Chapter 18: Two Books

He walked behind her in the dark with the wine still on his breath, and said nothing, and neither did she. The south road was black and frozen. Above them the stars were sharp. Halfway back to the gate he stumbled on a rut, and she put out her hand without thinking, and he caught his balance before she reached him, and she took the hand back. "Thank you," he said. "I didn't do anything." "For not asking," said Nine. She walked on. After a while she said, "I said something in my room. About your name. I'm not going to ask again." "I know." "I'm going to find out." There was a pause behind her. Then a sound that might have been a laugh, soft, and not happy. "I know that too, Recorder," he said. She went down to the Hall of Registers at the first watch, when the…