Conspiracy (45 page)

“
There aren’t many roads up
there,” Sespian said.

Maldynado snickered. “Roads.”

Amaranthe quelled him with a glance. “Should
our arrangements prove fruitful, we’ll have a flying machine of
some sort picking us up.”

Sespian’s eyebrows jumped for his hairline.
“A flying machine?” His face lost its guardedness, and he grinned.
“I read a book when I was a boy about people’s attempts at building
them. I had my sketchpad out, drawing various models for weeks. I
even tried to build one myself out behind the kitchens. In case you
were wondering, a dirigible with a balloon made from bed sheets
won’t fly.”

Amaranthe smiled and nodded, encouraging him
to open up to them, but Sespian seemed to feel he’d slipped up—it
might not help that Maldynado was staring at him, slack-jawed—for
he clamped his mouth shut. “Sorry,” he murmured. “Your men are
probably concerned with more important things, such as when they’ll
be paid. I have the money in Sunders City. If you could take me
there, I’ll see to your fee and leave you to your next job.”

For the first time, Sicarius stirred. He
gave Amaranthe a look that she doubted anyone else could read, but
she saw the concern in it. Yes, Sunders City was only a day away by
rail and probably less if they could fly over the mountainous
terrain. That wasn’t much time for someone to build up to making an
important announcement like, “Sespian, I am your father.”

Amaranthe acknowledged his look with a hand
wiggle, though Sespian caught it and grew noticeably concerned by
the exchange.

“
We know you’re in trouble,
Sire,” Amaranthe said, hoping to distract him from whatever
suspicious thoughts must be going through his head. “We’d like to
help. We’re not mercenaries simply in this for the money. I don’t
know what led you to choose us, but if you’ve been following the
papers at all—” she raised her eyebrows, hoping he’d nod or
otherwise indicate he knew what she was talking about, “—you might
know that we’ve been trying to work for the good of the
empire.”

The concern in Sespian’s eyes deepened,
though this time it looked like the embarrassed concern of someone
realizing he hadn’t kept up with events the way he should have.
“I’m sorry, no. I wanted to meet with you primarily because of your
counterfeiting scheme last winter.”

Amaranthe blinked. “My, what? I mean, that
was only for coercing Hollowcrest and that Forge duo into
negotiating. We didn’t—we aren’t actively... We destroyed
everything related to that.” Dear ancestors, he hadn’t chosen them
because he thought they were pecuniary villains, had he?

“
That’s the truth,”
Maldynado said. “Much to Akstyr’s horror, the boss burned all of
those fake bills.”

Sespian lifted a hand. “That’s fine, but
surely you must have done research before embarking on that...
scheme. And you have a history professor on your team, don’t you?
Economics would be better, but perhaps he’s versed in that as well.
My movements are tracked, so I haven’t been able to get out of the
Barracks and do the type of research I need to do.”

Amaranthe struggled to guess the intent
behind his words. He wasn’t thinking of starting a counterfeiting
scheme himself, was he? That didn’t make any sense. As emperor, he
controlled the Imperial Mint. The Imperial Mint that was in Sunders
City. He’d mentioned a new Forge scheme. Were they doing something
to the money supply?

Basilard’s fingers
twitched.
Tracking? Will someone be able
to follow him to us?

Good question. “How are you being tracked,
Sire?” Amaranthe asked.

“
I’d... rather not share
that information, as it’s tied to something... sensitive.” His hand
strayed to his neck before he caught himself and dropped it into
his lap.

The implant. Amaranthe stifled a groan. It
made sense that the owners could use it for tracking too. One would
want to monitor one’s victims if they were left to roam freely. She
thought about telling Sespian about Books and Akstyr’s side trip,
but she didn’t want to get his hopes up in case her men failed to
find anything.

“
I’d be open to discussing
more with you in private.” Sespian’s gaze skimmed across the men,
lingering on Sicarius before returning to Amaranthe. “Perhaps with
you and your professor.”

Amaranthe opened her mouth, intending to
agree to the private meeting, but Sicarius spoke first.

