The visitor Costin had warned him about never showed his face to Aurelius directly, not that day nor in the days that followed, though the fortress bent itself visibly around his presence regardless. Extra patrols walked the walls at odd hours. Officers Aurelius rarely saw moved through the yard with unusual purpose, murmuring to each other in tones too low to carry. Harrick disappeared into meetings for the better part of two days, and when he finally summoned Aurelius to the officers' quarters on the third morning, the man who greeted him looked as though he had not slept properly in all that time."Sit," Harrick said, and this time Aurelius did, sensing that whatever conversation waited would go easier if he did not begin it by refusing simple requests.Harrick paced for a moment before speaking further, his hands clasped behind his back in a manner that suggested he was choosing his words with unusual care. "The visitor's gone. Left before dawn, no ceremony, no farewell. But he le