“Should we monitor the cave?” Mistel asked.
“It’s too cold to sit out there day and night,” Kurtz said.
“I saw Thusk Shipping Exchange crates all over Ice Island,” Mistel said.
“Me too,” Cole said. “We need to search his warehouse.”
“I don’t see how,” Zanna said. “It’s always busy.”
“Hold on a second,” Kurtz said. “Let’s not jump past Verdot, eh? He’s exploiting the prisoners, he is. Probably selling them overpriced goods and pocketing the extra coin.”
Zanna tapped her mug. “Families send money to Verdot, thinking it’ll help their loved ones. Verdot buys goods from Nash Erlichman, who uses Thusk to ship them in. Prices are exorbitant, and they split the profits while prisoners who can’t pay starve.”
Cole turned to Kurtz. “Can prisoners in the Prodotez purchase perks?”
“Depends. Ice Island is a marketplace for corruption. Guards sell everything: softer beds, better food, contraband. If you have coin, you can buy your way out of hard labor, pay for protection, make your enemies suffer. If you can’t pay, you’re nothing to them. I couldn’t afford it. I also think Verdot saw to it that Eagan and I received no leniency or privileges.”
“You didn’t qualify.” Mistel quirked one eyebrow.
“Nope,” Kurtz said.
Cole’s stomach churned at the thought of Crispen rotting away there. “Did you ever get out of the Pit? For walks or fresh air?”
Kurtz laughed bitterly. “No, and neither did Eagan. Gavin tried bribing Verdot, but Verdot always claimed his hands were tied by someone higher up.”
“Who’s above Verdot?” Cole asked.
“That’s what we’d all like to know,” Zanna said.
“It used to be the Council of Seven,” Kurtz said. “They’re who voted to put me there, but none of them are the same people today.”
“Could it be Falkson?” Cole asked.
Kurtz snapped his fingers. “I like that, I do. If Falkson controls Thusk, he likely has Verdot too.”
“I noticed Verdot Amal called Jaira Hamartano Princess Jaira,” Cole said.
Kurtz grimaced. “I caught that too. Verdot seems to have all the wrong friends.”
“Is there a list of the missing?” Mistel asked.
“No official one,” Zanna said. “Ice Island holds just over a thousand cells, not counting the Pit. Floors ten and eleven are for women. Nine of the 152 women on the island have vanished. When women disappear, we notice.”
“Oren has a list from people who filed complaints about not being able to communicate with their incarcerated family or friends,” Kurtz said. “Some petitioned priests, others sought Lady Revada’s help. Since Lord Edik’s death, concerns have been raised for thirty-eight prisoners.”
“Which means the number is likely higher,” Zanna added. “Many prisoners have no one to ask after them.”
“If Verdot and Thusk are moving prisoners,” Mistel said, “why? What’s the purpose?”
“Boar sold to Jaelport,” Cole said.
“But why send prisoners there?” Mistel asked.
“Slavery is rampant in Cela Duchy,” Zanna said.
“But even if they take prisoners through that tunnel,” Mistel said, “how do they move them to a ship? Someone must have seen something.”
“We need to check Thusk’s warehouse,” Cole said. “Unless Kurtz can see through the Veil.”
