Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera #3)(149)

Tavi regarded Crassus for a moment. Then he said, "You don't get dishonorably discharged for falling down a flight of stairs."

Crassus blinked at him. "What?"

"Sir Knight, just what the crows do you think those drums are for? Lulling the fish to sleep? We're mobilizing, and I'm not going to do anything that robs the Legion of a capable Knight and our Tribune Medica." Tavi extended his hand. "As far as I'm concerned, you fell down some stairs, and that's the end of it. Come on."

The young man stared at Tavi's hand for a moment, blinking in confusion, but then hesitantly reached out and let Tavi help him to his feet. He looked frightful, and while Tavi knew the injuries were painful, they weren't serious.

"I take it your mother sent you to speak to me?" Tavi asked him.

"No," Crassus said.

Tavi arched a skeptical eyebrow.

Crassus eyes flashed with anger. "I'm not her valet. Or her dog."

"If she didn't tell you to do it, why are you here? "

"She's my mother," Crassus said, and spat blood from his mouth. "Trying to look out for her."

Tavi felt his eyes widen, as he suddenly realized the young man's motivation. "You didn't do it to protect her," he said quietly. "You were trying to protect me."

Crassus froze for a second, staring at Tavi, then looked away.

"That's why you didn't draw a sword on me," Tavi said quietly. "You never intended for me to be hurt."

Crassus wiped at his mouth with a corner of his sleeve. "She's... got a temper. She's reached the end of it. She left earlier tonight. I thought to find you and return the purse to her. Tell her I found it on the ground." He shook his head. "I didn't want her to do anything rash. Sometimes her anger gets the better of her."

"Like with Max," Tavi said.

Crassus grimaced. "Yes." He looked back toward the camp. "Maximus... some of those scars he took for me. Confessed to things I had done, trying to protect me." He glanced at Tavi. "I don't like you, Scipio. But Max does. And I owe him. That's why I came here. I wanted to reconcile us somehow. I thought if we could..." He shrugged. "Spend some time together, and not back at Antil-lus. Mother told me she was going to offer him an apology for how she has treated him."

Tavi felt a surge of anger for Max's stepmother. She'd offered him something, all right. She'd tried to kill him again. But Tavi had a strong suspicion that Crassus's opinion of her was anything but objective. He felt sure that the young knight would never allow himself to believe that his mother had Max's murder in mind.

Tavi reached into his pocket and withdrew the silk purse, shaking the small red stone out of it as he did, so that the stone remained in his pocket. He offered the purse to Crassus.

Crassus took it, and then said quietly, "I could report this to the captain."

"And I could suddenly remember that there are no stairs around here," Tavi replied without rancor. "But I think we've both wasted enough effort for tonight."

Crassus bounced the empty purse on his palm a few times, then pocketed it. "Maybe I should have just asked you for it."

Tavi grimaced, and said, "Sorry about your, uh, your face. "

Crassus shook his head. "My own fault. I jumped you. Hit you first." He touched his nose lightly and winced. "Where'd you learn that throw?"

"From a Marat," Tavi replied. "Come on. I'm already late. And we'll both be needed tonight."