The Turncoat's Gambit

by Andrea Cremer

  Lady Ott’s eyes were sympathetic, but her tone brusque. “In part, my dear. But let me speak to that in a moment, for more immediate issues must command our attention.”

  Charlotte nodded, ignoring the impatient questions that circled through her thoughts. Her father’s face still flashed in her mind. As much as she wanted to, Charlotte knew nothing she could do at this point would guarantee his health or safety. She offered a silent prayer to Athene, asking the goddess to watch over her father. The Resistance needed her now. Grave needed her.

  “Unsurprisingly, their foremost concern is gaining custody of Commodore Winter,” Lady Ott said.

  Jack muttered something unintelligible.

  After sliding a chastising glance in his direction, Lady Ott continued. “Coe is a valuable bargaining chip, but even his worth can’t fully alleviate the Resistance leaders’ concern regarding your return to the Daedalus Tower.”

  “What would convince them?” Charlotte asked.

  “A demonstration of your commitment to the cause,” Lady Ott answered.

  “Not Grave.” Charlotte’s hands were on her hips. “They can’t have him.”

  “Let me finish, Lady Marshall.”

  The sharp reprimand made Charlotte’s cheeks warm with embarrassment. “My apologies, Lady Ott.”

  Margery smiled. “Roger made it clear that you are not the only one who has taken Grave’s care as a personal responsibility. We have declared our intent to ensure his welfare. And believe me, the Resistance has a firm grasp of the resources we have at our disposal to enforce our will.”

  “Thank you,” Charlotte whispered. She would never have asked for such a show of support from the Otts; to have it offered voluntarily left her overwhelmed with gratitude.

  “If Grave isn’t the issue, then what does the Resistance want this show of loyalty to be?” Jack asked.

  “In truth, your loyalty isn’t at issue to the same degree as Charlotte’s,” Lady Ott said. “Roger convinced the Resistance officers that you left the city because you were compelled by . . . baser instincts.” She coughed politely.

  Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “How flattering.”

  “All in all, their opinion of you is good news. If I were you, that’s how I’d take it,” she told him. “It’s likely they were amenable to my husband’s interpretation of your actions because they want your flying skills when the British attack New Orleans.”

  Jack shrugged.

  Lady Ott’s expression became grim. She went to a chair and took a seat, folding her hands on her lap. “The Resistance entered the final stages of negotiations with the French regarding an assault on the Floating City,” she told them.

  Charlotte drew a sharp breath. “When?”

  “The information we’ve gleaned from Coe suggests an imminent attack on New Orleans,” Lady Ott said. “Defense of the city is the first priority. However, if the outcome of that battle is in our favor, the French want an immediate strike against the Empire, before they can regroup and mount a proper defense of their own. The target the French have selected is the Floating City.”

  Jack gave a low whistle.

  “What does this plan have to do with the conditions of our return?” Charlotte asked.

  “Not only do the French want to muster as much of a surprise attack as possible,” Lady Ott said, “but they also want to create alarm that will mislead the forces stationed in New York as to the nature of the attack. This diversion will be executed by a small group of operatives. The mission is high risk, but both the Resistance and the French believe it could significantly benefit them.”

  “They want us to complete this mission?” Charlotte asked with a frown. “Aren’t we having this conversation because they don’t trust us?”

  Jack barked a cold laugh. “They trust enough to put us in harm’s way. Better us than their own.”

  “It may seem harsh,” Lady Ott said. “But Jack’s assessment is correct. Taking on this assignment demonstrates your willingness to sacrifice yourselves for the cause. If you succeed, you’ll be welcomed as heroes of the Resistance. If you fail . . .”

  “If we fail, it won’t matter,” Charlotte finished.

  “Do you have any specifics of this assignment?” Jack asked. “What’s the diversion?”

  Lady Ott nodded slowly. “You’re going to destroy the Great Wheel.”

  25.

