“An Ebrian. This is their Nameless God.”
Perhaps surprised at his knowledge, Septima arched an eyebrow.
Emere explained, “I once traveled with one.”
Rakel had owned such a wood carving. She probably still had it, hidden away somewhere.
Septima clucked her tongue at the dead man’s personal effects. “This won’t do. We need to find another way to talk to Cain. This place is going to get dangerous, I think. We should leave.”
Emere held one of the carvings in his hand, running his thumb over it and feeling the texture.
“If the three of you are from the Ministry of Intelligence, why are you secretly meeting with a provincial who worships a forbidden god in a place like this?”
“Forbidden gods are a matter for the Office of Truth,” said the stout man, “not Intelligence.”
Emere kept his gaze on Septima. “You know that’s not an answer.”
Septima regarded Emere for a moment before answering.
“All right, Councillor. I shall explain.”
“We just met this guy!” the stout man objected, his lantern swinging as he turned to her.
“It’s fine. He was summoned here by Cain, after all.”
Devadas gave a nod as well. The stout man opened his mouth to speak but closed it again as he put the lantern down on the table. Emere could sense a certain reverence in the way the three of them carried themselves. The name “Cain” gave weight to the dusty air in the tavern.
It somehow reminded him of being taken for the first time to the sacred forests of Kamori as a child—the priests leading him to the Tree Lords, the huge trees that bestowed wisdom and blessed the country. As the rustles of their leaves gradually turned into speech, Emere had found himself bowing his head with his hands placed on his chest.
Septima continued.
“Two years ago, Cain prevented a Star of Mersia from being set off in the Capital. Thanks to his efforts, only a few hundred died in the resulting fire instead of the whole of the Imperial heartland being destroyed. We have been cooperating with each other ever since.”
The Star of Mersia. The Powered weapon that could turn an entire country into a desert. Emere recalled the sight of the wastelands of Mersia, a desolate view that he had shared with Rakel.
“What Cain discovered while looking into the Circuit of Destiny was plans for a rebellion. We are trying to stop it.”
It was the kind of thing the Ministry of Intelligence would do. The Arland incident had happened only two years ago; they were right to be on edge.
Emere suppressed a grin. “And what province is planning a rebellion now?”
“It’s not a province. It’s the Office of Truth.”
Silence.
The stout man finally spoke up. “Grand Inquisitor Lysandros led the Office of Truth for over a hundred years. Ever since he was killed by a provincial, presumably, the Office has been up in arms. Those bastards have always been a pack of fanatics,” he nearly spat out. “Once they come into power, they will purge everyone. No one is safe, Councillor.”
Lysandros. Two years ago, Emere had encountered him at Finvera Pass. He had only approached them, which was enough for Emere and his soldiers to fall where they stood, unable to breathe. It was almost understandable that his absence was so keenly felt that the Office of Truth would resort to this.
But this didn’t make sense. “Even if it were so, all you wouldhave to do is alert the Senate… it’s the Senate that has command over the legions. Wouldn’t that be a more efficient way to stop it?”
Septima smiled bitterly.
“It is as you say. If the Senate does not wish it, there can be no takeover. But this plan has been secretly approved by many of the senators. This is a political ritual, if you will, to overcome the dissenters and skip legal hindrances. There have been three such precedents in the history of the Empire. Each time, an Imperator was appointed.”
“An Imperator?” Emere had not heard of this position.
“A special office that can rule without any adherence to procedure, supposedly to bring the wayward Empire back onto its destined path. You won’t find mention of it in any of the Empire’s laws, as the Imperator is above the law.” Septima paused to sip from her glass. “Ever since the attack two years ago, many senators have become paranoid about the provinces. There have been heated debates in the Senate about this. The Office of Truth has been advocating tighter control over them, while selling the coup to those senators who would listen. The Ministry of Intelligence in turn has been persuaded not to intervene.”
