Kyprus. That way, when I come and go, we won't have to keep giving explanations.'
'You'll be going?'
'At some stage I'll have to, Tallow. I'm a Bond Rider, remember. I can't afford to stay out of the Limen for too long.'
Tallow stored away that piece of information for later. She was going to find out as much as she could about Bond Riders.
'Speaking of affording,' said Pillar, studying his hands closely. 'We have a small business, one that doesn't ...' He searched for the right words, his face reddening as he stumbled over them. 'I'm not sure how we can feed –'
'Stop right there.' Katina rose to her feet, looking for her satchel. Picking it up, she pulled out a small purse of coins. 'Here,' she said, tossing it to Pillar. 'I don't expect you to keep me. That wouldn't be right. I know how hard it is for you and I always pay my way. I think that ought to be enough.'
Pillar balanced the bulging pouch in the palm of his hand, his eyes widening at the weight. He kept jiggling it, reluctant to look inside; a disbelieving smile started to play upon his mouth.
'Don't toy with it! Open it,' urged Katina.
He finally upended the pouch on the table. At least two dozen silver lire and one gold ducat rolled onto the table. Tallow and Pillar's jaws dropped.
'I've never seen so much money,' said Tallow breathlessly.
'A ducat!' said Pillar. He picked it up and turned it over and over in wonder before biting down on it firmly. 'A real gold ducat!'
'Not so fast.' Katina snatched it out of Pillar's fingers. 'This one is for a specific purpose.'
'What's that?' said Pillar, not taking his eyes off the coin.
'The first thing you must do is take this, go to the Glassmakers Quartiere in the Canne Sestiere and order a pair of spectacles for Tallow. You're not to return until they're ready, either. They're to be made from premium-quality glass, so make sure you use the Vuranos, they have the best reputation and it's well deserved. For centuries, they've blown the finest, most durable glass, and they're discreet. Oh, and you're to ask for brown lenses. Pale, golden brown, like honey.'
'Spectacles!' exclaimed Tallow.
'Golden brown?' Pillar shook his head. 'What's all this about? Why waste a perfectly good ducat? Tallow doesn't need spectacles. His eyesight's fine! Anyway, if he does wear some, won't he just draw unwanted attention?'
'Not as much as she will if she doesn't have any. Spectacles are the perfect way to hide those eyes.'
'They are indeed,' said Pillar. 'I wish –' He grimaced.
'You could never have afforded such a luxury,' said Katina bluntly. 'Instead, to protect her, you've taught her to bury her head and ...'
'And to be ashamed of what she is,' finished Pillar.
Katina offered him no challenge. 'Spectacles may draw attention, yes – but not as much as a teenage boy who can't look anyone in the eye. What you and your mother have encouraged may have been necessary, but frankly it's also cruel.'
Pillar remained silent. Katina's accusations cut him deeply.
Katina watched him a moment longer and then reached over and looped her arm through Tallow's. 'Once we disguise those eyes, you won't know yourself.' She studied Tallow's face closely. 'Yes, the golden-brown hue will hide the silver best. We'll redo that mop of hair so it falls across your face differently – it's long enough to tie back. That should help too.'
Before anyone could argue, Katina released Tallow and plucked a few lire off the table and placed them in Pillar's palm. Then she gave him orders to purchase more food, bedding, clothes and other necessary items. Throwing the rest of the bread and cheese into a piece of cloth, she tied it in a bow and handed it to him. Pillar stood there dumbstruck, the cloth dangling from his large fingers.
'Well?' demanded Katina. 'What are you waiting for? Off you go.'
'What about my mother?'
Katina frowned. 'Well, I'm afraid you're just going to have to put aside your suspicions and trust me to care for her now,
'You'll be going?'
'At some stage I'll have to, Tallow. I'm a Bond Rider, remember. I can't afford to stay out of the Limen for too long.'
Tallow stored away that piece of information for later. She was going to find out as much as she could about Bond Riders.
'Speaking of affording,' said Pillar, studying his hands closely. 'We have a small business, one that doesn't ...' He searched for the right words, his face reddening as he stumbled over them. 'I'm not sure how we can feed –'
'Stop right there.' Katina rose to her feet, looking for her satchel. Picking it up, she pulled out a small purse of coins. 'Here,' she said, tossing it to Pillar. 'I don't expect you to keep me. That wouldn't be right. I know how hard it is for you and I always pay my way. I think that ought to be enough.'
Pillar balanced the bulging pouch in the palm of his hand, his eyes widening at the weight. He kept jiggling it, reluctant to look inside; a disbelieving smile started to play upon his mouth.
'Don't toy with it! Open it,' urged Katina.
He finally upended the pouch on the table. At least two dozen silver lire and one gold ducat rolled onto the table. Tallow and Pillar's jaws dropped.
'I've never seen so much money,' said Tallow breathlessly.
'A ducat!' said Pillar. He picked it up and turned it over and over in wonder before biting down on it firmly. 'A real gold ducat!'
'Not so fast.' Katina snatched it out of Pillar's fingers. 'This one is for a specific purpose.'
'What's that?' said Pillar, not taking his eyes off the coin.
'The first thing you must do is take this, go to the Glassmakers Quartiere in the Canne Sestiere and order a pair of spectacles for Tallow. You're not to return until they're ready, either. They're to be made from premium-quality glass, so make sure you use the Vuranos, they have the best reputation and it's well deserved. For centuries, they've blown the finest, most durable glass, and they're discreet. Oh, and you're to ask for brown lenses. Pale, golden brown, like honey.'
'Spectacles!' exclaimed Tallow.
'Golden brown?' Pillar shook his head. 'What's all this about? Why waste a perfectly good ducat? Tallow doesn't need spectacles. His eyesight's fine! Anyway, if he does wear some, won't he just draw unwanted attention?'
'Not as much as she will if she doesn't have any. Spectacles are the perfect way to hide those eyes.'
'They are indeed,' said Pillar. 'I wish –' He grimaced.
'You could never have afforded such a luxury,' said Katina bluntly. 'Instead, to protect her, you've taught her to bury her head and ...'
'And to be ashamed of what she is,' finished Pillar.
Katina offered him no challenge. 'Spectacles may draw attention, yes – but not as much as a teenage boy who can't look anyone in the eye. What you and your mother have encouraged may have been necessary, but frankly it's also cruel.'
Pillar remained silent. Katina's accusations cut him deeply.
Katina watched him a moment longer and then reached over and looped her arm through Tallow's. 'Once we disguise those eyes, you won't know yourself.' She studied Tallow's face closely. 'Yes, the golden-brown hue will hide the silver best. We'll redo that mop of hair so it falls across your face differently – it's long enough to tie back. That should help too.'
Before anyone could argue, Katina released Tallow and plucked a few lire off the table and placed them in Pillar's palm. Then she gave him orders to purchase more food, bedding, clothes and other necessary items. Throwing the rest of the bread and cheese into a piece of cloth, she tied it in a bow and handed it to him. Pillar stood there dumbstruck, the cloth dangling from his large fingers.
'Well?' demanded Katina. 'What are you waiting for? Off you go.'
'What about my mother?'
Katina frowned. 'Well, I'm afraid you're just going to have to put aside your suspicions and trust me to care for her now,
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