Every Sacred Thing: The Truth in the Lie, part two

[aithne]

Diya began to say something within the carriage, but Livia shushed her. Who knew what magic Geras had put on this carriage? Once they were home, Livia sent Diya to bed, and told Darius to follow her. She went into the mages' workroom and closed the door behind them.

"Well, that was altogether useful. And we have something to tell Constantius, as well."

Darius had seated himself in one of the three comfortable chairs that were clustered on one corner of the room. "Yes, very interesting. What did you find?"

She sat down across from him after she'd pulled out the bag with her ill-gotten finds in it. "These." She pulled out the papers and the gem. "I was really hesitant about the gem, but I can get rid of it tonight if need be. The papers are altogether useful, I think."

"Did you read them?"

She shook her head. "Just skimmed them, I didn't have too much time. This one's a contract between Faydren and Constans. The other has the current assignments of the council members in it."

"Very useful. May I?"

"Of course." She handed him the two sheaves of paper.

He skimmed the first, then flipped to the second. He slowed, his eyes widening. He began to read from the page. "I, Faydren, do give Constans the baby named Esayis by his wife Aranis to raise as his own. In exchange, I will never have contact with Aranis again and Constans will eliminate Dracus, the current leader of Hagia Sophia, and produce documents that will make Faydren the heir to Dracus." He looked up from the page. "How's that for a secret?"

Her eyes wide, she replied, "That is one hell of a secret. Oh, my. And a useful secret, at that."

Darius's eyes returned to the page. "Very. it explains a bit as well. Constans has no magical skill whatsoever and Esayis is a master of conjuring."

Livia nodded. "And Diya said that he--ah, doesn't like women." She fidgeted with her hands, her fingers picking at the seam of her dress, as she thought. "What do you want to bet that Aranis is dead? If she weren't, she'd be a useful witness if need be."

"Probably dead or locked away somewhere. She might still be used as insurance against Faydren."

She drew a deep breath. "Sextus must have known. The key was the clue. The question is, how did he find out?"

Darius shrugged. "I have no idea. He had his means somehow, and Merouk has been carrying that key for years."

"More mysteries." She twisted her mouth. "I'm starting to think that perhaps he wasn't visiting Constans to try and talk him into letting Esayis marry Diya, though. By the way, that rumor was true. I don't know if you could see, but Faydren had his hand on his harpist when she was playing, and he was grinning like a cat with good prey."

"I noticed. He was trying to sift my memories too, until you touched me. Then it was compelling but not required. He got lots of gladiator battles."

Livia remembered the look that had been on Darius's face when she'd touched him and thought that perhaps he had been remembering something other than what he was saying. She didn't press him, though. She shook her head. "I must have been too far out of range, I didn't feel like anyone was going through my head."

Darius had been reading the other sheet, the list of assignments. "This might help. Maranis, one of the council, is currently stationed at a house near the souks in the Sassenid quarter." Livia nodded, her mind working, and Darius asked, "What happened to Linaeus when you touched him?"

"He just blinked and asked me how I got there. He didn't see me coming across the room at all. And that is quite useful, about Maranis."

He reached out and picked up the pale purple stone. "I wonder if this had something to do with it."

"Might have been. I did have it on me."

He smiled wryly. "Nice scheme, that one. Invite everyone to a party and glean out their memories." He took a deep breath. "Did you notice Linaeus turn the other way when we got out of sight? He was no more going to Constantius's place than we were. Sassenid quarter is the way he turned."

"Odd. Could be any number of things he's going to do. I wonder what Faydren got from Linaeus--he looked like he hurt, when I touched him." She was frowning, thinking.

"He has some bad memories and the person last night said he repents for them sometimes."

Livia nodded. "True. Possibly he's going out to do just that. I have half a mind to try and go find him, but I don't know."

Darius raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

She spread her hands. "To see where he goes. I have a feeling I'm going to need to understand him before this is all said and done, and that would be a start. But it's too dangerous tonight, I think. If he sees us, it's all over."

He quirked his mouth. "Yes, it probably would be, but when has that stopped us before?"

"It did, once, with Lukas."

Darius shook his head. "That was more for his sake then ours."

Livia took a deep breath. "If you're willing, I am. Sassenid clothing will probably work to disguise us well enough. We could go see if we can find him."

He nodded. "If you want."

