“Clever girl,” Nazafareen whispered, as they watched Nico stalk through a long gallery chock-a-block with objects of all shapes and sizes. “It looks like she’s escaped him somehow.” She turned to Katsu. “Where is he?”
“That is the emperor’s talisman collection,” Katsu replied. “But it’s a labyrinth down there.”
“We have to help her,” Nazafareen said at once. “And you have to get us inside.”
Katsu laughed. “It’s impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible.”
“This thing is.”
Nazafareen sighed. “What if we give you the globe?”
He raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t want to part with it. It’s obviously invaluable. But Meb is more valuable.”
Katsu shifted uneasily. “So you really think she has some kind of special power?”
“Yes. I do. And this Vatra certainly does.” Nazafareen stared at Katsu with reproach. “Even if she’s not the talisman, I wouldn’t leave her to him.”
The Stygian thought for a moment. “When the globe was first stolen, I tried to discover if someone from outside the palace could have gotten in. I’m friends with some of the imperial guards and we discussed it over a few cups of wine. In the end, we decided it couldn’t be done. That the culprit had to be someone on the inside. And indeed it was.”
“Get to the point,” Megaera growled.
“The entrances to the palace are heavily guarded at all times. But there’s an ancient system of aqueducts beneath the grounds. The largest ones carry the water for the aquarium.”
“Keep talking,” Darius said.
Katsu scratched his beard. “I suppose a person could swim through one of the aqueducts. But they don’t really lead anywhere.”
Darius nodded slowly. “I could use earth to punch a hole into the talisman collection, once we were beneath it.”
“It’s…conceivable,” Katsu said doubtfully. “Of course, there are iron bars over the outlets. And the only one large enough to fit into runs from the shark pool.”
“Sharks?” Megaera murmured. “What is a shark?”
“A fish with big teeth,” Katsu replied. “Very big.”
“Leave the sharks to me,” Nazafareen said carelessly. “I am not afraid of fish.”
Katsu smiled. “You haven’t seen one yet.”
Herodotus paused in his scribbling and looked up. “I never learned to swim,” he said with regret. “But perhaps you could tie me to Megaera? She wouldn’t mind, would you, dear?”
The Maenad patted his hand absently. “Of course not. And it’s a fine plan. Truly well thought out.” Her eyes glimmered with amusement. “But I have another proposal. It’s a lot simpler.” She leaned forward. “How about you just set me on fire?”