Bram’s lips pressed together, his silence alone a damning answer.
She was sickened.
It must have shown on her face, because Bram’s expression tightened. “I would have warned you. If I’d been told, I would have made sure you weren’t anywhere near that square.”
Her heart clenched. “How can you support an attack like that?”
Defensiveness rose as his eyes steeled. “The price of freedom is steep. We can’t be afraid to pay it, or we’ll always live in tyranny.”
“The attack in Market Square wasn’t fighting tyranny, Bram. Everyone in that square was innocent.”
“No,” he said firmly. “Most everyone in this city supports the emperor’s rule.”
“They weren’t soldiers!” she burst out, though she tried to keep her voice down. “They couldn’t fight back. They were regular people. Men, women, and children.”
“It’s unfortunate so many people had to lose their lives,” Bram said grimly. “But I assure you, more innocent lives have been stolen by the emperor. And after such a public attack, the emperor can no longer ignore the Rising. What is the loss of a hundred lives when we can free thousands?Avengethousands?”
She stared at him, horror swelling. For the first time, she could feel the raw edge of Bram’s conviction. He truly believed the Rising had done something noble by killing those defenseless people. “Rix wouldn’t condone this,” she whispered, almost desperately. She needed Bram to see what she saw—that the Rising’s actions had been pure evil.
Bram’s expression hardened. “Perhaps you don’t know your uncle as well as you think.”
She wanted to protest, but if today had proven anything, it was that she didn’t know anything about anyone. Not her father. Not Bram. And probably not Rix or her mother.
Bram was watching her intently. “I’m sorry you were hurt, Lady Amryn. But you can’t forget what the Rising is trying to do. What we needyourhelp to do.”
She looked away, hoping to gain control of her emotions. She’d nearly forgotten she had a role to play. That she was supposed to be a loyal rebel.
It wasn’t an act when she released a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, I just . . . It was terrifying to be there.”
Some of Bram’s defensiveness faded, replaced by compassion. “It’s all right. I can’t imagine the fear you must have experienced.” He hesitated, then glanced at the closed door. “I can’t stay much longer. I’m sorry this has to be brief, but—”
“It’s all right,” she interrupted. Frankly, she didn’t want to prolong this. “We found the Dagger of Hafsin.”
His eyes glinted. “You did?”
She nodded, her throat dry as she confirmed the dagger was in the treasury. She told him everything Morelli and Keats had instructed her to say about the blade’s location and the treasury’s security—including the suggestion that the ideal time to steal it would be midway through the emperor’s ball. Finally, she told him that she, Ivan, and Samuel wanted to help steal the dagger.
Bram instantly shook his head. “It’s not worth risking you all. If you were discovered—”
“The risk would be minimal,” Amryn interrupted. “And it will be less dangerous for everyone if we help.” Her lips pressed into a line. It was vital that she convince Bram. General Keats wanted the Chosen involved for very tactical reasons, but Amryn wanted to be there because she knew it would make the trap easier to spring, and that could save lives on both sides. She took a breath, then laid down her rehearsed plan. “As the Chosen, we can walk right up to the guards without alarming them. Ivan knows of a Sibeten drug we can easily administer to them. There would be no fight to subdue them, and they would have no memory of seeing us.”
Intrigue flickered in Bram, but she knew he wasn’t fully persuaded.
She hurried on. “We can also walk you right to the dagger, because we’ve been there before. It will take us far less time, which means all of us will be safer—including your superior.” Feeling a last bit of hesitancy inside him, she delivered the lie Samuel had suggested. “We didn’t get to finish our missions in Esperance because of Tam. Let us do this. Let us help. Please.”
Bram released a slow breath, his shoulders lowering. “All right. I’ll propose this to my superior and let you know what he decides. But I think he’ll be grateful for your help.”
“Thank you, Bram,” she whispered.
As she watched her uncle’s bodyguard—a man she had known for most of her life—make his way toward the door, she felt a swirl of guilt for deceiving him. But after witnessing his reaction to the attack on Market Square, she could no longer view Bram as harmless. Truthfully, she’d known it from the moment he’d declared his desire to kill Carver.
Bram’s arrest was imminent. And while she could still hope his innocence would be discovered in a trial, she could not regret her decision to help imprison him.
When Bram reached the door, he twisted back to face her. “I know none of this has been easy. But every sacrifice will be worth it when we succeed. We’ll get the dagger, and the Wraith will kill the emperor. This will all be over soon.”
He had no idea how true his words were.
Chapter 48
