“Thanks,” Hector said. “I’d like to see it… very much.”
Every morning Odal was taken from his underground suite of rooms to the enclosed courtyard of the Justice uilding for an hour of sunshine and exercise. Under the cold eyes of the guards he ran endless circles around the courtyard’s manicured grass, or did push-ups, kneebends, sit-ups . . . anything to break the monotony and prevent the guards from seeing how miserable and lonely he really felt.
Romis, he thought, is no fool. He won’t need me until all his plans are finished, until the actual moment to kiU the Leader arrives What could be better for him than to leave me here, and then offer the Watchman—at precisely the right moment—in trade for me? Spencer wiU have me shipped back to Kerak, too late to do anything but Romis’ bidding.
There were stately, pungent trees lining the four sides of the courtyard, and in the middle a full, wide-spreading wonder with golden, stiff leaves that tinkled like glass chimes whenever a breeze wafted them. As Odal got up, puffing and hot, from a long set of push-ups, he saw Geri Dulaq sitting on the bench under that tree.
He wiped his brow with a towel and, tossing it over his shoulder, walked slowly to her. He hadn’t noticed before how beautiful she was. Her face looked calm, but he could sense that she was working hard to keep control of herself.
“Good morning,” he said evenly.
She nodded but said nothing. Not even a smile or a frown. He gestured toward the bench, and when she nodded again, he sat down beside her.