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refuse. "The royal residence!
Think of it, Pyrrhus. When are we ever gonna live in the lap of luxury?"
Pyrrhus glanced at Wicket with tolerant amusement. "You didn't buy any
horses?"
"Nah they closed down the market on me."
"You realize you'll have to take a bath before you can set foot in Lady
Aradia's home?" Pyrrhus teased him.
"What two baths in the same day?" Wicket replied as if the thought pained him.
"That's the condition for sitting in the lap of luxury," Pyrrhus explained.
Because Wicket looked genuinely torn by the decision, Aradia laughed, and
waved her hand toward him.
The gesture was theatrical effect, of course Adept power pulled the grime out
of his clothes and onhis skin and hair, leaving him cleaner than when he had
left the baths earlier, since he was still wearing yesterday's clothes.
Wicket stared down at his sparkling clothing, and delicately stepped out of
the circle of dirt that had fallen at his feet. Then he grinned at Pyrrhus.
"Isn't it convenient," he asked conversationally, "to have friends who are
Adepts?"
When Julia got home, she found she didn't have to Read for Wicket: Aradia had
invited him and Pyrrhus to stay at the villa.
It was all she could do to get through the evening meal, worrying about
Galerio. He had to face Capero with Mosca and Antonius tonight if their scheme
was to work. If he didn't convince the gambler that it was worth his while to
try to snare Galerio, all three young men would have their throats slit.
After dinner, Julia sat in the luxurious parlor, trying to follow the
conversation between Aradia, Master
Clement, Pyrrhus, and Wicket. Ordinarily, she would have been fascinated.
Tonight she was only worried.
Finally, though, a servant brought her a message, scribbled in Galerio's
almost indecipherable hand:
"Tomorrow, one hour after sunset."
She saw Wicket notice, but his attention went immediately back to the
conversation.
Aradia also noticed. "Julia, you are not going out tonight."
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"No, Aradia, I had no intention to," she replied.
Aradia did not ask what the message was.
That trust made Julia want to tell Aradia. But she knew better. Her stepmother
would feel compelled to stop it, but if she stopped Capero from harming Mosca
and Antonius now, he would find another way to take revenge.
And Galerio would never forgive Julia if she brought Aradia into it.
No, it was best for Aradia never to find out at all.
When Julia got up to go to bed at her usual time, Wicket said, "I'm tired. I
think I'll get some sleep, too.
Good night, everyone."
Pyrrhus eyed his friend. "I've done nothing but sleep for the past two days.
Will you leave me to the tender mercies of these two?" he asked, indicating
Aradia and Master Clement.
"Aww, I don't think they're gonna cook you up for breakfast," Wicket replied.
"Maybe after breakfast, though," he added, referring to Pyrrhus' reluctant
agreement to let Master Clement test him in the morning. "But gotta put up
with you afterward. Better get my rest, Pyrrhus."
I
As Julia suspected, Wicket wanted to talk with her. He and Pyrrhus had been
given rooms on the other side of the courtyard from the family suite. "Where
is it safe to talk?" he asked. "Or is there anyplace?
The old man "
"You mean Master Clement? Wicket, he would not spy on us! And we're not being
watched. Entryways, the treasury those are guarded at all times by both Adepts
and Readers. But don't fear being Read inside the villa, especially not in any
private rooms."
"That's a relief!" he replied.
"You grew up in the Aventine Empire you must know that the Reader's Oath
protects the privacy of nonReaders."
"Never had much to do with Readers, did I?" he replied. "Least never knew I
did."
Julia took him to her room, where she gave him her small supply of money.
"That won't be enough to make you look like a rich merchant," she said.
"I'll claim I've been spending in anticipation of a large sum. This will do.
But there's another problem: I
need proper clothes for the part."
He was right. His plain tan shirt and hose and multicolored tabard were
nothing like what a wealthy
Aventine merchant would wear.
Fortunately, Aventine styles were loose, not like the savage clothing that had
to be fitted to the person wearing it to look right.
Julia said, "Aradia is still in the parlor, and Master Clement hasn't left
yet. We have time. Come on."
"What happened to your Reader's Oath?" asked Wicket.
"All I did was check that they're still in a public room," said Julia."Come on
and be quiet. Devasin will be in the anteroom leading to the corridor."
She took Wicket out the low-silled window into the courtyard, and into Lenardo
and Aradia's room,
where her father's clothes were kept ready in his chest. His red Master
Reader's cloak lay on top, with several white, black-edged tunics beneath it.
Once those were lifted out, though, there was a mixture of
Aventine and savage-style clothing, all in the finest materials, much of it
sumptuously embroidered.
Julia pulled out a yellow tunic with gold embroidery, a belt of gold velvet
strands with bits of gold glittering in it, and a cloak of the same dark gold
color as the belt.
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Wicket nodded, but reached for another cloak, shiny green satin with gold
embroidery on the edges.
Julia shook her head; that cloak went over a plain green tunic, and even so
Lenardo thought it too gaudy.
Over the yellow tunic&
But Wicket was nodding vigorously, so Julia shrugged, and carefully repacked
everything else into the chest.
When they were back in her room, Julia protested, "There's too much glitter
with both the tunic and cloak, and the different colors "
" are exactly what a man would wear who's got rich by his own wits," Wicket
explained, holding the tunic up in front of him. "Hmm. Yer father's a tall
'un, isn't ?"
he
"Yes, he is. You'll have to belt it up, and let the cloak fall in long loops.
Oh what about shoes?"
"I've got some sandals with me. I'll shine 'em up tonight. Thanks, Julia.
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