They worked out the entire deal as if it were real—how they would utilize a network of Icrurian soldiers loyal to Koen, still going by Remi, and pirates outside Sutherland’s reach that Sachia had a connection to. They would smuggle the salt through the blurred Icrurian-Asteryan border and into the frigid ocean near the Sheets. Lord Karev would then be able to sell it here in Mekës and the rest of Asterya, all for Sachia to take a cut of the profits. Aside from the initial profit of each sale, “Remi” would earn a substantial parcel of land upon the end of the war. The entire scheme was less sophisticated than Vaasa had expected of Karev, but she only provided subtle guidance and redirection when she felt it would make her seem interested, but never smarter than him.
“And in return for this connection,” Sachia said, directing the conversation where she truly intended it to go, switching very clearly to Asteryan, “I want my brother.”
Lord Karev leaned back in his chair, eyes glittering with intrigue, and Vaasa raised her brow. “Your brother?” Vaasa asked as if she didn’t know.
“He is rotting in your wretched island prison as we speak,” Sachia said. “Fighting for the nobles’ amusement.”
Vaasa’s stomach tightened at the poisoned blade of her tone.
“You can pardon him, can’t you?” Sachia asked her.
Warning bells went off in Vaasa’s mind. Her words needed to be incredibly careful. “That power lies with the emperor,” Vaasa said. Sachia must have known this would be the case—surely Lord Karev had told her that—but Vaasa still looked to her supposed betrothed.
“I’ll have that authority soon enough,” Lord Karev said.
Sachia tilted her head. “Are congratulations in order?”
Vaasa shifted in her seat, doing her best to avoid Reid’s gaze, her only saving grace that he couldn’t understand their shared Asteryan words. Koen didn’t translate—it would undermine the need for Vaasa there as a translator.
“No formal announcement has been made, but yes,” Lord Karev said. “The heiress and I will be drawing up a marriage agreement soon.”
Sachia frowned. “I don’t have the kind of time to wait for a royal wedding,” she said. “I believe we’ve already earned your favor, haven’t we, Lord Karev?”
The lord bristled slightly at her tone, eyes flicking to gauge Vaasa’s response. The mood in the room shifted with Sachia’s insinuation. He didn’t realize that Vaasa already knew he’d played a hand in Lord Vlacik’s death, so she blinked as if she didn’t understand. Vaasa then flicked her eyes to Reid and Koen, who stayed in perfect character, neither seeming terriblyconcerned by this line of discussion. It was as if the two of them weren’t involved at all. Sachia leaned forward, determination cut into every line of her face, and turned her attention to Vaasa. “If you cannot give me a pardon, then all I need is one night and for the city guard to turn a blind eye. Relocate them to another rotation.”
With those words, light bloomed in Vaasa’s mind. The brilliance of this plan… it was written by Koen, Vaasa was sure of it. She almost hazarded a glance at him. To do what Sachia demanded was to open up Vaasa’s own occasion for escape. It created a window of opportunity for them all. But Karev had insisted on his own connection being nominated as warden of the prison, Roland Beránek. Karev had the prison in his pocket, situating himself perfectly to offer Sachia what he wanted.
Or to betray her.
Careful not to seem too eager, she turned to Lord Karev with a good idea of the words he wanted to hear. “I do believe a large celebration, like for a formal engagement, would be cause to move the city guard from the prison to the port, right? Certainly we could ask Roland.”
Lord Karev slid those gray eyes to her, considering. “We’d have to announce our engagement soon in order to plan something like that.”
Vaasa only shrugged, careful not to appear too eager or motivated. But she was far too aware of Reid and Koen’s eyes on her. “Why put off the inevitable? The empire has been in limbo for too long.”
“Then why not announce tomorrow?” Lord Karev challenged. “Invite all of the nobles to dinner. We can have the parade in a week.”
The air squeezed from her lungs. He’d just backed Vaasa into a corner. If she refused him, he’d know she had a vested interest in what Sachia planned to do, or at least be suspicious.The immediacy of his request was in itself a challenge, even if it wasn’t meant as one.
She held Lord Karev’s gaze, knowing that Koen understood every word. That the moment they left this room, he would explain it all to Reid. She hoped desperately that Reid would understand, that he would know this was the best chance they had at making it out of this city alive.
“Tomorrow,” Vaasa agreed.
Lord Karev grinned unexpectedly, not taking his eyes from Vaasa as he spoke. “We have ourselves a deal, Sachia. We’ll host a formal engagement party next week, and that will be your opportunity. Get your brother and leave this city.”
One week. She had one week to gain access to Amalie and find her mother’s necklace. One week to solidify her own plans.
Vaasa nodded and reached across the table, placing her hand on Sachia’s. “Why don’t we meet you tomorrow night to celebrate?” She could hardly recognize the vapid tone of her own voice.
Even so, Sachia put her free hand to her chest as if she’d never been so honored, playing right into the scheme. She laughed, turning to Reid and Koen and switching to Icrurian. “Tomorrow night, we’ll meet at The Lady Fortune.”
Koen and Reid exchanged glances, and Koen gave a strong nod.
“He really doesn’t speak Asteryan?” Lord Karev asked, eyeing Reid from his peripheral as if he were merely a lowly guard, unimportant. Reid had done a fabulous job of not trying to follow the conversation, even though Vaasa had a feeling the exchange would bother Reid tremendously.
Vaasa translated instead of Sachia this time, finally meeting the intensity of Reid’s gaze for the first moment since she’d sat down. Reid tilted his head at her as she spoke in Icrurian. “No,not a word of it,” Reid told her. “Though for the right woman, I would happily learn.”
Vaasa fought her smile. “He says he does not, though he intends to,” she told Lord Karev in Asteryan, and then quickly switched back to Icrurian. “I’m sure you could find someone willing to teach you.”
