“Of course.” The tightness Zaira had left in his face softened. “I’ve had you on your feet all evening. I apologize.” He dipped a bow, which I waved off, and led the way through the Mews gates.

Instead of proceeding to the garden as we had last time, we entered a grand hall. Portraits of famous Falcons and Falconers of history lined the walls. My vision was still too blurred to make out the ceiling fresco, but the rush of movement and light in the painting suggested a scene of one of the great battles the Falcons had won for Raverra.

We’d scarcely crossed the threshold when Colonel Vasante strode up to Marcello, iron-gray braid swinging behind her, boots reporting like musket fire on the marble floor. Her uniform doublet hung stiff and heavy with gold embroidery. Marcello saluted; her eyes narrowed in response.

“A word aside, Lieutenant, about tonight’s escapades,” she commanded, without so much as a glance my way.

Marcello gave me an apologetic grimace. “My lady, would you mind waiting a moment? I’m so sorry.”

I sank onto a convenient bench. “I’ll just sit here.”

Marcello and the colonel withdrew into a side room. I took the opportunity to put my head down until the hall steadied and my breathing came under control. Weakness still dragged at my limbs, and probably would until tomorrow morning. If past experience held true, there was a headache in my future, too, and I shouldn’t walk too close to a canal edge for the rest of the night on general principle. But I wasn’t going to die.

Once I felt a little more human, I got up and went to the modest door Marcello and the colonel had gone through, intending to knock and find out whether I might head home at this point. But they’d left the door ajar, and Colonel Vasante’s voice cut through the gap.

“—a fire warlock, for Graces’ sake. The doge himself made it quite clear he considers her both extremely valuable and incredibly dangerous. And you lost her, Lieutenant.”

Marcello muttered a reply. I hesitated, then remembered my great-grandfather and the privacy of others, and leaned against the wall in a position to hear better.

“I’m sure the doge would be impressed by your excuses,” the colonel snorted. “You absolutely cannot let it happen again, Verdi. She doesn’t have to love us, but we need her cooperative and loyal enough to follow orders if the doge wants to use her. Especially now. And we must be confident she’s not going to burn down the city or defect to our enemies. If she’s not playing nice within a month, the doge will decide she’s too much of a risk. You know what happens then.”

“I know.” Marcello’s tone trickled icewater down my back.