"I think I do. I'm restless, and sleep's not going to come easily to me tonight anyway. I'll make sure Diya's going to stay here. I'll grab my Sassenid clothing if you'll get yours, and we can go. Bring a change of clothing, we have another stop to make afterwards."

Darius rose, and Livia did the same. They headed upstairs, Livia pulling on her Sassenid robes over her dress. Soon enough they were outside, heading down to the Sassenid section of town. They were entering a neighborhood that was decidedly seedy. They stepped over garbage, much of it unrecognizable, and Livia flinched as she heard rustlings in the shadows--rats, most likely. She stepped over a trickle of water in the middle of the street, and took a deep breath.

Darius nudge her. Ahead of them was an indistinct figure, and she tilted her head. Linaeus, definitely. The set of the shoulders was unmistakable. He led them down further and further into the worst neighborhoods Constantinople had, places that Livia hadn't had any idea actually existed. Screams came from a house to one side of them, then a male voice shouting. Darius laid his hand on her shoulder as she jumped, and Livia calmed her nerves.

Linaeus stopped in front of a house. It had candles in the windows, one of the brighter-lit houses on the block. Livia stopped and then faded back into the shadow of a building, Darius behind her. They were within earshot, and Livia heard Linnaeus's knock on the door. He waited patiently on the doorstep, and in a moment he was exchanging some words with someone inside the door. "It's me," Linaeus said, impatience in his voice. "Let me in."

The door opened. Darius was pressed behind Livia, and she felt his body stiffen. "Maranis," he hissed in her ear. Linaeus stepped inside, closing the door after him.

The night was getting cold, and as they stood in the shadow of the building, Livia found herself grateful for Darius' warmth. Her toes were slowly going numb, but she dared not move them to warm them. If Darius was uncomfortable, he did not betray it.

Finally, the door opened again, and Linaeus came out followed by a large man who looked somewhat cowed. He as wearing armor and a sword, probably one of the mercenaries Geras had hired.

When they had gone, Livia stepped out of her shadow and followed them, Darius right behind. They were at a comfortable distance at first, but they had to narrow that quite a bit as Linaeus walked towards darker areas of town.

Darius pulled her into a doorway. "We're going towards the very worst part of the city," he warned her in a very quiet voice. Livia nodded, then jerked her head and stepped out again.

It was almost impossible to step over he garbage and offal in the streets, now, there was barely enough light to betray the forms of the men they were following. The two stopped, and Livia and Darius followed suit. There was a flash of light, then one of the two men started walking back towards them.

Her heart in her throat, Livia stepped back into a handy doorway and leaned on the frame, her head down. Darius copied her. The footsteps came nearer, and fear was a crushing force in her chest as they stopped not five feet away. Neither of them moved.

Linnaeus's voice broke the silence. "There is food two blocks down the street from here that's free. Follow me." Then he moved off, back the way they had come.

Slowly, Livia let out her breath. When Linaeus was out of earshot, she said, "The mercenary." She felt rather than saw Darius's nod.

They walked to the place where they had seen the flash. What lay in the street was not recognizable as human. It was difficult to see, but it appeared that all was left was some hair, blood, and skin, looking more like a rat that had been run over by a cart than a human being. The remains would have fit into a small sack with room left to spare.

"Guess this one misbehaved," she said quietly.

Darius nodded. "Looks like it."

She stood. "We follow him." Stepping over the body, she heard a rustling and then the ticking of claws on stone--a stray dog, drawn by the smell of meat most likely. Livia felt a bit queasy as she realized that by the time morning came, there would be nothing left of the man who had been alive only minutes before.

They went the same direction that Linaeus had gone, and found themselves near the end of a line of Sassenids. Linaeus was walking along the line, and the people in it were reaching out to him, touching him. They were calling him by the name Lukas. He was near the front of the line, and he reached an open door that led into a brightly lit room. He took a seat and a heavily pregnant Sassenid woman came in after him. He began to speak to her, laying his hands on her belly, listening intently.

This went on for a while, as they hung back in the shadows and watched adults and children walk by with containers of food. Curious, Livia wandered into the light a little ways. She asked a woman who was at the end of the line, "Who is that?"

"Lukas the healer," replied the woman.

Livia frowned. "Is he the same one who got run out of town a few years ago for being a pagan?"

She nodded. "The same one, we think but this one seems younger."

Livia nodded and thanked the woman, and backed away. She caught Darius's eye and began to walk the way they had come. When they were far enough away, Darius said, "Worth the effort, I think."

