“I’m afraid so,” said Dusk.
“Wow,” Valkyrie said. “That’s depressing for pretty much all of the human race.”
“I was wondering if I could have a word with you,” said Dusk. “In private, if you don’t mind. It will not take long, I assure you.”
Militsa stood. “I have to pee,” she announced, and walked away.
Valkyrie motioned to the chair, and Dusk sat. “What’s on your mind?” she asked.
“A gentleman came to see me,” he said. “He said his name was Caisson.”
Valkyrie sat up straighter. “You’re working with Abyssinia?”
“No,” Dusk answered. “I stay out of human affairs as much as possible. The Supreme Mage uses me and my fellow vampires when she needs us, but by and large she – and, by extension, the City Guards – leaves our district alone. I like this arrangement. I do not wish to see it change.”
“Then why did Caisson go to see you?”
“He came to see me because he heard of our interactions, and he wants to see you,” Dusk said. “He asked me to pass on the message.”
“Why does he want to see me?”
“I do not know.”
“Why does he think I’d say yes?”
“He merely stated that you two are not actually enemies, so you have no reason not to.”
“Huh,” said Valkyrie. He had a point.
“He would like to meet you at ten a.m. on Saturday, in the Fangs. The directions are written here.” He slid her a folded piece of paper. “Naturally, he would expect you to come alone.”
“Naturally.”
He stood. “I apologise again for my behaviour in the past.”
“Well … I suppose I’m sorry for, you know …” She indicated his face.
Dusk smiled. “My scar is hardly your fault. I blame Billy-Ray Sanguine and that straight razor of his, the scars from which never fade.”
Valkyrie showed him the palm of her right hand. “Believe me, I know.”
Dusk nodded to her, and turned to leave.
“What did you see?” she asked suddenly.
He stopped moving.
“When you bit me,” she said. “You told Billy-Ray Sanguine that you saw something in my blood. He said it was punishment enough. What was it?”
Dusk’s response was slow. Measured. “It is perhaps best if you do not know.”
She laughed. “Well, that’s not going to work.”
“There are secrets we hide, Valkyrie, even from ourselves. We need to, in order to survive this world.”
“Seriously? Even now, after Darquesse, after all that? You’re saying there’s something worse?”
“I will tell you if you truly wish to know. But I advise against it. Strongly.”
Valkyrie had to smile. “There’s really not a whole lot left that could upset me.”
He looked at her. “Take some time. In a few days, if you still believe you should know, come and find me. I’ll tell you what I saw.”
The waiter came over before Valkyrie could respond, and Dusk took that opportunity to leave. The waiter dumped Militsa’s plate on her side, then gently laid Valkyrie’s in front of her.
“There you go,” he said warmly. “Have your friends left?”
“My girlfriend is just in the bathroom.”
His smile widened. “In that case, can I just say, and I hope I’m not being out of line here or anything, that I am a huge, huge fan. The idea that I’m even talking to you right now is blowing my mind.”
“Right,” said Valkyrie.
“Could I be incredibly cheeky and ask you to sign an autograph for me? Is that terrible? It’s probably terrible.” He put his notebook and pen into her hands and waited there, still beaming.
Militsa retook her seat. The waiter ignored her. She did her best not to laugh.
“Sure,” Valkyrie said reluctantly. “Who’ll I make it out to?”
“Haecce. H A E C C E. Thank you.”
“To Haecce,” she murmured as she wrote.
He peered at what she was writing. “And could you maybe sign it Darquesse?”
The pen stopped. Valkyrie looked up. “I don’t do that.”
“Aw, just this once!”
She closed the notebook, held it out for him. “I don’t do that,” she repeated.
His smile faded. “I’m just asking you to write your name.”
“That isn’t her name,” Militsa said.
“Are we talking to you?” the waiter said angrily.
Valkyrie was out of her seat before she knew what was happening and the waiter was bent backwards over a table with her hand on his throat and energy burning behind her eyes. She became aware of Militsa tugging at her, trying to pull her back.
She released her hold and the waiter slipped sideways and fell off the table, sending chairs crashing into each other.
“We’ll eat somewhere else,” Militsa told him as he tried to right himself. “We’re not paying for this food, by the way. You can explain that to your manager. Also, you’re not getting a tip. I always tip, because I appreciate floor staff and kitchen staff, and I realise that, generally, you’re not paid an awful lot, but you’re getting nothing this time. I think you know why. Sweetie, shall we take our leave?”
“Yeah,” Valkyrie said quietly. “Let’s go.”
Militsa linked arms with her, and marched her out on to the street.
Once they were out of view, Militsa stopped and turned. “Are you OK?” she asked. “You don’t usually fly off the handle like that.”
“I’m good,” said Valkyrie. “I’m fine. Just … just got a little angry.”
Militsa hugged her. “Want to go somewhere else? I still have half an hour left of my break. Are you still hungry? What do you want?”
“I want a muffin,” Valkyrie mumbled into her shoulder.
“My baby wants a muffin,” Militsa said, “my baby gets a muffin. Come on.” They started walking. “So what did tall, dead and handsome want to talk to you about?”
Valkyrie smiled. “‘Tall, dead and handsome’. That’s good.”
“Isn’t it? I thought of it when I was peeing.”
“You’re very clever.”
“I am a teacher.”
They walked on, looking for somewhere that sold muffins.
Temper Fray left his sword and his City Guard uniform in his locker and dressed in civilian clothes for the meeting. He slipped his badge into his back pocket and his gun into the holster