The Emperor's Edge (a high fantasy mystery in an era of steam)

by Lindsay Buroker

  Chapter 14

  The moon had come up, and silvery light illuminated the canneries, warehouses, and docks crowding the waterfront. Amaranthe stared across the frozen lake without seeing any of it. Footsteps crunched on the snowy dock behind her. She winced and rubbed away tears, her wool mittens scratchy against puffy eyes. At least the noise meant it wasn’t Sicarius.

  Books cleared his throat. “Maldynado told us about the fight.”

  “Massacre,” she muttered.

  “And that you...bellowed at Sicarius and cursed his ancestors.”

  “He killed them all without a thought. He killed my partner, Books. Someone I worked with, someone I knew.”

  “Someone who was about to kill you?” he asked.

  “No. That’s just it. I was talking to him. I think he was listening. I think he was going to take us to headquarters instead of attacking, and then...well, there would have been a chance to escape. I don’t think it had to end this way. People didn’t have to die.”

  “What if you thought incorrectly?” Books asked.

  “He could have waited to see. He just slithered in and started—” Amaranthe swallowed and sank into a crouch, head buried in her hands as the experience flashed through her mind again. Wholt’s slashed jugular.... The shocked expression on his face.... She grabbed a fistful of snow and hurled it off the dock. “We just had to escape. There was no need to kill everyone for that to happen.”

  “And then they would have come after you again.”

  “You sound just like him.” For the first time, Amaranthe peered over her shoulder at Books. “Are you actually condoning the murder of those enforcers? Wholt was just doing his duty—something I told him to take more seriously. He didn’t deserve to die for following orders.”

  “That was his decision. When he put on that uniform, he agreed to risk his life for the city, for something he believed in. A lot of men die for nothing at all.”

  “Books!” She stood and slashed her hand in exasperation. “You were married; don’t you know how this is supposed to go? The woman doesn’t want you to argue or try to solve the problem with logic. The woman wants you to commiserate with her. You don’t have to fix anything. Just stand there and nod and say ‘uh huh’ and ‘I understand.’ That’s all you’re supposed to do.”

  She dropped her gaze and brought her clenched fist to her lips. Get a hold of yourself, girl. You’re going to drive them all away. She opened her mouth to tell him she appreciated him coming out, but he spoke first.

  “Is that really what women...?” He prodded thoughtfully at his beard. “Hm, maybe that’s why my wife left. I always thought I was helping, but she never appreciated it. I never understood why.”

  At least someone was having useful revelations tonight. She managed a faint smile for him. “Do they not teach these things at professor school?”

  “A deficiency in the curriculum, it seems.”

  She gripped his parka sleeve. “Thank you for coming out here. I’m sorry I snapped at you. You’re not the one I’m mad at.”

  And it wasn’t Sicarius either. Amaranthe sighed. She knew who and what he was, and she had cajoled him into helping anyway. Sure, it had been out of desperation, but she could hardly start carrying a sword and then later be surprised it could cut someone. It was her own stupid choice she was angry about. How had she ever thought becoming a criminal to stop criminals would do anything except add horror to the world?

  “Yes,” Books said, “about that... I don’t mean to, ah, try to fix anything, but you may want to apologize to him.”

  It took her a moment to wrench her mind back to the conversation. “Sicarius?”

  “He’s not a man you want to turn against you.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

  “He has no morality, no conscience. I’ve seen him kill enforcers too. It’s not as if this is a new hobby for him. He’s utterly heartless. I’m not sure what hold you have over him...”

  The emperor.

  “But if I were you,” Books continued, “I wouldn’t presume it to be absolute. Be careful. You trust too easily. The first day we met, you told me you were wanted by the enforcers. What if I had turned you in?”

  “I knew you wouldn’t.”

  “How could you possibly know that?” he asked.

  “You weren’t sober enough to find Enforcer Headquarters.”

  Books snorted. “You see people the way you want to see them, not the way they are. You think Maldynado is a gentleman, for spit’s sake.”

  “What do you think he is?”

  “A worthless scoundrel who’s never worked in his life. And Akstyr—I’m shocked he hasn’t murdered us all in our sleep. You’re going to get surprised someday. I...don’t want to see that. Please be careful. Sicarius isn’t someone you can trust. Don’t push him too far.”

  “All right, Books. I’ll consider your advice.”

  “Good.” His tone lightened. “I came out here for another reason. I did some research for you today.”

  “Oh?”

  Paper rustled. He held something up, though darkness obscured the details. “It’s your list of Larocka’s business names. You had question marks by a few of them.”

  “Yes, it wasn’t clear from the names what the businesses did.”

  “That’s what I assumed, so I looked into them. Interden builds steam carts for farm use and the annual Plains Races. Yestfer is a local smeltery, the first in the empire to use raw anthracite coal in the blast furnace. And Tar-Mech creates steam vehicles for military use.”

  Amaranthe frowned. “Vehicles for the military? One wonders if that might somehow come into play if she carries through her assassination attempt.”

  “Probably not, unless she intends to run Sespian over with a steam tramper. Though being a supplier to the military might give her some privileged insights into imperial affairs.” Books rustled another paper. “I also created a diagram for you. It has Larocka at the center and shows all the people she’s been mentioned in concert with in newspapers and publications. And it shows which of those people are connected with each other. It’s all supposition at this point, but some of the names that link most heavily amongst each other could indicate key players in the Forge organization.”

  “Excellent work, Books.” She couldn’t stomach the idea of perusing it that night, but perhaps by morning, she would have her resolve—her focus—back. “Are you sure I trust people too easily? I seem to have made the right choice with you.”

  He lifted a mittened finger. “Yes, but...”

  Amaranthe waited.

  “Well, I’m obviously more reputable than someone like Maldynado or Akstyr, and...I...”

  “Of course,” she said. Best to let him off the hook. “Did your research uncover the name Arbitan Losk at all?”

  “He’s on the diagram, connected to a lot of people,” Books said. “It was interesting though, as he doesn’t appear to have been anyone worthy of a mention in the papers until the last year.”

  “According to his desk files, he’s an orchard owner. Not as big time in the business world as someone like Larocka. Perhaps a year ago is when they first hooked up, and through her influence he’s become someone notable who...”

  “What?” Books asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he’s using her for something.”

  “Sleeping his way to prominence and power?”

  “You never know,” Amaranthe said.

  “Well, this is all I have. I’ll leave the papers for you to look over in the morning.”

  “Thank you.”

  Before he left, he put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Think about what I said regarding Sicarius, please. For all our sakes.”