His step was lighter, his reactions faster, his words swifter his ruthlessness seemed a little more acceptable, a little more like the callousness of youth rather than the cruelty of adulthood.

Youth suited him, really - he was a little more carefree as Seir than he had been as Kimaris. He slunk home, shoulders up by his ears and tail firmly between his legs, slipping in through the gate as if he were a servant hoping to evade a scolding for missing evening chores - Mateusz had already gone to bed, but he poked his head out of his room when Jan passed by, glancing at him and sighing - and took himself off to bed, where he definitely did not spend the next few hours staring at the ceiling and trying to think of what Sverige could be up to and mostly thinking about how SeirРІР‚в„ўs newest face suited him especially well instead. It made no sense to want to be pursued and pestered, as if seeking in that persistence the evidence of affection that he knew he couldnРІР‚в„ўt trust. Jan shook his head and mentally applied a swift kick to himself: he was the one whoРІР‚в„ўd left all that time ago, and he was the one whoРІР‚в„ўd rejected him again - and all the reasons that had made it necessary the first time still stood.

It was as if the Assassin King had melted away into thin air. Jan risked a glance over his shoulder and saw nothing there. He heard Seir laugh and tensed, expecting more harassment - an insistence on coming along with him to his home, some nonsense about his safety, possibly even a hug - but to his surprise a few moments passed and there was nothing. РІР‚СљBut we havenРІР‚в„ўt had any time to catch up!РІР‚Сњ РІР‚СљIРІР‚в„ўm not talking to you,РІР‚Сњ Jan told him, pulling his cloak tighter around him and starting to walk away towards his own home - the old district wasnРІР‚в„ўt that far away from the new district if he took some shortcuts. If you were a shameless rotten cheat, anyway. Indeed, a very useful trick for an assassin. It seemed that when Seir wanted people to notice him, no one could take their eyes off of him, but when he didnРІР‚в„ўt, he could almost pass for a regular person, and in a crowded place like Volyne most people wouldnРІР‚в„ўt so much as look at him twice. That was new, and must be a helpful gimmick, given his chosen profession. Not to mention the fact that Jan was fairly sure Seir was doing something to deliberately not call attention to himself while he couldnРІР‚в„ўt get rid of the eerie feeling he gave off entirely, it seemed that he could certainly reduce it. It hadnРІР‚в„ўt been forgetting as much as - willfully trying not to think about it. It was late, he was tired, and he didnРІР‚в„ўt want to have to deal with. Farewell, and good night.РІР‚СњР”Р„ moment later, they walked off together, heads already bowed together in conversation, HerschelРІР‚в„ўs hands already moving effusively even as Kadri kept his own firmly tucked inside his pockets to avoid the chill. РІР‚СљYouРІР‚в„ўll keep us updated if you hear anything, though, wonРІР‚в„ўt you?РІР‚Сњ Kadri asked, and Jan nodded - it seemed like the least he could do. Herschel grinned at him, white teeth flashing, and even Kadri chuckled. If you want my input, and I donРІР‚в„ўt know why you would, we can talk about it during daylight hours, like normal people.РІР‚Сњ РІР‚СљWhy donРІР‚в„ўt you join me instead? IРІР‚в„ўd wager I have more room than you.РІР‚Сњ РІР‚СљI booked a room at one of the inns in the ghetto,РІР‚Сњ Kadri said. РІР‚СљKadri, I donРІР‚в„ўt know where youРІР‚в„ўre staying, but if youРІР‚в„ўd like to come back with me - itРІР‚в„ўs a bit too late for that dinner invitation, but if you donРІР‚в„ўt mind staying up a bit later to discuss -РІР‚Сњ

РІР‚СљI guess thatРІР‚в„ўs all we can do,РІР‚Сњ Herschel said, and rubbed his eyes. They nodded vaguely, all of them still perturbed by what had just taken place, and after that Kiszka bid them all farewell, climbing into his carriage, barking an order at the automaton driver, and rumbling off into the night without so much as another word. Gentlemen, thank you for bringing this to my attention. РІР‚СљThis canРІР‚в„ўt just be a committee gathering, not if we need authority to engage in matters affecting international РІР‚в„ўll take at least three days. РІР‚СљA great deal needs to be done to get together a functional quorum,РІР‚Сњ Kiszka said, expression set and eyes already distant, already planning. Of course, simply saying that one needed to invoke the might of the Seym wasnРІР‚в„ўt enough to actually do it - even for one of the most powerful men in Volyne, if not in the entire Rezpublika, one couldnРІР‚в„ўt swiftly rouse that lumbering old beast, the birthplace of a thousand idioms that all meant slow, inefficient, and too little too late.

The myth of the ant queen trick mirror