Page 35 of Immortals and Ink

They drank, and it was as bad as Con claimed. It didn't matter. Alexis needed a drink before the arguing inevitably started.

"How long can you stay?" Con asked, getting right to it.

"That depends on you, old friend."

Con's face settled into his general-of-the-army stare. The one who didn't bargain or back down. "I'm not leaving."

"I have not asked you to yet."

"You came from Venice through seas full of enemies to ask me to abandon the city, so you might as well get it over with."

Alexis set his own cup down on the table. "Con, please⁠—"

"No, Alecto."

"You will die."

"Sumus quod sumus." The Latin came out flat and unbothered, the way Con used Latin when he had finished thinking about an argument and had moved on to ending it.

"You aren't the emperor," Alexis said quietly. "You aren't the Great Constantine of the East anymore. You are an old friend of mine who has been wandering this earth for eleven hundred years and who has finally found a wall he wants to die on. One you didn't even build."

“I’m a part of every wall in this city, Alecto," Con said flatly. "The harbor walls. The land walls. The Theodosian was my reach extended. I planned this city. I named her. She is my empress, and if it is my fate to die in her arms to save her, I will."

"You aren't going to die for a city. You are going to die for a piece of vanity dressed up as a city," Alexis growled.

Con reared back like he had been slapped.

Too far. I have gone too far.

"That was unworthy of you," Con said quietly.

"It was, but it is still true." Alexis didn’t look away. "She will endure, just in a different way, Con. All things change whether we like it or not. I thought you would have learned that by now."

"There are things in this city that I can't lose," Con said, lifting his chin. "Not to the Ottomans. Not to anyone."

"Then take them with you," Alexis snapped. "Pack these things you can't lose into a crate, and we'll load it onto the Hésperos with you. You can sit in the hold with them because you'll still be alive to do so. Don't ask me, Caesar, to admire a man who would die for objects when he still has friends on this earth who care about him."

Con turned away to the window. He stood there with his hands behind his back, the way Alexis had seen him in council chambers when he chose what to say next.

When he spoke again, the warmth had gone from his voice as cleanly as wine poured from a cup.

"You didn't come from Venice to insult me," he said to the window. "I assume you came to make a final offer."

"No offer. I came to bring you home with me."

"I am home." Con turned, and the face he now wore was one Alexis had only seen aimed at his enemies. "And you, magus, have never understood this connection I have to this place. Not when I first founded her and not now. Go back to Venice. Tell Aelia to sing at my funeral and Zo to write me a damn good poem. I will see them in the next world."

"Constantine."

"No. Get out, Alecto. Before I say something I can't take back. Go back to your boat. Sail home."

Alexis put his wine down. "I won't go home without you."

"Then you had best get comfortable and sharpen your sword.”

They stared at each other across the small chamber for a long moment before Alexis turned and went to the door.

His hand was on the bolt when Con said softly, "I'm still glad you came. I've missed you."