“So, uh,” Corporal Evik said, no interest in bureaucratic changes evident on his face, “what do we call her?”
“You can call her ma’am,” Sespian said.
“Guess that means spanking is out,” Rudev muttered.
Evik elbowed him. Sicarius’s formerly bland gaze grew icy, though the two soldiers seemed too occupied by these new circumstances to remember he was there.
“I guess it makes sense for us to go along with you, Sire,” Evik said.
Rudev shrugged and nodded. “Sure. Sire.”
Not exactly a heartfelt head-pressed-to-the-floor-in-genuflection promise, but Amaranthe sensed the men were being truthful, not simply telling Sespian what he wanted to hear. Of course, she’d keep a guard on them for a while nonetheless.
“Excellent.” Sespian stood and thumped his fist to his chest. “It’s good to have you here.”
The soldiers stood and returned the salute, bowing deeply as they did so.
Amaranthe took the moment to sign to Basilard, Will you find them a place to sleep and assign one of the men to keep an eye on them?
I can do it, Basilard signed.
I have another task in mind for you. Amaranthe smiled and nodded toward Sicarius. I’ll explain shortly. Noticing the private was watching her, she switched to speaking aloud. “Basilard there will help you two find racks.”
As soon as Basilard and the soldiers left, Amaranthe lifted a hand, intending to wave Sicarius inside, but he was looking at something outside of the room, his face flat and unfriendly.
“Lord Mancrest must be coming,” she murmured to Sespian.
A second later, Deret appeared in the doorway. For a moment, Sicarius looked like he wouldn’t move, forcing Deret to find a way around him, but he stepped inside, taking up the spot Basilard had vacated.
“Good guess,” Sespian said.
Amaranthe decided not to explain that it hadn’t been a guess, that Sicarius reserved his ultra icy glare for those who threatened him, those who spoke disrespectfully about his son, and those who dared invite Amaranthe to picnic dinners in the park. “Lord Mancrest,” she said, “please join us. Do you by chance have any information you’d like to share? Such as the recent goings on in the city? We’ve been out of town for a few weeks.”
Pointedly putting his back to Sicarius, Deret slid into one of the seats opposite Amaranthe and Sespian. “So long as you’re willing to share information with me as well. For instance, I’m aching to know where the emperor has been of late and why he’s allowed himself to be reported dead. No disrespect intended, Sire.”
“Perhaps I should have waited and told this story to everyone at once,” Sespian said.
“I expect lots of people will be wondering,” Amaranthe said, “and if we’re planning to recruit piles of soldiers, you’ll have to tell it numerous times. Maybe Books could put together an explanatory brochure to hand out.”
Sespian snorted. “Now there’s a thought.”
“Piles of soldiers?” Deret asked. “Not only am I wondering where you’re going to get piles of soldiers, but, as a former officer, I feel I should inform you that they prefer to be called squads, platoons, companies, or brigades. Piles sound rather less flattering.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Amaranthe said. “Now, since we’ve done you a favor tonight by freeing you, won’t you consider sharing your information first?”
“I’ve already told you why my father locked me in the basement. What else would you like to know?”
Sicarius eyed the spot between Deret’s shoulder blades and signed to Amaranthe, He was locked up? Why did you free him? You could have questioned him then. It’s easy to get answers from men who are already in vulnerable positions.
Amaranthe wasn’t going to sign an explanation, not with Deret watching her, so she merely flicked her fingers in response. Besides, Sicarius couldn’t seriously believe she would have interrogated a potential ally by force.
“In case you’re curious,” Deret added, glancing back at Sicarius, “I’ve decided to be pleased rather than affronted that your explosions resulted in the floor collapsing, destroying hundreds of thousands of ranmyas worth of machinery along with our archives. I wonder if the Gazette will even get out tomorrow. If nothing else, it should be some time before more late-night printings of propaganda pamphlets occur.”
“Explosions?” Sicarius asked.
“They weren’t mine, exactly.” Amaranthe pointed a finger at Deret’s chest. “He turned the ink jars into bombs and lit them after all.”
“After you said you wanted explosives. Maldynado told me not to let others believe that I was to blame for all that.”
Huh, she’d have to have words with Maldynado. He was supposed to be on her side. “I was merely looking for a way to free you that didn’t involve bloodshed.”
Deret’s fingers drifted to a fresh scab on his temple.
Sicarius was watching Amaranthe, his expression hard to read. Sespian was shaking his head, as if he’d already come to expect such tactics from her. Or maybe he was thinking of revoking her new title.
“Let’s get back to the important part.” She twined her fingers together and rested them on the table. “When did you first see Ms. Worgavic with your father?” In other words, how long had the Forge leaders been in town?
“Maybe five, six days ago. Before the old man locked me in the basement. Though I gathered he had known her for longer than that.”
“Worgavic?” Sespian asked. “This is the woman who was behind Pike’s… ministrations? How’d she get back to the city so much faster than us?”
How indeed? Amaranthe met Sicarius’s eyes. “I guess that answers my question as to whether Retta is still alive.”
Sicarius nodded once. “The aircraft is located nearby.”
“The what?” Deret asked.
“Retta? Who’s that?” Sespian asked.
“A Forge recruit who studied in Kyatt and learned how to operate the ancient technology.”
“The what?” Deret repeated, then noticed Sespian nodding, and asked, “Am I the only one who doesn’t know what we’re talking about?”
“I’ll explain later,” Amaranthe said. “In the meantime, I don’t suppose you’ve heard of any massive dome-shaped flying monstrosities drifting through the skies around the capital? About the size of a small city?”
“Uh. No.”
“It can’t be far away if Worgavic is here,” Amaranthe said, “but they couldn’t have landed it within fifty miles of the capital without someone seeing it.” Unless Forge no longer cared if someone saw it. Dear ancestors, what if they planned to use it to ensure their man came out on top? Entire armies would seem puny next to all that power. They could take the city for their own-or raze it.
“The lake,” Sicarius said. “It hasn’t frozen over yet.”
Amaranthe sank back in her chair. Yes, assuming that thing was waterproof-and there seemed to be few limits to what the technology could do-it could be hidden on the bottom of the lake.
“I did hear a couple of reports that the water level in the lake mysteriously rose last week,” Deret said. “By over a foot. It caused some damage at the marinas.”
The Behemoth was big enough to displace a lot water, no doubt about that. “Maldynado won’t be happy if we have to find dive suits again,” Amaranthe said.
“I do not believe we would find gaining entrance possible that way,” Sicarius said.
“Well, this doesn’t change my plan much. It just means…” Amaranthe tapped a beat on the table with her fingers. “I’m more certain than ever I have to go.”