Livia pursed her lips. "Certainly was. He's posing as his father, which is interesting."

"Very interesting, I thought. Kills people as Linaeus and heals as Lukas. Strange split personality there." Darius ran his hand over his hair.

Livia shrugged. "I actually don't think it's so strange. This is what he does to expiate whatever guilt he's got, I think. Kill people who arguably deserve it, heal people who need it and otherwise wouldn't get it. I'm going to have to speak with him later, I think. It would be interesting to hear what he says when I ask him why I'd never heard his name until he was introduced to me. I know most of Constantius's friends."

"True, why does he do it though?"

She lifted the hem of her robes and stepped over an unrecognizable piece of apparent garbage. "He's got something he's done that he desperately wants forgiveness for and thinks he's never going to get it, is my guess. Maybe a lot more than one thing, really. He was gone to the Sassenid quarter the night that Sextus was killed, which is an interesting tidbit."

"Some sort of atonement, then." Darius shook his head. "I doubt Ares would care. That is who he is supposedly worshipping."

Livia shrugged. "That's my best guess at the moment. I don't think it's necessarily his god he's trying to atone to--unless he's actually a priest of someone else."

She glanced over, and saw that his eyes were hooded and his brows drawn close together. "I know a bit about the old religions and Ares wasn't into healing all that much. I don't think he would approve of this, honestly.."

"Think he may have followed in Lukas's footsteps, and has been keeping the fact from Geras?" The thought was causing her to be a bit breathless. It was only the exertion of the walk, she thought, ignoring the fact that due to her weapons training, she was in better shape at the moment than she had been in a while.

"I doubt more and more that he actually worships Ares, maybe someone else but not Ares. Maybe he never changed."

She frowned, then pulled her veil away from her face. "But why the masquerade, then? What if he somehow thinks it's his duty to stay with Geras, and mitigate the worst of what he's doing?"

Darius shook his head. "I don't know, honestly. Geras maybe has something on him that makes him stay. Maybe he is undercover for someone, watching him. Maybe he has no place else to go. You would have to get to know him, I think."

Livia nodded. "I think I'm going to have to. He's an interesting puzzle. All those strange pieces and I can't quite see the threads between them yet."

"He has got to know that if they release Constantine's boy, its going to get all the Sassenids in the city killed. Why bother to heal them?"

"Right. Unless he knew that someone was going to go to Constantine before that happened. He could just be doing it for reasons of his own, but..." She trailed off as she thought of something that hadn't occurred to her before.

"But?"

"I wonder now if Sextus and Linaeus were in contact." She shivered, thinking. It made so much sense.

Darius was looking at her, an expression of mild confusion in his eyes. "They did know each other. How does that help?"

"Yes, but according to Lukas, they hadn't seen each other for years. What if they did, and that's why I've been left this trail to follow?" she explained.

"To bring to you to Linaeus?"

She nodded. "Linaeus as a double agent. It's an interesting possibility."

He was looking as if he was tasting something at once bitter and sweet. "And you his new contact?"

"That's what I'm thinking." Darius sidestepped a puddle, and she hopped over it. "The problem is, if I act on this and I've guessed wrong, I am very dead."

Darius shook his head, slowly. "Two days ago, I would have said you are crazy. Today you might be right." He took a sharp breath. "Oh yes, you are. He killed that guy so quick. I couldn't have even drawn a sword."

"It makes a lot of sense. And it makes his strange behavior somewhat coherent." Livia was shivering, not from cold but from that strange excitement that had her in its grasp, new possibilities opening up before her. "I'm definitely going to have to get to know Linaeus better. Besides, I'd like to hear his answers to a few questions I have."

"Like what?"

She grimaced. "Like, why Geras as Constantius appointed me as his advisor. His answer may not be the truth, but the lie might be enlightening."

A shadow passed in front of them, and Darius took Livia's arm and pulled her into a doorway. She winced as his fingers dug into her flesh, but she dared not complain. In a moment, a pair of soldiers went past, stumbling as if they were drunk. Darius had pulled Livia to his chest, and in the dark it would look as though they were embracing. "I wonder that myself," he said quietly when they were past. "About your appointment."

Livia straightened, and they began walking again. "I keep going back and forth. Geras wanted Sextus dead...I keep being very afraid that he didn't want to just kill Sextus, but basically appropriate his entire life, in vengeance for what Sextus did to him." She shuddered again, this time with fear. "Kill the man, take the daughter...and do what with the wife? That's my worry."

