Oh. Well, thats your decision, isnt it?
Hmm. He smiled, but she could tell he wasnt satisfied with that reply. My people have been acting as your spies for the past few weeks. Theyre not happy about it. Truth to tell, Amandera, Im not happy about it.
Aaahhh She stretched and leaned back. So the past hour was your way of softening me up for this conversation?
Well, no, but if theres going to be a good strategic moment to raise the issue, this has got to be it. She laughed at his audacity. He was no longer smiling, though.
Youd be mistaken if you thought I was picking sides in this war, he said. I dont give a damn whether its Sacrus or your faction that wins. Its still titled nobles, and itll make no difference to the common people.
Now she sat up. You want your printing press.
I have my printing press. I forged your signature on some orders and it was delivered yesterday. Those of my people who arent in the field right now are running it. Turning out bills by the thousands.
She examined his face in the candlelight. So how many of your people really are in the field?
A half dozen.
You told me they were all out! She glared at him as a knife of pain shot up her jaw. A half dozen? Is this why we had no warning that the estate was being attacked? Because you were keeping a handful of people where theyd be visible to me?So Id think they were all out?
Thats about the size of it, yes.
She punched him in the chest. You lost me my estate! My house! What else have you given to Sacrus?
Sacrus is not my affair, he said. Bryce was deadly earnest now. Clearly she had misjudged him. Restoring emergent democracy in Virga is my only interest, he said. But I dont want you to die in this war, and Im sorry about your house, if its any consolation. But what choice did I have? If everything descends into chaos, when am I going to get my ink? My paper? When were you going to do what I needed you to do? Look me in the eye and tell me it was a priority for you.
Venera groaned. Oh, Bryce. This is the worst possible time
The only time I have!
All right, all right, I see your point. She glowered at the plaster ceiling. What if what if I send some of my people in to run the press? We dont need trained insurgents to do that. All I want is to get your people out in the field! Ill give you as much ink and paper as you want.
He flopped onto his back. Ill think about that.
There was a brief silence.
You could have asked, she said.
I did!
Venera was trying to think of some way to reply to that when there was a loud bang and she found herself inside a storm of glass, shouting in surprise and trying to jump out of the way, banging her chin while shards like claws scrawled up her ribs and along her thigh.
Scratched and stunned, she sat up to find herself on the floor. Bryce was kneeling next to her. The candle had gone out, and she sensed rather than saw the carpet of broken glass between her and her boots. The little window gaped, the leading bent and twisted to let in a puff of cold night air. What was Now she heard gunfire.
Oh shit. Bryce stood up and reached down to draw her to her feet. Weve got to get out there.
Sacrus has arrived.
18
They reached the roof, and Bryce immediately ran off somewhere to the right. I need to get to the semaphore! he shouted before disappearing into the gloom. All the lanterns had been put out, Venera realized; she could just see the silhouettes of the tents where her people had been meeting. The black cut-out shapes of men roved to and fro, and she made out the gleam of a rifle barrel here and there. It was strangely quiet, though.
She found the flap to the main tent more by instinct than anything else, and stepped in. Lanterns were still lit here, and Thinblood, Pamela Anseratte, Principe Guinevera, Moss, and the other leaders were all standing around a map table. They all looked over as she entered.
Ah, there you are, said Guinevera in a strangely jovial tone. We think we know what theyre up to.
She moved over to the table to look at the map. Little
counters representing Sacruss forces were scattered around the unrolled rectangle of Greater Spyre. A big handful of tokens was clustered at the very edge of the sheet, where Liris had its land.
Its an insane amount of men, said Thinblood. He appeared strangely nervous. We think over a thousand. Never seen anything like it in Spyre.
Guinevera snorted. Obviously they hope to capture our entire command all at once and end the war before it begins. And it looks like they stand a good chance of succeeding. What do you think, Venera?
Well, I She froze.
They were all staring at her. All silent.
Guinevera reached into his brocaded coat and drew out a sheet of paper. With shocking violence he slammed it down on the table in front of her. Venera found herself looking at a poor likeness of herselfwith her former hairstyleon a poster that said, Wanted for Extradition to Gehellen, VENERA FANNING .
So its true, said Guinevera. His voice was husky with anger, and his hand, still flattening the poster, was shaking.