  THE FIRST TIME Charlotte had glimpsed New Orleans’s massive iron walls, she’d been awash with expectation and hope. At that point, the city had represented the end of a hard journey. A victory.

  Now as the walls loomed taller and taller, Charlotte couldn’t view her approaching destination with anything but ambivalence. Despite Lady Ott’s reassurances that the Resistance would honor their side of the agreement, Charlotte restlessly paced the deck of the nondescript flatboat hurried along by the Mississippi’s powerful current. The trip from New York had been quick. Their small party consisted of Lady Ott, Meg, Linnet, Jack, and Charlotte—along with Coe, who was not only in manacles but also under constant guard. They’d taken the Otts’ Scarab from the Floating City to the airfield closest to New Orleans without crossing into its restricted airspace. Being forced to shift from the speed of air travel to the much slower pace of the river made the final leg of their journey seem torturously long, even though the flatboat slid through the water much more swiftly than the lumbering steamboats they passed.

  Charlotte watched the city draw near and felt the painful thud of her heart against her ribs. It wasn’t fear of imprisonment or punishment that made Charlotte eye the high metal walls as if they were a beast rising from the Louisiana bayous. What she dreaded was betrayal. She was afraid of entering the Daedalus Tower and discovering that she was caught up in a war machine over which she could exert no influence. And though she wouldn’t be facing the Resistance leadership alone, the number in her party had been reduced. Jean-Baptiste Lachance had returned to the sea, setting sail to rendezvous with his men in Barbados. His departure hadn’t surprised Charlotte, but Meg’s decision to remain in New York had.

  “I want to keep an eye on any unusual activities around the Temple,” Meg had told Charlotte. “I doubt the military would be so bold as to raid a holy site, but I can’t make any assumptions.”

  What about Ashley? Charlotte had wanted to ask. When it had been determined that they’d be returning to New Orleans, Charlotte had been hopeful that the pair would be reunited under happier circumstances than their last disastrous encounter. But any such reunion was going to be delayed for the time being.

  Linnet joined in Charlotte’s restless turns around the deck.

  Looping her arm through Charlotte’s, Linnet said, “Remember, kitten. You’re not facing them alone.”

  “Is my discomfiture so obvious?” Charlotte asked. When she faced the leaders of the Resistance, especially her mother, Charlotte wanted to present an unwavering front. If Caroline Marshall sensed hesitation or weakness, Charlotte would hold no sway in whatever negotiations took place.

  “To me it is,” Linnet replied. “But it’s my job to look beyond the masks people wear. Don’t fret. You can call up courage when you need to. I’ve seen it.”

  Charlotte smiled her thanks and was surprised to see an unexpected weariness on her friend’s face.

  “Are you unwell?” Charlotte asked.

  Linnet’s answer laugh had a bitter edge. “I suppose I am.”

  “What’s troubling you?” Charlotte took the other girl’s hand. “Let me help.”

  “I fear I am a lost cause, kitten,” Linnet sighed, but when she saw how Charlotte’s expression became drawn with fear, she laughed again. “Oh, darling, you needn’t worry about me. What plagues me isn’t fatal. At least I hope not.”

  Charlotte frowned. “Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

  “It’s shameful,” Linnet said. “Y
ou’ll think less of me.”

  “Surely not!” Charlotte said, all the more puzzled.

  Linnet’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I miss him.”

  Charlotte stared at Linnet so long that Linnet growled. “Don’t make me say his name.”

  “You mean Lachance?” Charlotte asked.

  Linnet uttered a noise of disgust that Charlotte took as a yes.

  Charlotte decided it best not to giggle, though she wanted to. “It’s not so bad. Missing someone.”

  “For me it is.”

  “But why?” Charlotte asked.

  When Linnet didn’t answer, Charlotte said, “I know he’s a pirate, but I think he’s quite nice.”

  Nice wasn’t the best word to capture all that was Jean-Baptiste Lachance, but at the moment it seemed like the most diplomatic choice.

