She turned down a dead end and stumbled.Maldynado lounged in a chair he had scavenged from one of thepassenger cars. His face was tilted toward the sun, his eyes wereclosed, his hands were clasped behind his head, and hewas…naked.
“Maldynado,” Amaranthe groaned.
“Oh, hullo, boss.” He neither rose noradjusted his position to hide anything; he simply sprawled there,like a cat in a sunbeam.
“What are you doing?”
“Vacationing.”
Amaranthe pulled a towel out of her satcheland draped it across his waist as she walked past. “I see you’veset yourself an ambitious itinerary.”
“You said to relax. I’m relaxing.” Hescratched an armpit. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Profound and philosophical thoughts?”
“Naturally,” Maldynado said. “For instance, Ifigure we should have a team uniform.”
“A uniform?”
“Clothes that make us look like a stylish andcohesive unit of elite combat professionals.”
“Something like what Sicarius wears?”Amaranthe asked.
“He’s far too monochromatic and plain to beconsidered stylish.”
“I see. Well, let me know what you come upwith.” She peered into the cars she and her team had claimed, a setof three that were less rusted than most. They framed a dead endand created a private camp spot. “Anyone else about?”
“Akstyr’s off somewhere being secretive andmagicky, and Books left at dawn, excited about spending a day atthe library-that is pathetic, by the way.”
“Basilard’s not around?”
“Haven’t seen him since last night.”
“I hope he shows up today. I want to takeeverybody in and investigate Barlovoc Stadium. Something’s goingon, maybe something important.”
“Important enough to interrupt ourvacation?”
“Absolutely,” Amaranthe said. “This has thepotential to attract attention high up. This could be the one.”
“Uh huh, when you’re done rubbing your handstogether and plotting gleefully, think about what you’re going towear for your date tonight.”
“My what?”
Sicarius chose that moment to finish scoutingand walk into camp.
“You know what I’m talking about,” Maldynadosaid. “Lord Mancrest. I’ve been trying to get you to meet him forweeks, but you keep saying, ‘wait until we have some time off.’Well, you gave us time off.”
“All right, but not tonight. This is moreimportant than-”
“I already set it up,” Maldynado said.
Sicarius’s expression was cool as he drewnear, but she did not know if it was due to the conversation topicor Maldynado’s lack of attire.
“I told him you were free and that you’d meethim tonight,” Maldynado said. “He said he’ll take you out to a nicedinner. His family has money, so you should mine that vein for allit’s worth. When was the last time you had something fancy? Get thepriciest cut of meat.”
“Maldynado…”
“He’s a gentlemen. Probably won’t even expectyou to warm his sheets afterward. Unless you want to, of course. Idon’t think you’ve blanket wrestled with anybody for as long asI’ve known you, so you must have some urges that are aching to besated.”
“Maldynado!” Amaranthe should not haveblushed, but she was all too conscious of Sicarius standing a fewpaces away.
“Wear something nice,” Maldynado said. “He’sexpecting you at The Gazette building at six.”
“I’m not… Did you say The Gazette?”Amaranthe wanted to object, since she’d already been planning anight of snooping, but the chance to go into the city’s largestnewspaper office and chat up the boss was appealing. At theleast, she could find out if the journalists had heard aboutanything fishy going on at Barlovoc Stadium. Developing arelationship with Mancrest could prove useful long-term as well. Ifshe could convince him her team was working for the good of theempire, perhaps he would publish something nice-like the truth.“All right. I can send you fellows ahead and come to the groundsafterward. No self-respecting snoop sneaks in before midnightanyway.”
“Excellent.”
Sicarius said nothing, but his gaze was lessfriendly than his daggers. When she met his eyes, he jerked hischin toward the old rail car that served as the group’s parlor. Sheclambered inside after him.
The wide opening lacked the sliding door itwould have had during its service days, and Sicarius walked to thefar end, presumably wanting a private conversation. Crates,battered lanterns, and a couple of old strategy games with missingtiles comprised the furnishings. It would be silly to keep anythingvaluable inside since vagrants roamed the boneyard. Amaranthemissed the days of having a safe home to return to at night, onewhere she could keep treasured belongings…like books anddinnerware. When she had been an enforcer, she had never thoughtshe would think of her simple, one-room flat as a luxury.
Sicarius leaned against the far wall, armscrossed over his chest. Sun slanting through holes highlightedrusty rivets on the floor, her purloined broom and dustpan, and theutter lack of humor on his face.
“Problem?” Amaranthe wondered if he might bethe teeniest bit jealous at the idea of Maldynado setting her up ona “date.” She, of course, had only professional interest in thisman and would tell Sicarius that if he asked. She wished hewould ask, since that would imply his admission about caringmeant caring in a romantic way. Well, romantic might not be theexact word to use when describing Sicarius’s feelings, butsomething of that nature anyway.
“Deret Mancrest wrote the story condemning usas Sespian’s kidnappers,” Sicarius said. “Prior to that, he wroteother articles about me and encouraged the emperor to siphon moreforces into capturing me so the army could put me in front of afiring squad.”
“Oh.” Amaranthe sank down onto a crate. Notjealousy after all. Sicarius just hated the man for condemning himin writing. “So he’s the one who called you abhorrent anddegenerate and me an accomplice.”
“You remember the adjectives used to describeme and not the author?”
“Well, I’m not warrior caste. All those‘Crest’ names blend together in my mind.”
“It would be unwise to visit him,” Sicariussaid.
“If he’s a friend of Maldynado’s he-”
“He may have requested the meeting to arrangea trap.”
“For you?” Amaranthe asked. “Wouldn’t he haveasked you out to dinner if that were the case?”
The sun did nothing to warm Sicarius’s darkeyes. “You have a bounty on your head as well.”
“Yes, I know. But…” She stood and grabbedthe broom. “He may actually be exactly what we need. If he has ayears-long record of deriding you-in writing-and he couldbe…converted, he could become an asset to us.” She swept as shespoke, angling dust into a pile. “If we can convince him youweren’t behind Sespian’s kidnapping, and you’ve worked for the goodof the empire on several occasions since then, his favorableopinion of you would carry a lot of weight. With a single story, hecould make the entire city question all they’ve heard about you.”She held the dustpan aloft and smiled. Yes, that sounded like agood plan.
Sicarius stared, as unexpressive and unmovingas marble.
“You know…” Amaranthe dumped her dust pileoutside and returned to face him. “It’s hard for me to maintain myvigor and enthusiasm for leading you when you do nothing but standthere and ooze disapproval at me.”
“Not at you,” he said.
“If your disapproval is aimed at LordMancrest, he’s not here to receive it. And if you’re irked atMaldynado… I think he’s only looking to receive a sunburn on hisnether regions right now.”
“I will go with you tonight.”