When we got back to Raverra, I’d have to keep him at a distance again. The knowledge cut at my insides as if I’d swallowed broken pottery.

I turned to Zaira, before I could do anything foolish. “So, how do we follow without her noticing?”

Zaira sighed. “Graces have mercy. I’ll teach you. I’m a pickpocket, after all.”

The first thing I learned about following someone was that it’s dreadfully tedious when they’re not going anywhere.