“
From how far away can they
track you and trigger the artifact in your neck? Can it kill you if
you think or speak of matters Forge considers
inappropriate?”

Sespian gaped at Sicarius, his face growing
ashen. He recovered his composure quickly, but not before Amaranthe
glimpsed a new fear darting through his eyes. Sicarius himself was
as unreadable as ever. She knew his concern for Sespian had
prompted the questions, but Sespian would simply be alarmed that an
assassin knew about his vulnerability.

“
We’ve encountered the
devices before,” Amaranthe explained.

“
I see,” Sespian said, and
she had a feeling that was all he’d say if she didn’t get rid of
some of the men.

“
Maldynado and Basilard,”
she said, “you two look tired. Would you mind taking a nap in the
coal car?”

“
A
nap
?” Maldynado said.

Meanwhile, Amaranthe met
Basilard’s eyes, and signed,
We’ll find
time to talk to the emperor about your people later. I promise.
What he’s dealing with has to be the priority.

Sespian noticed her signing, and his eyes
narrowed. Amaranthe hoped he didn’t think they were scheming
something. Basilard merely nodded and walked out.

“
Maldynado.” Amaranthe
pointed toward the door.

“
A nap,” he muttered. “Do I
look like a toddler?”

“
You
look
like an overgrown—”

“
You can do whatever you
want,” Amaranthe hurried to say, before an argument could break
out, “so long as it’s back there and not up here. Sergeant Yara?
Can I prevail upon you to join them?”

“
She can stay,” Sespian
said.

Amaranthe didn’t wince, not
outwardly anyway, but having Yara there would keep Sicarius from
speaking freely. Still, if Sespian felt more comfortable because of
her presence, that might be a good thing. Maybe they had exchanged
a few words when they’d been alone, and he knew Yara was on his
side. If only Amaranthe could make him believe
she
was on his side too.

“
I’d rather he wasn’t
here.” Sespian nodded toward Sicarius without making eye contact
with him.

“
He stays,” Amaranthe
said.

Sespian grimaced. “I suppose it’s
understandable. You must not feel comfortable enough around me to
be without your bodyguard?”

Amaranthe almost blurted that that was
ridiculous—even if she thought Sespian well trained enough to be a
physical threat, she wouldn’t believe him capable of harming a
woman who was trying to help him—but she caught herself in time.
Erroneous assumptions or not, he was agreeing to Sicarius’s
presence.

Amaranthe perched on the top of the coal
box, clasped her hands between her knees, and gazed into Sespian’s
eyes with all the guilelessness she could muster. “Sire, I
understand that you have reasons to be uncertain about us, but
whatever you think we’ve done or haven’t done, we’re here now. Why
not make use of us? At the very least you should believe we’re not
associated with Forge. If you’ve read the papers lately—” Amaranthe
caught herself. Laying claim to a rash of assassinations might not
be a good idea, especially if Sespian didn’t yet know Sicarius had
been responsible. “We’ve been making trouble for them for a while,
and I suspect they’d very much like to see me dead. And certain
others in my party.” She glanced at Sicarius, but only for a
heartbeat before refocusing on Sespian. “You know what those old
military strategists say. The enemy of my enemy is... someone who
could make useful cannon fodder. If you have some plot in mind,
perhaps you could use us to create a distraction elsewhere.”

Sespian dropped his chin onto a fist and
gazed at her.

Finding the response encouraging, Amaranthe
pressed on. “Or use us as a research team. You mentioned an
interest in what Books might know. He’s well versed in a number of
topics, and I’m sure he could pontificate at length on the subject
of economics. We have another man with knowledge of the mental
sciences.” Amaranthe watched to see what Sespian’s response would
be to an allusion of magic, but the term didn’t so much as make his
eye twitch. He must be familiar with it. “He may be able to help
get that implant out of your neck. We would be useful allies. I’m
certain of it. Spend some time with us before heading to Sunders
City and whatever you need to do there. We’ll help, regardless of
the money.”

Sespian opened his mouth, paused, closed it,
then shook his head ruefully. “It’s very easy to be drawn into what
you’re saying, and I catch myself wanting to nod and agree. Maybe I
should be taking notes on your technique.”

