Beq smiled weakly and shrugged. “I’ve gotten in trouble before.”
“Okay.” Maya grinned back, heart beating a little faster at the spark in Beq’s eyes. “So what are we going to do?”
“We could try to track down this Core Analytica for ourselves,” Beq said thoughtfully. “That would lead us to whatever Raskos wants to hide so badly.”
“That would mean getting out of the palace,” Maya said. “If a scavenger found this thing, someone must know something.”
Beq nodded. “We should talk to Varo.”
“You think we can trust him?”
She nodded. “He won’t go running to Tanax, anyway. And if we’re going outside, we’ll need his help.”
“You’re right,” Maya said. If anyone could get them outside without being noticed, it was the scout. “So let’s talk to him.”
“Now? I mean, I guess now.” Beq looked down at her robe. “Give me a minute.”
She retreated to her bedroom, emerging in her stained travel clothes, hair fraying from its bun. Varo’s suite was just beyond Beq’s. Maya threw a quick glance at Tanax’s door, but it remained closed.
She knocked, and then knocked again, louder. Eventually it was answered, but not by Varo. A tall young man with long silver hair and a delicate goatee, wearing a loose silk dressing gown, looked Maya up and down and then gave a shallow bow. After a moment, Varo appeared behind him.
“Good morning, Agathios,” Varo said, yawning. “Do you need something?”
“I just … wanted to ask you something,” Maya said, feeling her cheeks flush slightly. “Do you have a minute?”
“Of course.” Varo touched his guest’s arm, and the man bent close. They exchanged a few whispers, followed by a kiss that went on long enough that Maya’s blush deepened. The young man left, and Varo gestured Maya and Beq inside. His breakfast was on the table, half-eaten, and he sat down with a sigh, sprawling bonelessly in the chair.
“You seem to have had a relaxing night,” Maya said carefully.
“The comforts of civilization,” Varo said. “In the scouts we learn to enjoy them while we have the chance. My friend, for example—”
“Can I ask you something?” Maya interrupted, not ready to deal with another gruesome anecdote. “Purely hypothetically.”
“Oh?” Varo raised an eyebrow and took a slice of summerfruit from the tray. “Go ahead.”
“If someone wanted to sneak out of the Spike, how would they do it?”
“What sort of someone?”
Maya hesitated. “Someone like me and Beq, say.”
“Ah. That sort of hypothetical.” Varo popped the fruit into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.
“You don’t have to answer,” Maya said. “If you’re not comfortable—”
“Hypothetically,” Varo broke in, “it doesn’t seem like it would be very difficult. Security in this part of the palace is fairly lax, except around Raskos personally, and there’s a lot of staff that no one really pays attention to. If you got your hands on a couple of servants’ uniforms, I imagine you could walk right out the front door.”
“If we’re speaking hypothetically,” Beq put in, “I might know where there’s a laundry.”
“What are you going to do about Tanax?” Varo said. “I assume, in this hypothetical, he’s not supposed to know you’re gone.”
“I was hoping you might help with that,” Maya said. “If we tell him Beq and I are sick after last night, and staying in our rooms, you might volunteer to check up on us.”
“I might.” Varo looked between Maya and Beq. “Do I get to know what this is about?”
“It’s probably best if you don’t,” Maya said. “Not that I don’t trust you, but I don’t want you to get in any more trouble than you already might if Tanax catches on. Just tell him we lied to you about it.”
Varo pursed his lips and nodded. “Well then. Hypothetically, that sounds like a plan.”
“Okay. What if I told you this wasn’t hypothetical after all?”
“What?” Varo grinned. “I’m shocked.”
*
It seemed like ages before Tanax knocked at Maya’s door. She waited, counting off the seconds, and then just as he knocked again she said, “Hello?”
“Maya?” he said. “The dux has sent us another invitation. He wants us to attend a review of his forces this afternoon, and then tonight there’s a dinner with a few distinguished guests.”
“Oh,” Maya said. “I’m very sorry to report that Arcanist Bequaria and I are … feeling poorly.”
“What do you mean?” Tanax said.
“I think we may have … overindulged last night. Neither of us is as familiar with this sort of event.”
“I see.” Maya could hear the smug edge in his voice. “You’re certain it’s nothing more serious?”
“Quite certain,” Maya said. “I think you should go to the review, while we rest for a while.”
“The dux might be insulted,” Tanax said.
“I think he’ll be more insulted if I throw up in his lap,” Maya said bluntly.
Tanax paused at that. “I suppose,” he said gruffly, “that it can’t be helped. This sort of society is new for you, after all.”
“Indeed.”
“I’ll ask the dux to have a few servants check on you—”
“No need for that,” Maya said. “Varo has already volunteered. That way we can … avoid embarrassment.”
“Good thinking,” Tanax said. “I will make your excuses to the dux, then. Perhaps by evening you’ll be feeling better.”
“Hopefully,” Maya said. “My apologies, again.”
She stood quietly for a while, listening to Tanax’s booted footsteps retreating down the hall. When they became inaudible, Maya cautiously opened her door and found Varo and Beq doing the same across the hall.
“I can’t believe that worked,” Beq said.
“I can,” Maya said. “Of course the country bumpkin agathios got herself sick with drink the first chance she got at civilized company. It’s exactly what he wants to think of me.”
“We should move quickly, though,” Varo said. “I want to be in position to deflect him when he comes back.”
Beq led them to the laundry, a floor down from their rooms. Maya had to fight a smile as the arcanist skulked suspiciously down the corridor, trying to look in all directions at once like the most stereotypical burglar imaginable, while she and Varo strolled casually behind her. Fortunately for all concerned, the place was unoccupied, with big hampers of things to be washed lined up against one wall opposite vats of soapy water. A few minutes’ search produced servants’ uniforms in approximately the right sizes that weren’t too dirty to wear, and they grabbed a few and hurried back upstairs.
“This feels strange,” Beq said, turning back and forth in front of the mirror in the bedroom. “Have I got it on right?”
Palace uniform for common servants was a long, dark skirt and undertunic with a white blouse and cap. It was plain enough that Maya hoped they wouldn’t stand out once they got into the city proper. She gestured, and Beq spun in a circle.