  “I don’t care about his being a pirate,” Linnet said. She withdrew her arm from Charlotte’s, placing her hands on her hips and squaring off against the other girl. “I care that I miss him.”

  Charlotte quirked her lips, trying to unravel the mystery that was Linnet’s distress.

  Reading Charlotte’s obvious confusion, Linnet threw up her hands. “I’ve sworn to myself since I was a girl that I would never lose myself for love of a man. I’d sooner find a tunnel leading to Hades.” Shaking her head, Linnet gazed at Charlotte with baleful eyes. “Why do you think I didn’t want to kiss him?”

  “You already knew how you felt about him,” Charlotte said softly. “But you’d been able to lock it away.” Her heart cramped in sympathy, knowing full well the futility of burying such powerful emotions.

  “And that blackguard had to demand a kiss!” Linnet shook her fist at the sky. “He knew exactly what he was doing.”

  Charlotte considered Linnet’s outburst, then said, “Why does revealing your affection for him mean you have to lose yourself?”

  “Because that’s how it always happens.” Linnet gave Charlotte a withering look. “I’ve seen it too many times to count. I will not swoon while my brains dribble out of my ears.”

  With a slight nod, Charlotte continued, “What about Lord and Lady Ott? Do you think either of them are lost?”

  Linnet regarded Charlotte warily, as if she were being led into a trap. “They’re exceptional.”

  “Aren’t you and Lachance exceptional?” Charlotte countered. “You’re a spy. He’s a pirate. That’s hardly ordinary.”

  Linnet pursed her lips. “I suppose.”

  “Couldn’t you find a way to be with him and not betray who you are?” Charlotte’s voice became sly. “Perhaps you’re afraid of a challenge.”

  After glaring at her for several moments, Linnet whispered, “Wicked girl.”

  Charlotte laughed, and Linnet took her arm again.

  “I’ll not admit that you’re right,” Linnet said. “But I’ll take what you’ve said into consideration.”

  “If anyone can create a romance that thrives on independence and adventure, it’s you and Lachance,” Charlotte told her.

  Linnet cast a sidelong glance at Charlotte. “What about you and Jack?”

  A smile tickled the corners of Charlotte’s mouth. “Ask me after we get through the storm that’s about to break.”

  No sooner had the words passed her lips than the shadow of the Iron Wall spilled onto the deck and covered them, blotting out the sun.

  26.

  AFTER THE FLATBOAT had passed through the gates of the Iron Wall, the vessel proceeded directly to a dock where Lord Ott awaited their arrival. He immediately came forward to assist Lady Ott as she disembarked, kissing her lightly once she was safely off the boat. He greeted the rest of their party with a broad smile, but the lines at the corners of his eyes seemed deeper. Charlotte saw his age in a way she hadn’t before. He kept his arm locked around his wife’s waist, as if afraid to be parted from her even for an instant.

  “Linnet will take you to the Daedalus Tower,” Lord Ott told them. “Once you’re assured that your differences of opinion with the Resistance have been reconciled, she’ll join us at La Belle Fleur.”

  “You’re not coming with us?” Charlotte asked. The idea filled her with startling anxiety.

  “We never set foot within the Tower,” Lady Ott said. “While our allegiance is unquestioned by the Resistance, we must maintain the semblance of neutrality in the wider world.”

  Charlotte nodded, understanding but wishing this news didn’t render the ground beneath her feet unsteady.

  Lady Ott reached out and touched Charlotte’s cheek. “Don’t fret, my dear. Believe me, your mother and the other officers know very well what our position in this matter is.”

  Charlotte nodded again, hesitated, and then asked, “Are you going to stay in the city? The British fleet could arrive at any time.”

  “We have a vessel waiting in the Quay,” Lord Ott said. “When enemy ships are sighted, we will take the necessary precautions.”

  Lady Ott offered her a compassionate smile. “You’re under no obligation to remain in the Tower, Charlotte. If you choose to cut ties to the Resistance, you’ll receive no judgment from us. Come to La Belle Fleur. Take refuge on our ship. When it’s time to leave the city, you’ll be safe. That offer extends to any of your friends as well.”

