She followed Bryce out of the room. The truth was that the bridge site was a ruse, a distraction to cover up the real link between Buridan and the rest of the world. In the few days that had passed since Veneras conversation with Moss, a great deal of activity had taken place in the pipeworks that Venera and Garth had used to reach Buridan Tower the first time. A camouflaged entrance had been built near the railway siding a few hundred yards back from the airfalls edge. A man, or even a large group of men, could jump off a slow-moving train and after a sprint under some trees be in a hidden tunnel that led all the way to the tower. True, there were still long sections where men had to walk separated by thirty feet or more lest the pipe give way but that would be fixed.
As she and Bryce strode down the long ramp that coiled from the towers top to its bottom, they passed numerous work sites, each comprising half a dozen or more men and women. It was much like the controlled chaos of her estates renovation, except that these people werent fixing the plaster. They were assembling weapons, inventorying armor and supplies, and fencing in the ballrooms. Bryces entire organization was here, as well as gray-eyed soldiers from Liris and exotics from allies of that country. They had started arriving last night, after Bryce gave the all-clear that hed found his traitor.
Bryces people were still in shock. They watched the newcomers with mixed loathing and suspicion; but the trauma of Cassias betrayal had been effective, and their loyalty to him still held. Venera knew they would need something to doand soonor their natural hatred of the status quo would assert itself. They were born agitators, cutthroats and bomb-builders, but that was why they would be useful.
A new group was just tromping up from the stairs to the pipeworks as Venera and Bryce reached the main hall. They wore oil-stained leathers and outlandish fur hats. Venera had seen these uniforms at a distance, usually wreathed in steam from some engine they were working on. These burly men were from the Preservation Society of Spyre, and they were sworn enemies of Sacrus.
For the moment they were acting more like overawed boys, though, staring around at the inside of Buridan Tower like theyd been transported into a storybook. In a sense, they had; the preservationists were indoctrinated in the history of the airfall, which remained the greatest threat to Spyres structural integrity and which all now knew had been caused partly by Sacrus. Buridan Tower had probably been a symbol to them for centuries of defiance against decay and treachery. To stand inside it now was clearly a shock.
Good. She could use that fact.
Gentlemen. She curtsied to the group. I am Amandera Thrace-Guiles. If youll follow me, Ill show you where you can freshen up, and then we can get started.
They murmured amongst themselves as they walked behind her. Venera exchanged a glance with Bryce, who seemed amused at her formality.
The preservationists headed off to the washrooms and Venera and Bryce turned the other way, entering the towers now familiar library. Venera had ordered some of the emptied armor of the towers long-ago attackers mounted here. The holed and burned crests of Sacrus and its allies were quite visible on breastplate and shoulder. As a pointed message, Venerad had the suits posed like sentries around the long map table in the middle of the room. One even held a lantern.
Bryces lieutenants were already at the table, pointing to things and talking in low tones with the commander of the Liris detachment. As the preservationists trouped back in, the other generals and colonels entered from a door opposite. Moss had exceeded Veneras wildest expectations: at the head of this group were generals from Carasthant and Scoman, old allies of Liris in its war with Vatorisand they had brought friends of their own. Most prominent was the towering, frizzy-haired Corinne, Princess of Fin. Normally, Venera didnt like women who were social equalsin Hale they always represented a threatbut shed taken an instant liking to Corinne.
Venera nodded around at them all. Welcome, she said. This is an extraordinary meeting. Circumstances are dire. Im sure you all know by now that Sacrus has recruited an army, plundering its neighbors of manpower in the process. So far the council at Lesser Spyre is acting like it never
happened. I think theyre in a tailspin. Does anyone here believe that the council should be the ones to deal with the situation?
There were grins round the table. One of the preservationists held up a hand. He would have been handsome were it not for the beardVenera hated beardsthat obscured the lower half of his face. Youre on the council, he said. Cant you bring a motion for them to act?
I can, but the next morning Ill receive the head of my man Flance in the mail, she said. Sacrus has him. So Im highly motivated, though not in the ways that Sacrus probably expect. Still I wont act through the council.