Amaranthe blushed and felt like she should
stutter an apology, but she hadn’t done anything to be embarrassed
about, had she?

“
It’s her eyes,” Sicarius
said, startling her.

Yara glanced over her shoulder at him,
apparently surprised to hear him speak, but soon turned her
attention back to the tracks. She seemed to believe she should
remain silent for the discussion.

Sespian scratched his jaw. “Yes, maybe so.
They’re like a doe’s. Warm and earnest and...”

“
Wholesome.” Sicarius’s
eyes glinted, and Amaranthe scowled at him. She knew he was
referring to that conversation—that
private
conversation—she’d had with
Deret Mancrest in the Imperial Gardens, where he’d called her
wholesome. She didn’t say anything, though, not when Sicarius was
finally taking part in the discussion. Sort of.

Unfortunately, Sespian didn’t share eye
contact or a knowing smirk with him. All he did was eye Sicarius
warily, as if he’d realized whom he’d been chatting with, then he
shifted to face Amaranthe more squarely, pointing his shoulder at
Sicarius.

“
I would like to trust you,
Corporal Lokdon,” Sespian said, “but you’re running around with my
father’s assassin, someone without a conscience who’s murdered men,
women, and children, and—”

“
Those are people
Hollowcrest and Emperor Raumesys ordered him to kill,” Amaranthe
said. “Sicarius was raised by them to be an assassin. What choice
did he have?”

“
And even if I could
believe he bore me no ill will,” Sespian went on without
acknowledging her interjection, “what about that Marblecrest you’ve
got on your team?” He waved behind his head, toward the coal car.
“That whole clan is angling for my hide. They’re working with
Forge, planning to put the eldest son on the throne and rule with
one hand while panhandling to those entrepreneurs and bankers with
the other. And you’ve got the youngest one in here, babbling to me
about statues?”

“
I...” Amaranthe didn’t
know what to respond to first. She’d heard of the Marblecrests—they
were one of the oldest warrior-caste families and had spent several
generations ruling the empire until Tevok the Third had sired
thirteen daughters and not a single son—and it didn’t surprise her
to learn that Maldynado came from that line. What did surprise her
was that his family was working with Forge and angling for the
throne. And the Marblecrests would have a claim too. At one point,
Amaranthe had had Books give her a list of the people who would be
in the running should Sespian disappear—or the news about his
parentage come out. If the latter happened, Sespian still had a
claim through his mother’s line, but it wouldn’t be any stronger
than that of seven or eight other families, and it would harm his
interests if someone digging through Sicarius’s bloodlines didn’t
find any warrior-caste patrons.

Amaranthe realized her mouth was hanging
open as her mind darted all over the place—and that Sespian was
waiting for an answer. “I probably should have asked Maldynado for
his surname at some point,” she finished with a sheepish shrug.

She looked at Sicarius, wondering if he had
known. He was wearing his expressionless mask and giving away
nothing.

“
You don’t know the names
of the men working for you?” Sespian’s voice wasn’t exactly
sarcastic—he seemed to be someone who was careful not to offend
with his tone—but it might have been as close to it as he
came.

“
I don’t know their
bloodlines, no. It’s never mattered before.” Amaranthe spread a
hand. “Regardless, if you spend a few minutes with Maldynado, I
think you’ll see that he’s no threat to you.”

“
Yes, that was the gist I
got from our brief conversation about statues, but I thought his...
garrulous innocuousness might be a façade.”

Amaranthe smiled. “I do think he’s brighter
than he lets on, but not in a duplicitous way.” She let the smile
fade in favor of a more earnest expression. “I can get more details
from him, but Maldynado’s been disowned, and he doesn’t speak
fondly of his kin, so I doubt he’ll be a problem for you. If
anything, he may be someone from whom you could gain inside
information.”

Sespian leaned back. “Huh.”

The monosyllabic grunt reminded her so much
of those Sicarius had issued when listening to her early plans,
that she paused to consider it. With Sicarius, it usually meant he
was open to the idea, and perhaps a little surprised he was open to
it. Like father, like son?