  The wave of relief and temptation that swept over Charlotte was so strong it almost made her knees buckle. A way out. An escape hatch.

  At the same time, she knew that was a path she’d never take.

  “Thank you,” Charlotte told the Otts. She had no idea what she’d be feeling after her meeting in the Daedalus Tower, where she’d want to be.

  “Of course, my dear,” Lady Ott said. “Keep in mind that once the Imperial fleet is spotted, you have only one quarter of an hour to reach us before we leave the city.”

  “Again, I thank you,” Charlotte said.

  “Be brave, Charlotte,” Lord Ott added. “But most of all, stay true to yourself. You’ve done a marvelous job of that, thus far. As much as it has on occasion infuriated me when those choices have come as a surprise, the truth of your heart is what should always guide your actions.”

  Linnet clucked her tongue. “Before this gets too sentimental, I think we should go.”

  “Be well, my dear,” Lady Ott said. Her eyes flicked to Linnet. “Of course I’d never presume to tell you what to do, but I trust you’ll keep your head amidst the inevitable chaos?”

  “Always,” Linnet replied. She turned to Charlotte. “Time for your family reunion.”

  • • •

  The Daedalus Tower seemed smaller and less imposing than Charlotte remembered. She supposed her memories had been tinged by the awe of first impressions, of being introduced to the hidden operations center of the Resistance. Now she saw its characteristics more clearly: a space utilitarian and spare, functional but cramped due to the need for a secret and secure location.

  An attachment of midrank soldiers awaited them at the end of the corridor that ran from the Sintians’ Warehouse to the Resistance hideout. The soldiers took possession of Coe, and Charlotte was more than glad to be rid of responsibility for him. When their escort moved toward the heart of the Tower, Linnet hung back.

  Charlotte stopped, turning to her friend with a questioning gaze.

  “This is where I exit, kitten,” Linnet said.

  Charlotte’s pulse skipped. Being separated from Lord and Lady Ott was one thing, but the idea of Linnet’s absence was far more difficult to bear. She frowned. Surely Linnet wasn’t afraid.

  Reading Charlotte’s expression of dismay, Linnet took her hand. “I’ll be fighting for you and with you, Charlotte. But this isn’t my kind of battle. Don’t worry. We’ll be together again soon. I promise.”

  Charlotte gave Linnet’s fingers a quick squeeze, not trusting herself to speak. Linnet turned away while Charlo
tte followed the soldiers.

  Jack leaned over. “I’d hold your hand, but this doesn’t seem like an appropriate time.”

  His teasing words brought lightness back to her heart, and Charlotte threw him a quick smile.

  They were led to the same room where Charlotte had been taken by her mother the first time she’d visited the Daedalus Tower. Caroline Marshall and a fellow officer were waiting to greet them. Ashley stood slightly to the side. He offered Charlotte a brief smile of welcome, but his icy glare quickly settled on Coe. Coe returned Ash’s gaze steadily, but a shadow of regret flickered over his features.

  “Welcome back, Charlotte,” Caroline said, but her voice held no warmth. She regarded her daughter with what appeared to be tolerance, but nothing more. “I’m glad to see you safe. You’ve been through quite the ordeal.”

  Her eyes shifted to Coe. “And you’ve brought this turncoat so punishment can be meted out as warranted by his crimes. Do you have anything to say for yourself, Commodore Winter?”

  “Hail, Britannia,” Coe answered in a flat tone.

  Caroline nodded to the soldiers who’d escorted Charlotte and Jack through the Tower. “Take him to the cell that’s been prepared.”

  Coe didn’t struggle as he was removed from the room, but he did call out, “Enjoy this petty triumph while you can. It’s the only sweetness of victory you’ll ever taste.”

  Charlotte heard the desperation in his shout. He needs to believe he was right. It’s the only thing he has left to hang on to.