Page 47 of Death of the Glass Angel
Janus resisted looking up at her brother but could see his vague shape waiting outside the classroom.
“Staring,” Eros answered as he turned down a bend in the hall and missed the archway by a couple of steps, instead slamming into the corner.
Janus nearly looked away to meet Evander’s eyes but maintained her watch on the card. “Gemellus promised a prize if we keep our eyes on the cards until night. A free pass on the next exam.”
Evander snorted. “Gemellus used to do things like that for our class, too. He’s messing with you.”
“Nuh-uh.” Eros righted himself, rubbing his nose. “Gemellus is a man of his word, Evander.”
“Is he?” Evander gently pushed Eros down the hall, guiding him away from obstacles.
“Can’t you tell?” Eros pointed to himself. “Takes one to know one.”
“I’m sure it does, Eros.” Evander agreed, rolling his eyes playfully.
Grinning, Janus trailed after them. With her gaze downcast, she didn’t notice a student walking the other way and slammed into his arm. Hastily apologizing, she looked back at her hand to see the card was gone.
“You didn’t make it far.” Gemellus’ deep voice sounded behind her, startling her.
Flexing her hand, Janus spun around, searching for where she’d dropped it. Gem caught her hand and held it up, running his fingers across her palm. When his touch left her skin, the card was sitting in her grasp.
“What are you, a cheap magician?” Janus asked.
“At times.” Gem tapped her shoulder as she passed. “Problem is, Janus, when you take your eyes off something, you can never be sure the one you get back is the same as the one you lost.”
Frowning, Janus watched him depart and examined the card. It looked the same to her. Brushing her hair back, she gasped. Father had ordered her to never lose sight of Eros.
Shoving the card into her bag, she jogged down the stairs, where Evander and Eros awaited her. The kid still had his eyes glued to the rose pattern card, only the freckles patterning his cheeks visible behind the black.
Sighing, Janus ruffled Eros’ hair. “There you are.”
14
Janus
I gave that hairpin to Gemellus as a joke. But he never allowed himself a spot of silliness. The weight of his burden never left his shoulders, the solemnity of his decision echoed in his eyes. I wish I’d met the man you knew, long ago.
-Private letter from Lady Entia to Sir Penna
Janus sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the far wall. Sweat glistened on the palms of her hands, and she wiped them on her tights. Twice now, someone had tried to kill her.
She hadn’t noticed the first assassins’ faces. Somehow, seeing the second’s face made it all the more real.
Sleep had evaded her last night, and to make matters worse, a dream about Eros had troubled her rest, though it was more a memory than a nightmare.
Evoker’s perfect memories. . . was it a blessing to remember the lost so vividly, or a haunting curse?
A fist slammed into a table in the other room. Janus flinched. The men had been arguing for a while, debating what should be done. Their princess had almost been murdered twice, and they had no idea who was responsible.
Kalid had demanded they take her home, but Janus had refused. Strangely, for as strongly as she had dreaded coming here, now she wanted nothing more than to stay.
To stay and uncover the truth.
A soft knock came at the door, and Janus mumbled for them to come in. Talon quietly slipped inside. Wet spots marked his jacket where snowflakes had recently melted.
“I’m going out if you need anything.” He said. “Assassins and conspiracies aren’t quite my area of expertise, but I can at least see if the local gossips know anything.”
“Do regular people keep secrets like that?”
