Page 61 of Guiding Reason

“We call it the Black House.”

“Of course you do.”

“You don’t like it.”

“If I were a small, wide-eyed Conduit, this would make me feel guilty without having done anything wrong.”

Hyran chuckled. “Did you have many reasons to feel guilty as a small, wide-eyed Conduit?”

“Of course not.” Col stepped forward, making right for the main building entrance, Hyran at his side.

“Col, I don’t believe you.” The Guardian bent forward to whisper into Col’s ear, the warm breath tickling. Col decided he liked it.

“Guardian! Do you mean to accuse me as we walk into this charming lump of lithomanced rock?”

“Oh, not me.” Hyran put his arm around Col’s shoulders. “You are innocence on two feet.”

Col snorted. “You sound a whole lot like Taros. Or Senny. I can’t even decide.”

“That’s…good?”

“Like I said, I can’t decide.”

The doors opened for them. The inside of the Judiciary was pleasantly cool, and the differences to the Argentean Judiciary only continued. The central foyer was spacious, the tiling impressive in its black and white geometry. Above the mosaic floor, a light sculpture hung suspended, rods gleaming brightly and throwing odd and irregular shadows everywhere.

Across the open foyer, a set of two elevators in glass chutes forced Col to look up and see where they went. In his surprise, Col missed the bot approaching them.

“Conduit Coldis and Guardian Hyran. You are expected. Please take the right elevator.”

“Not for people fearing heights,” Col said when they headed toward the elevator. Their shoes made echoey noises on the polished floor.

“Are you afraid of heights?”

Col looked up at the Guardian. “No. Senny hasFloatedme on more than one occasion. It takes the fear right out of you. Or cuts it deeper I suppose.”

“I see. I was just asking because I would have held you. If you were scared of heights.”

The elevator stood open when they got there, the design pretty even if it was glass and metal. Its floor, too, was a pattern set in black and white.

“You are so kind.” Col stepped right up to the glass and watched as they went up. “The light sculpture is impressive. The twisting light of justice that illuminates every crack in a façade that hides the truth?”

“I’m not sure. But the way you say it sounds plausible, so we should assume that’s the notion one is supposed to take away from it.”

Col nodded before tearing his eyes away from the view. “You make this easy. I should thank you.”

Hyran cocked his head. Col noticed a strand of red hair that had slipped free of his braids.

“You mean I made it too easy for you to come here? Col, I will sling you over my shoulder and run you back to the Tower this moment if that’s what you’re saying.”

“No. Silly Guardian. The custody-ship. You make it easy. And I know it’s difficult on you to make it easy for me. Sharing a suite with other Guardians you don’t know has to be stressful.”

Hyran opened his mouth and closed it. Col saw the muscles in his jaw work before he spoke again.

“Thank you for telling me that. I know you don’t feel the same way I do. I know all of this with my head. Everything else is just telling me your mine.”

The elevator arrived. Col leaned forward and reached up, combed the errant strand back into Hyran’s updo. He had to stand on his toes to do it, and even then, he had to pull the Guardian down by the front of his shirt.

“I am yours. A strand of your hair came loose.”