Darius's voice was somber. "He wanted Merouk and couldn't have her, now you think he will take you as some sort of revenge."

Livia nodded. "That's what I'm worried about."

"Sick and twisted, but very Geras."

She gave him a wry smile. "I'm going to get very, very worried if Fausta dies suddenly."

He nodded. "I was just going to say that as well."

"Officially, I can't marry again for ten months. But emperors have bent that rule before."

"And will again." They had reached a better-lit section of town, and Livia stepped into an alley, Darius following. "What next, lady?"

"We're going to pay a midnight visit to Constantine's house. I'll give you all but the most hideable of my knives, they may search me on the way in."

His eyebrows shot up. "That wise, or should we wait until morning?"

Livia shrugged. "Fewer people to see who arrives and leaves at night. I really don't want it getting back to Constantius that I visited Constantine right before his plans went all to hell. If we keep our faces in shadow, we should be fine. He will see me, I can guarantee you that. I owe him a little bit of a favor, not that he remembers it likely. He was kind to me when I was younger, about ten years ago." She began to pull off the rough cloth shoes she wore, getting a pair of sandals out of the bag she'd been carrying with her.

"Constantine?" He was looking at her sharply.

"Constantine, yes." She bent to tie her sandal.

"Interesting."

She switched to the other sandal. "I was very young and being introduced to society. I made a nasty misstep in public, and he helped me recover. I had a terrible crush on him for a couple of years after that. Like I said, it's unlikely that he'll remember the incident, but he does know who I am."

"That's good. You might want to change first though."

She looked up at him, wrinkling her nose. "I've got a proper dress on under these robes, actually." She pulled the robes over her head, stuffing them and the veil into her bag. "I'm likely to have to leave you outside, I'm afraid. We'll see what they say when we get there."

Darius nodded. "I will stand guard outside. It's only natural to have a bodyguard for a lady who is out for the evening."

"True enough. We should be there in a few minutes." Livia took a deep breath. She was nervous and excited; if she could pull this off, Constantine would owe her a very large favor.

They walked silently the rest of the way to Constantine's house. When they reached it, Livia came into the light and looked up at the pair of stony-faced guards who were on the front door. "I need to see Constantine," she said quietly.

They looked her up and down, then one of them nodded. "Your man will need to wait outside."

Livia nodded, then threw a glance back at Darius. He'd stepped back, his arms crossed, prepared to wait. She followed one of the guards inside, who handed her off to a house servant.

She'd been in this house for gatherings several times, but never by herself and never when it was night and echoingly empty like this. The furnishings were as fine as those in Constantius's house and it was laid out in a similar manner. The house servant led her to a reception room, knocked on the door, and spoke briefly to someone inside. Then the door swung open and Livia took a deep breath and stepped through.

Inside was Constantine, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs. Across from him was--

Faydren.

Oh fuck me running.

She clenched her jaw and hoped that her fear didn't show in her eyes. Constantine looked at her, puzzlement lighting his eyes. "Lady Livia, a late evening for you. Something must be amiss, what can I do for you? You have met Lord Faydren of Hagia Sophia? Certainly you must have."

She inclined her head towards the mage. "I met him just this evening, actually. It is pleasant to see you again, lord mage. Constantine, I need to speak with you. Alone, if I may."

He rose and went out into the corridor, Livia following. Across the hall was another door, this one leading to the library. He closed the door behind them and turned to face her. "So what is the matter, lady?"

Livia took a breath. "I have news, lord. It's about your son." This is salvageable, she thought. If I can convince Constantine, Faydren is right here to arrest. I might not die here, after all.

Constantine was a tall man, taller than either of his brothers, and where both Constantius and Constans tended towards a warrior's heavy build, Constantine, like his mother's father, was thin as a scholar. His golden hair was salted with white, but other than that and a few more lines on his face he looked nearly the same as the first time Livia had met the regent, ten years ago. She'd always liked Constantine the best of the three brothers, though of the three of them she knew Constantius the best. (Knew, she reminded herself. He is Geras now.) He didn't sit down, only looked at her with those pale blue eyes that he, also unlike his brothers, had inherited from his mother. "Interesting. That is what Faydren is here about. You must have similar sources."

Livia was expecting it, but still his words hit her like a blow to her gut, where fear still curdled with a sickening sensation. Mildly, she asked, "Really? And what does he say about him?"

