Fienna had bidden Cain to save the people she cared about. It was a hallucination from the poison. But it was also something the Fienna Cain had known would have said. Wouldn’t telling Septima now be the best way to save them? But the words wouldn’t leave his mouth. His vengeance was over, so why was he hesitating?
Devadas began rowing them back toward the docks.
Maybe, somewhere in the shadows of his heart, he wanted to see the Imperial Capital go up in flames. Many heartlanders believed that all provincials deep down wanted to harm the Empire. Cain was beginning to think this might be true.
“I don’t know what the plan is, but it’s soon. She said something about two days of delay… But also that two more days would be too late. And that she would have Safani do it to stay on schedule.”
The part about the Capital turning to ash was conveniently left out. How could he trust Eldred, Cain thought, justifying the omission to himself. Still, he couldn’t think of a good reason to have left out the stolen Power generator in the empty house.
“There’s nothing we can use here,” muttered Septima.
“Knowing Safani, I’d venture a guess it’ll involve an assassination or five,” said the stout man.
“It would be most welcome if it were simply that, as nothing is more replaceable than people in the Empire.”
But could the Empire replace hundreds of thousands? Would they just bring in people like olive oil was brought in through the docks? As the boat crossed the black waters, Septima and the stout man swapped theories while Devadas, rowing, stared at Cain without speaking.
The boat made it to the docks. Devadas went up the ladder first and took a quick look around before signaling the others to follow. The stout man quickly climbed the ladder. Septima turned to Cain and said, “You’re going to our headquarters.”
“But I… Didn’t you hear? I almost died twice tonight.”
“And two people actually died, one of them a great merchant with connections to the Senate. We need to write something in our report, you know.”
They had two days at most before the Capital blew up. Sooner, if Safani did his job…He has to be stopped.But he could not find the words to say it.
A short distance from the docks, a black carriage waited for them. A driver in a dark cape nodded in their direction. He woke the horses with a shake of his reins, their hooves clacking on the cobblestones. Septima sat next to the driver, and the stout man got inside. Cain was very conscious of Devadas standing right behind him, blocking any chance of escape. There was an air of skepticism coming from him that Septima and the stout man did not share. Cain climbed into the carriage and took the seat behind the stout man. Devadas sat next to Cain.
Along with the other central offices of the Empire, the Ministry of Intelligence headquarters were in the old city. The carriage briefly paused by the wall that surrounded the area, permits being required to enter this part of the city at night. The guards signaledover the wall, and the gates opened. The first thing he saw were the dense rows of streetlamps, which turned the old city a different color from what it was in the day. Pale blue, running on Power. The carriage ran through a street that was as blue as a river.
The stout man was talking. “Have you ever been in the old city?”
“A few times, to deliver oil,” said Cain, looking out the window. Almost no provincials lived in the old city, and even people from the other six cities of the Imperial heartland were uncommon. As the district where the Senate, the Commons, and almost all the headquarters of the Imperial ministries and merchant houses resided, this was the true center of the world, the place where the Empire was born. Buildings were grander, lights brighter, shops more extravagant. Even the leaves of the ubiquitous trees planted among the streetlights and the buildings gleamed.
“Take a good look, because you won’t be seeing the outside for days.”
If Eldred was correct, the 327-body Circuit of Destiny would overload, causing an explosion big enough to destroy the Capital. Even worse, a Star of Mersia could be unleashed to destroy the entire heartland; if either happened while he was in the Ministry headquarters, he wouldn’t be seeing the outside ever again.
Cain realized Devadas was still staring at him, which made him so uncomfortable he finally just met his gaze directly and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Devadas said, in a low voice, “You weren’t alone on that boat.”
“Of course not. The ex-legionary woman was there, and Gladdis.”
A strange look came over Devadas’s eyes. Something like a look of sadness. He pointed his finger at Cain’s sternum.
“No. There was one more. I can see it in your face.”
Cain felt his heart stop. He didn’t answer. How could he know what Cain had seen in his poison-addled state?
Devadas lowered his voice. “You have a task, right? A burden you inherited from someone great.”
The stout man scoffed. “Truly a Varatan, no question. If you say something superstitious like that too loudly, the Office of Truth will come and take you back.”
Not responding, Devadas turned away and closed his eyes.
Cain remembered Fienna’s last words to him. To avenge her, to vanquish villains, and to save the world. Or not the world perhaps, but at least the people she had taken care of. As if he was their king. She was only a figment of his poisoned mind, but those words had been ringing in his mind ever since.
Cain finally understood why he had not told the agents about the Circuit of Destiny conspiracy. This was not a job for the Ministry of Intelligence, or any other organ of the Empire. This was a job for Cain himself.
