“Sicarius,” Amaranthe said quietly.He bent low, eyes toward her face.With the men laughing and talking up front, and the lorry clacking and chugging as the stack billowed black smoke into the air, this was scarcely a romantic spot. But maybe it did not matter. His response would not likely be to wrap her in his arms and kiss her. Whatever response he gave — if he gave one at all — she anticipated it would sting.“I…uhm…” Amaranthe forced herself to meet his gaze. “I love you.”A long moment passed. She did not remember breathing.Sicarius nodded infinitesimally. “I know.”

“Sespian opened his mouth, paused, closed it, then shook his head ruefully. "It's very easy to be drawn into what you're saying, and I catch myself wanting to nod and agree. Maybe I should take notes on your technique."Amaranthe blushed and felt like she should stutter an apology, but she hadn't done anything to be embarrassed about, had she?"It's her eyes", Sicarius said, startling her..Yara glanced over her shoulder at him, apparently, surprised to hear him speak, but soon turned her attention back to the tracks. She seemed to be believe she should remain silent for the discussion.Sespian scratched his jaw. "Yes, maybe so. They're like a doe's. Warm and earnest and...""Wholesome. Sicarius's eyes glinted, and Amaranthe scowled at him.”

“Sicarius wore his usual guess-my-thoughts-if-you-can-mask, though she sensed he did not approve.”

“Waiting for the right people isn't going to get us where we want; we need to go out and find..." She groped for the right word. A mission? A project? A job?"Trouble?" Sicarius suggested."An endeavor that will help the city and prove to the emperor that we're undeserving of the bounties on our heads and we're invaluable resources to his regime.""Trouble," Sicarius said.”

“Sicarius, as usual, regarded her with the blandness of a particularly featureless rock, then walked away.”

“Why, Sicarius, is it possible you have a playful side beneath your razor-edged knives, severe black clothing and humourless glares?”

“Sitting in the shadows, with a killer, in an empty building, gazing at the corpse of another killer. When had her life grown so strange?”