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Vito Turhi stood at the window of a high tower and watched them go. His eyesight was exceptionally sharp; even from this distance, he could see them leaving.
Soon, quite soon, the fallen guards would likely be discovered. Turhi had no sympathy for them, if they had gotten so sloppy that two departing prisoners were able to dispatch them, then they certainly did not deserve to stay conscious. They probably didn't even deserve to retain their jobs. He would give serious thought to firing every single guard and replacing them.
On the other hand, although he hated to admit it, he felt some degree of indebtedness to his guards' inability to keep the prisoners locked up. After all, if they'd been successful, Vito Turhi wouldn't have had the amusement of letting them go.
Why had he let them go? He wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it was the reason he'd stated, for he truly was not a great supporter of the Regent.
Or maybe it was just a matter of repayment for the laughter that Seleya Soleta had brought to Ovidia. When Soleta had knocked the Regent's mount unconscious, Ovidia had erupted into peals of laughter that were extremely rare for such a serious-minded young lady. Turhi didn't hear her laugh nearly often enough. Yes, maybe that was the reason after all.
Still, there was one dark aspect to it all: the woman's prediction that their society would crumble in----what? Twenty years? He was not particularly sanguine about that little prediction. No, not in the slightest.
But it was surely just speculation. And not even tremendously likely speculation at that.
There was a stirring at his side and he looked down. "Little sister," he said. "What are you doing here?"
Ovidia pulled at his robe. "Everyone at the party is wondering where you are, Vito."
He bowed deeply, almost bending in half. "Merely awaiting the honor of being escorted by you."
She took his arm and, as they headed down a corridor in the direction of the merrymaking, she asked, "Where is your cape?"
He smiled, pictured Soleta's face, and said, "I gave it---to a friend."
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