An abandoned boy, a grieving prince, and a reclusive sorcerer find themselves caught in a web of peril and mystery...
Domi, a young thief abandoned on the street at birth, just wants to save his dying foster mother. But first, he must survive the m...
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When Radix woke him early that morn with the message that Valens was letting him skip salutatio, Domi did not waste the unexpected break from his aedificans. He and Radix made efficient use of the extra time. They perched at a table in the common and watched the other alumnas in their dormitory leave for classes at the neighboring conservatory. Next, they observed servants come and go on their errands, paying close attention to where each target went and when.
By the time another messenger arrived from Valens, the two of them had begun figuring out a general schedule in their minds of the students' and servants' habits. Determining who would be away, when, and how long would make it much easier to snatch a thing or two from the neighboring students without detection.
Radix, nibbling the dulciola the pair shared, straightened as the Pyrrhaei messenger girl arrived. "What?"
The servant girl seemed annoyed about the simple acknowledgement but delivered her message. "Promerenti," she said, dipping her head to Domi. He squirmed in discomfort at the term and the gesture of respect. "Aedilis Valens sent me to inform you that he expects you before the last of the rainwater dries on his domus's front steps."
"That's oddly specific," Radix noted.
"What the heck is an aedilis?" Domi asked.
"A promenia expert with voting rights in the curia," the other Pullatus said, lifting one brow at him. "How do I know that and you don't?"
"You know everything, and Valens doesn't like teaching," Domi said. "I think he makes me breathe all day so he doesn't need to talk to me." He was only half-joking.
The girl sniffed. "The Aedilis also said he expects breakfast."
The pair of Pullati glanced down at the common's marble platform. One, maybe two droplets of rainwater remained on the stone outside the pavilion's cover. Domi darted to his feet.
"You move so fast now," Radix said, eying him like he had sprouted night-side flowers from his head.
"Not fast enough," Domi said, scurrying toward the distant hill. "See you later."
When the alumna darted through Valens's entrance chamber into the courtyard, leaped over the rain pool, and skidded into the salutatio hall, he found his aedificans waiting for him at the table.
Valens lifted a brow as Domi panted. "You didn't run often as a Pullatus." It was not a question.
Domi straightened with a gasp, wondering if he had made it before the raindrops dried up. He was pretty sure he had. Something flickered at the corner of his eye, a shadow shifting, and faded. He rubbed his forehead as it throbbed with mild pain after his race up the hill. "A smart snatcher never needs to run," he wheezed.
His aedificans blinked at him for a moment, seeming to search for something, then shook his head and assessed him with a critical eye. "What are you wearing?"
