Katelina asked Jorick about his new job. The answers were strained and edited, so she gave up. She supposed he was trying to protect her from whatever hideous deeds Malick had dreamed up for him. The idea made her hate the ancient master more.

The following evening, Jorick gave her a kiss and left to Malick's summons. Alone again, she slumped to the bathroom for a shower, then tried on her new clothes. The jeans were stretch denim and too tight for her comfort. She'd had a ...