“You most certainly did not. I take my own risks, Lieutenant. It wasn’t your doing.”

His eyebrows formed a dubious line. “I brought you into harm’s way.”

“Do you think I can’t make my own decisions?” I demanded. “I knew it might be dangerous. I chose to go. If you shoulder all the blame for risks we took together, you also by implication claim all credit for our success. And to that, Lieutenant, I must take exception.”

The ghost of a smile pulled at his mouth. “You are too much for me, my lady. I am routed again.”

“Well, good.” I had to turn him to another topic before he could trot out his buts and howevers. I asked the first question that sprang to mind. “What would have happened if they’d killed me? In terms of the magic of the jess?”

“Your death would have released her powers,” Marcello answered, his mouth stretching uncomfortably over the word death. “But only temporarily. If she didn’t return to the Mews within a few days to receive a new Falconer, she would die. The idea is to make it not worthwhile to kill Falconers. It neither neutralizes the Falcon’s magic nor frees the Falcon to switch allegiance.”

“That leaves the Falcon in a rather unpleasant position.” I wondered if Zaira knew the Empire would rather see her dead than working for an enemy. “Though I suppose it does remove the motivation to target us.”

“Unfortunately, those ruffians weren’t well enough educated to know that. And you are a valuable political target in your own right. You can’t take risks to protect Zaira; we need to protect you. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

I didn’t like where this was going. “Marcello, I assure you I’m quite accustomed to the dangers of being a piece on the board. You don’t need to protect me.”

His brows pushed together. “Putting aside my own personal concern for your safety, which is not inconsiderable, it’s my duty to keep you from harm. If you would allow me to assign you a guard—”

“Absolutely not.” I could imagine what my mother would say. She’d consider it an attempt by the doge to get a spy in our house, and she might not be wrong. “I do appreciate your concern. But I’m afraid it’s out of the question.”

He tried again. “At least until things become more stable with Ardence.”

Unease settled in my belly. “The Ardentines wouldn’t target me. I have friends there.” I could imagine my mother’s lifted eyebrow at that. Are you really so naive, Amalia? “Besides,” I added, “the security of Raverra is my mother’s duty. If I need a guard, she’ll assign me one.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Marcello sighed. “But I’d worry less if I was sure we were at peace.”

“Myself as well,” I admitted.