Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 6, Part A

Many times whilst growing up, Daedalus had begged his parents and foster parents to take him to their homeland, to the quaint wooded city where they and he had been born. He had longed to see for himself how common Lightholders, lived. How he might have lived if things had been different.

But Verita had refused and been adamant in her resolve not to take him to her childhood home. And what Verita said had the force of law.

As a little child, Daedalus had believed her reluctance must be borne of ill memories or scorn. Perhaps there was bad blood between her and the curia in which she had grown up. Or perhaps, after tasting palace life in the magnificent city of Vola Apertus, she had disdained the idea of subjecting herself anew to the vulgarity of a frontier curia. After all, Comitas always says it was improper to yearn for things below one's station, although it was acceptable to admire them from within the context of their place within The Way of Things.

He shook his head. He now knew the truth, of course. His twin brother had been in Urbs Hostiae, abandoned on the street there on the very eve of their births to save Domi's life. Verita could not risk bringing Daedalus to Urbs Hostiae, where someone might notice her heir looked very similar to another boy. Not when it was custom to quietly kill younger Lightholder twins to prevent the very predicament in which they now found themselves. And so she had declined to bring Daedalus to Urbs Hostiae and had taken the secret of Domi's whereabouts with her to her grave.

But at last, Daedalus was here. Here in Provincia Sicarii, the famed rebel Assassin's Province. Here in Urbs Hostiae, the Victim's City, the city commemorating the praetor who had been slain in the coup that ushered Praetor Cerasus's usurper ancestor into power. At last, he was here in the city's walled Silvula Salutis collegium, the seat of the rebel curia's power.

It had taken twelve hours by skychariot to get here. Daedalus, his foster parents, Lumen, and Ardea had slept during the journey. It felt strange to travel without attendants or Electi. A relief, in a way. No one to pounce upon him with brush or communique or news. Just peace, for once in his life.

Even the Trellis had been quiet as he had drowsed in his sleeping chamber yesterday, as he'd rested in Valens's domus overnight, and this morning as he walked to his new Praetor's salutatio. His younger brother was likely resting, possibly even sedated to help lower the sensitivity of the link between the artifact and its new bearer. He hoped his twin would adjust well, and soon. Domi had looked quite ill in the cellar when their appearances had been altered to facilitate this swap.

Grimacing, Daedalus ran a hand through his lopped-off locks, surprised by how quickly his fingers met empty air. He could not believe Domi had willingly worn his hair like this. Daedalus had been a toddler the last time his hair had been this short, the need to wear the tri-braid for formal functions necessitating a longer style.

"Leave it be, Dae," Cercitis chided. "It looks fine."

Despite everything--his fury at her for taking his brother's life, for even convincing Domi such a thing was necessary--he found himself smiling.

Dae. She had called him Dae. And there was no protocol handler lurking nearby to stop her from being so familiar with him. No one at all except Lumen and Ardea, his new Trellis expert and private secretary, following behind him and his family at a respectful distance as they made their way to the morning salutatio.

"Do you think Praetor Cerasus knows?" he asked, nibbling his lip and then forcing himself to stop. He was not a child.

"Valens said he strongly suspects so. But let us see, hmm?" Astricus said.