“Her precious General Kacha will do that,” I said. “And her message will throw Kacha off the scent. He’ll think we’re coming for him now, that going to Tavornai was nothing more than a ploy.”
Iradîo took the electric lamp off of the post the soldiers had hung it from. She held it above them, checking for any signs of life. After a moment, she plunged her sword down, and a man gurgled, finally dying. I helped her clean up, making sure none of Kacha’s men survived.
The work was gruesome, and also, strangely, reminded me of the hunting I had not been allowed to do as a young man. I felt my braids heavy where they hung over my shoulder and knew thatIradîo had given me ones that claimed me as a blooded warrior. But none of the northern men my age had ever seen the war against the Imperium. They had been blooded not in battle, but in a hunt.
It was not the same.
When we traveled back through the forest using the electro lamp to guide us, I paid no attention to whether my foot crunched twigs or leaves, and Iradîo whispered with the owl riding on her shoulder.
“What did she say?” I asked.
“She says that no one else from Kacha’s camp came south,” Iradîo answered.
I held aside a low-hanging branch, and Iradîo passed under my arm. Put off by our noise, the forest was silent around us.
Two dark shadows dropped out of the trees, landing on my shoulders. As we picked our way back to the estate, Terror made an argument for why Ratcatcher should be cut off entirely from food, while the other bird helplessly tried to argue in his own favor.
I tried not to be distracted but found myself smiling until I saw Asahi waiting for us, just at the edge of House Jolushi’s estate. His mask shadowed his eyes, and the electro lamp gleamed off of the smooth black ceramic of the wolf he wore on his face.
Iradîo and I both went still and silent. For a moment, I thought about walking past him, ignoring him and what it meant. He was supposed to be guarding Tallu. There was no need for him to be out in the forest.
“The emperor wants to speak with you,” Asahi said finally, his voice gravelly, as though he had been out in the mountain cold for enough time that he was nearly hoarse.
“It’s late,” I said pointedly.
“He’s waiting for you.” Asahi said the words firmly; even though he had been waiting out in the cold, he knew the emperor would not go to sleep until he spoke with me.
I wet my lips, the cool air giving me a moment of comfort,then nodded. I walked first, Asahi on my left side, Iradîo on my right. Before we reached the front door, Iradîo’s owl took off, Terror and Ratcatcher only a moment behind. A servant was ready, opening the door before I even tried the handle. The servant bowed low, his eyes fixed on the ground as he let us in.
Keeping my chin up, I headed for Tallu’s rooms, noting the number of soldiers posted in the halls. Was that General Saxu’s foresight, or Tallu’s orders?
Two soldiers stood outside Tallu’s rooms, opening the door as soon as they saw me. Two more were inside, and Sagam and Gotuye stood at both of the large windows, hands on their weapons, ready.
“You wished to see me, my lord?” I tried to keep my tone light, but there were too many men with knives in the room, and all I could see was the back of Tallu’s head where he sat on the couch, one hand moving in a smooth motion.
He didn’t react, and I wondered if Asahi was wrong, if Talluhadn’twanted to see me. Circling the couch, I saw that Tallu’s face was fixed in a glare, even as his hand was gently stroking over Naî’s back.
“I have returned, husband,” I said.
Tallu finally raised his chin to glare at me, and I didn’t flinch from the expression but I felt it like a physical blow. He was angry with me. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him angry with me.
“So I see.” He kept the words low, anger grinding them out of his throat.
I raised my eyebrows, tilting my head in a silent question. Tallu raised his free hand, continuing to stroke Naî with his other. He flicked his fingers, dismissing the soldiers. They moved instantly, but Sagam, Gotuye, and Asahi remained in position.
Iradîo looked around the room before finding a place to lean against the wall, her arms crossed.
“What were you doing in the woods?” Tallu asked. No, itwasn’t a question, it was a demand, and I found myself clenching my jaw in response.
“We left loose ends. I wanted to make sure that Zolle—the servant acting as an emissary to General Kacha’s men—didn’t tell them anything we didn’t want heard.” I waited, still standing, feeling the distance between Tallu and me like an expanse of choppy ocean water. “We killed Kacha’s men and sent her on her way down the river.”
Tallu’s fingers stilled on Naî’s back. “On whose authority?”
“Do Ineedyour authority to save your life?” I snapped, feeling the heat from the short battle rise again.
“You need my authority to risk your life. You didn’t ask, because you knew I wouldn’t allow you to do something so careless with something I hold so dear.” He was still glaring at me, the fingers on Naî’s back tightening on her crest until she turned her head and nipped at him.
Then, pointedly, she stood, hopping off the couch and disappearing out the window.
