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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They had only been back home from the border for a few hours when Valens said the best words Domi ever heard.
"I am going to be away for a few days, Alumna." Domi straightened at that and set aside his figuring lesson. Valens snatched up the parchment and scanned it with a frown. "But don't worry, you'll still be supervised. Can't have you deciding to become an artifact repairman while I'm gone. Or unmaking the world."
"Very funny, Aedificanti. Who will it be? Arbita?" Domi liked spending time with the lifeholder. She answered his questions and was way more patient than Valens. Best of all, she didn't seem bothered by his Pullati upbringing. She would probably grant him time off, too, to go visit Merula. It had been over a week since he last spent time with his foster mother. He wanted to show her his laurel.
"Likely not Arbita, since you somehow outrank her now." Valens plucked Domi's quill from his hand and circled one of the mathematics problems. "Cerasus will decide which one is most suitable. You'll go to him as soon as you and I are done here." He nodded at something behind Domi. "After you drop those off."
Domi turned and glanced over his shoulder, then arched a brow at the pile of blankets on top of two enormous stacked bins. "What's all that?"
"Food and blankets for your fellow sewer rats," Valens said, looking away as Domi turned to stare. He scribbled a correction on the parchment. "So they don't burn down your dormitory insula."
Domi blinked. "I... Thank you." His insufferable aedificans only shrugged. "So I'm going back to the dormitory?"
"No." Valens finally looked at him again, lip curling. "You know I can't trust you alone."
"But the kids at my—"
"Just make sure they don't destroy anything while you're staying with one of the conservatory instructors. The insula is yours by right. It's your business how many servants—" He snorted at the word, attention returning to Domi's lesson. "—you choose to keep."
"Great." Domi paused, only at that moment catching something the other worldholder said. "Wait, I'm staying with one of the conservatory instructors?"
"Yes." Valens glanced up from the parchment, lip twitching in amusement. "And no, you're not becoming a true student there yet. You're far from ready for that, kindled prometus or not." As though to prove his point, he circled another incorrect problem, and Domi sighed.
"So I'm going there to be babysat by someone who will make sure I don't destroy or fix anything I shouldn't?"
"And who will perhaps teach you a thing or two." Valens handed him back the assignment. "But if you manage not to give yourself a stroke for a few days, I will consider it time well-used even if you spend the whole time drinking."
"Drinking?" He perked up. He had always wanted to try spirits. Merula never let him, despite the fact their insula perched on top of a wine bar. "Really?"
Valens fixed him with a long, flat look. "How old are you, Alumna?"
"Fifteen tomorrow." At least that was Merula's best guess as to the date of his birth. He had been found on the steps of the comitii basilica with his birth cord freshly cut, so her guess was likely correct.
"Then what do you think?" his aedificans asked dryly, and Domi tossed him a sheepish smile. It was worth a try. "And spirits are not healthy for worldholders. If I find out you've been drinking, now or at any age, you will regret it. Deeply."
"Yeah, yeah. So, how long will you be gone?" He tried not to sound too eager. Maybe while the worldholder was away, he could convince one of the conservatory teachers to take him on as an alumna in Valens's place. Living with the worldholder was not as unpleasant yet as he thought it would be, but he had also only been there one day. It could get far worse.
"I'm not sure. With luck, not long. I have been summoned by the Rex to report on the Trellis failure and our repairs."
"Can't you talk to him with the light thing you sorcerers use?"
"No. This is the Rex, Alumna." His aedificans snorted. "I'm not a Praetor. The 'light thing,' as you call it, is for casual conversation, not official reports to royalty."
"I bet the Princeps Worldholder is in so much trouble." As he should be, after what he had done. One might have thought the Princeps was newly kindled too, to have messed up so spectacularly, but all four of the Princepses started their educations practically in infancy.
"He will be, when I'm done with my report." Valens shook his head, and for the first time in the weeks since Domi had met the man, he saw sadness in his aedficans's eyes. "The idiot destroyed several villages and miles upon miles of farmland, to say nothing of the fact that he dropped the Trellis on his own brother and sister."
"Brother and sister? I thought the Princeps Worldholder was an only child."
"The royal families and some Praetors rarely rear their own children, but entrust them to high-ranking servants for fostering. Epileus and Gemma are the idiot's foster siblings."
Domi blinked in surprise. He had not realized the injured Empowered siblings at the waystation had been kin of Daedalus Adurere.
"But Cerasus owns their leases," Valens went on, "so they received their educations here and belong to our curia, while he grew up in Vola Apertus, where his family's royal curia is based."
"Penna Igneae, right?"
"I'm surprised you know that."
Domi did not take offense. They both knew Promethidae politics were not his strength, and Valens seemed apathetic about them himself. It was one of the few things they agreed about.
"There is a song about Penna Igneae on the street." Domi smirked. "The one that goes, 'I'm Adurere, can't you see? We're as inbred as can be.' And after what the Princeps did, I bet there are a few new verses."
Valens huffed a low chuckle. "I'm sure it does." He gave Domi a stern glance. "Don't delay in reporting to Cerasus. Behave yourself while I'm away. And don't break anything, including yourself."
"No promises," Domi said. After all, this would be the perfect opportunity to help out with the lift, and any decent lift included at least a little breaking.
Valens grimaced and shook his head as he turned to take his leave. "Well, whatever you do, make sure I don't hear about it."
Domi grinned. There was one advantage to having a lazy aedificans who wanted no responsibility for anyone or anything. Outside of lessons, he let Domi do whatever Domi wanted.
Maybe Domi wouldn't try to find another aedificans after all. Maybe.
"Can do, Aedificanti," the boy agreed with a firm nod and sly smile.
