Th-they guard their lands on the ground and a-above it, said Moss skeptically. But Venera smiled at that.
I dont intend to come in by either route, she said. But I need a squad of soldiers, at least a score of them. I have some of the forces I need, or I will, she half smiled. But I need others I can trust. Will your people do it?
Now it was his turn to smile. S-strike a blow against Sacrus? Of c-course! But once the other nations whove l-lost people find out it was S-Sacrus stole them, y-youll have more allies. A d-dozen at least.
Venera hadnt considered such a possibility. Allies? I suppose we could count on one or two of the countries whose
debts we forgave, she said slowly. A couple of others might join us just out of devilment. She was thinking of Pamela Anseratte as she said this. Then she shook her head. Noits still not enough.
Moss gave his damaged laugh. Y-youve f-forgotten the most important faction, Venera, he said. And they have no l-love for Sacrus.
Venera rubbed her eyes. She was too tired and her head hurt too much to guess his meaning. Who? she asked irritably.
Moss opened the door and bowed slightly as he held it for her. You c-came in s-secret. You should return before Candesce l-lights. We will assemble a force f-for you.
And I will't-talk to the preservationists.
14
Venera had gotten the story out of him in fits and starts, as memory and anger distracted him in turn. Cassia had been one of Bryces first recruits. They had argued with their foreheads together in the dark bars that peppered Lesser Spyres red-light district, and defaced buildings and thrown rocks at council parades. It was her urging that had led him down the path to terrorism, he admitted. And all along, I was a project of herssome kind of entrance exam to the academy of traitors in Sacrus! He slammed his fist against the wall.
Well. Venera shaded her eyes with her hand and peered through the freshly-installed glass. In the end, you were the one who fooled her. And shes the one pent up in a locker downstairs.
He didnt look mollified. The false attack plan had been Veneras idea, after all; all Bryce had done was bring his lieutenants together to reveal the target of their next bombing, a Sacrus warehouse in Lesser Spyre. All three of the lieutenants had expressed enthusiasm, Cassia perhaps most of all. But as soon as the planning meeting broke up she had come down to this disused pantry midway up the side of Buridan Towerand had started signaling.
Venera could see why she would have favored this room for more than its writhing, peeled wallpaper. From here you had a clear line of sight to the walls of Sacrus, which ran in uneven maze-like lines just past a hedge of trees and a preservationist siding. From the center of the vast estate, a single monolithic building rose hundreds of feet into the afternoon air. Venera imagined a tiny flicker of light appearing somewhere on the side of that edificethe rapid blink blink of a message or instruction for Cassia. Bryce was having the place watched round the clock, but so far Sacrus had not responded to Cassias warning.
Target is Coaver Street warehouse in two days, she told them. Bryce shook his head in disgust. Urge evac of assets unless I can change target.
Youve done well, said Venera. She turned and sat hip-wise on the window casement. Listen, I know youre upsetyou feel unmanned. Fair enough, its a humiliation. No more so than this, though. She held out a sheet of papera letter that had arrived for her this morning. She watched Bryce unfold it sullenly.
Vote for Proposition forty-four at Council tomorrow, he read. Whats that mean?
She grimaced. Proposition forty-four gives Sacrus control of the docks at Upper Spyre. Supposedly its a demotion, since the docks arent used much. Sacrus has modestly agreed to take that job and give up a plum post in the exchequer that theyve held for decades. Nobodys likely to object.
Bryce managed a grim smile. So theyre ordering you around like a lackey now?
At least they respected you enough to manipulate you instead, she said. And dont forget, Bryce: your people follow you . Cassia recognized the leader in you, otherwise she wouldnt have singled you out for her attention. She may have been manipulating you all this timebut she was also training you.
He grumbled, but she could see her words had pleased him. At that moment, though, they heard rapid footsteps in the hall outside. Gray-haired Pasternak, one of Bryces remaining two lieutenants, stuck his head in the doorway and said, Theyre here.
Venera spared a last glance out the window. From up here the airfall was an insubstantial mesh of fabric where ground should be. Rushing clouds spun by beneath that faint skein, which she knew was really a gridwork of I-beams and stout cablethe
tough inner skeleton of Spyre, visible now that the skin was stripped away. A small jumble of gantries and cranes perched timidly at the edge of the ruined land. The official story was that Amandera Thrace-Guiles was trying to build a bridge across the airfall to rejoin Buridan Tower to the rest of Spyre.