"He said that Maranis, one of the council had gone rogue and captured my son. He was intending to release him and make it look like the Sassenids had kidnapped him, thereby causing me to rid the city of Sassenids. He has some unnatural hatred of them, Faydren said. Do you have other news?"

She looked away from him, trying to get her expression under control. Keep your head, she told herself. It's the only way you're going to survive this. You have the evidence. Remember that. "That is...largely true, lord. But there is one lie buried in the truth. Maranis has not gone rogue. I have seen the orders Faydren wrote with my own eyes."

He raised an eyebrow. "Please, if you would produce them for me."

She pulled the folded parchment from her bag and offered it to him. "That is what I came to tell you, and to tell you where he's currently located."

"I know, Faydren told me." He was scanning the page, then slowed and read something more carefully. He flipped the parchment over, looking at the other side. "I think you are mistaken, lady. These orders are written by Julia."

She could not hide her shock as she stared at the regent, and she knew that all color had drained from her face. "You know her handwriting?"

Constantine shook his head and handed her the paper. "No, it's signed right there."

Livia stared down at the page. She had seen it with her own eyes, seen Faydren's handwriting, seen his signature. "It can't be," she whispered. But it was. The script on the page had altered to a more feminine hand, and the signature on the page was Julia's. "I...believe it's been magically altered," she stammered. "And I have the information from other sources, but unfortunately my main source is currently beyond recall."

Her mind was working quickly. Faydren must have found his strongbox raided and come to do damage control. If I'd left it alone, if I'd left it till the morning, Constantine would have gotten his son back without my help. And now Faydren knows, or at least suspects.

Gods, I am in so much trouble!

Constantine was watching her with eyes that held a bit of concern. "This is very damning for Julia. But if you are sure, Livia, I will sit on the information until you have better proof."

Her voice was quiet and intense. "I am absolutely sure. Until the moment that I laid eyes on Faydren, they were in his handwriting and had his signature. Besides, there are the rest of the orders--for the rest of the council. From what little I've heard of Julia, she no longer sits on the council and uses what influence she has indirectly, rather than directly. Why would she be writing orders to the council?"

He shrugged. "That does seem a little odd, but she does have some sway on the council yet."

Livia shook her head. "Not overt, though. Either Faydren has completely lost control of the council, or he changed these papers when he saw me and realized what I had. The latter's quite a bit more likely than the former."

Constantine took a long breath. "Livia, as much as I would like to believe you. I think you may have been a victim in this. Where did you get these?"

She chuckled and twisted her mouth, looking away. "Faydren's house. In a location I'm betting nobody but him had access to. More than that, I can't really say."

He pinched the bridge of his nose an expression of pain crossing his face. "Livia, this is quite a position you have put me in. I can't, without proof, go after Faydren, though it's tempting. I do believe that you may have found something. But without real proof that doesn't change, I am stuck."

She spread her hands. "And I'm very likely to meet my death before I manage to get that evidence. I'm reasonably certain Faydren will kill me for this."

Constantine looked at her sharply. "Do you think that Faydren knows you borrowed this?"

"I'm almost certain of it. I don't think he was planning to come to you until he checked the location I borrowed it from and found it was missing. He came here, waiting to see who was going to show up and tell you what they'd found."

"I know a bit about magic, Livia. It's hard to track something like this, but very easy to alter with a spell that rewrites it." He was still watching her with those sharp eyes. "If we make up a story to tell Faydren about something you found out about your husband, all may not be lost as you think it may be."

A way out! Livia took a breath. "It could work, unless he's been somehow listening in. No harm in trying it, at least." She thought furiously, then smiled a little. Of course, of course. The truth is always the best lie. "A good cover story, that would make an excuse for me coming in like this, to you instead of Constantius. Hm. What if I thought my husband had been somehow betraying Constantius?"

He nodded. "Yes, that would work. You came to me for advice."

"And did you have any to give me?"

Constantine smiled at her. "To make sure that all is what it seems first and then go to Constantius with it as I thought it was a minor infraction."

She nodded. "That seems fair enough. All right."

"I will take you to the door, Livia, make it look good. Then I will return to Faydren." There was a small smile on his face. "Make sure to burn everything you--found."

Livia knew there were twin spots of color burning on her cheeks. Ah, I am a fool, she thought. Constantine now thinks I'm a bit of a common thief. Ah, well. "I will," she said, and bowed slightly.

He turned and offered his arm to her. She leaned on the tall regent and settled her features in an expression that she hoped conveyed relief. It is all right, she thought. Constantine thought Sextus's transgression was minor, and that Constantius would understand. She pulled the role over herself, obscuring her real emotions.

They went out the door of the library, and she glimpsed Faydren through the open door of the reception room across the hall. She kept her eyes forward all the way to the door, where she thanked Constantine and took her leave, stepping out into the night.

Fifty feet from the door, Darius stepped out from a shadow. "Good, you came back out." She looked up at him, and there was relief in both his eyes and his voice. "Faydren's carriage is out here behind that stable."

She was starting to shake, the adrenalin of her close call wearing off. She started walking toward home, and Darius fell in behind her. "I just about got myself killed in there. I think I've just realized exactly how much trouble I'm in."

Darius asked, "What happened? Was Faydren in there?"

She nodded. "He certainly was. Talking to Constantine when I was shown in, actually. He found out his papers were missing and showed up to do damage control."

"Oh damn, what happened?" Darius muttered an oath. Livia suddenly realized that he was afraid, as afraid as she had been, but for her instead of himself.

"According to him Maranis has gone rogue....and the orders written by him changed."

"Changed?"

"They now appear to be written by Julia." She wanted to cry, the sick fear still resident in her gut. "You can imagine that Constantine didn't quite believe me."

"Oh that's bad. Does Faydren know?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. He suspects, I know, but Constantine and I concocted a story to explain my visit. It should hold him for a bit. I need to get rid of everything I got from him, though, and hopefully make it look like someone else took it. I think I talked Constantine into admitting that my story was more plausible than his, even with the altered evidence, but he can't do a thing about it without proof. Faydren's trying to frame Julia, obviously."

Darius nodded. "Yes, he is. The question is who to frame with the stuff you got from Faydren."

"That's where I'm stuck. It can't be anyone who was kept enraptured by the music. Someone who wasn't there. The person who immediately springs to mind is Constans, but I don't think I'm willing to do what it would take to get the evidence into his house. He's of high enough station that he would be a little protected, and he already knows what's in the damn contract." Livia stumbled a little, and Darius caught her arm and steadied her. "Thanks."

He was thinking, his eyes dark. "Our other choice is risky but maybe as useful. If Maranis is going to take the fall, let him."

She bit her lip, thinking about it. "Also a thought. It's not going to be easy to get the evidence in to him, though. But we know where he is, and if we can sneak in and plant the items...maybe. I hate to give up that gem, but it has to be done. Damn, Faydren outmaneuvered me."

"He got you but good." Darius took a long breath. "I hate to say this, but the only one getting in to Maranis is probably going to be Diya, unless you think you can pull off Sassenid sex worker."

Sending in children to do my dirty work is not how I wanted to spend this year of my life, she thought. "Ergh. That's not something I wanted to do. But no, I don't think I can. Diya can. And it should be tonight."

He was watching her carefully. "I might be able to come up with a spell that could help to alter your appearance."

Livia spread her hands. "But being able to act like one is the other half. I'm not certain I'm a good enough actress for the role. I'd want to practice first in a situation that's less likely to get me killed if I'm discovered."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Do you really want to send Diya in there, though? She may get raped before she can plant it."

"Oh, gods." The soft oath slipped out of her before she could prevent it. She had a sudden image of Diya, naked beneath one of the guards, fighting but unable to free herself. She was so young, her life was just beginning, and Livia had vowed to protect her. "No, if anyone's going to run that particular risk, it ought to be me. If you can come up with something to change my appearance, I'll work on the role."

Darius nodded. "Half an hour. Let's get home."

She swallowed and said, "All right." Terror pressed in on her, doubts about her ability to act like a whore without somehow betraying herself, fear of what would happen to her if she were not good enough to plant the evidence before she had to play the role for real. Can I do that? she wondered. Would I be able to survive what that would do to me?

The streets seemed very wide and empty, but the night was pressing in on them. Livia shuddered and walked with her doubts and her fears towards her house, Darius at her side.

Comments

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

"I doubt more and more that he actually worships Ares, maybe someone else but not Ares.

This shows up twice, separated by a single sentence, FYI.

also, there's an unclosed "/em>".

[silenceleigh.livejournal.com]

Yep, I actually fixed both of those just now. :)