Noam was it. Either Sacha got him to turn on Lehrer, or Sacha went down.
Noam sat.
“Thank you,” Sacha said. He exhaled, then twisted in his seat to face Noam directly. He kept his hands folded atop the table, like they were in a goddamn business meeting.
“Noam, where is Dara Shirazi?”
Not the question Noam expected. “Why are you asking me about Dara when I’m being accused ofmurder?”
Sacha gave him an arch look. “Answer the question.”
“I don’t know. Protective custody, I think.”
“That’s convenient,” Sacha said. “A threat to Mr. Shirazi’s life arrives right before Lehrer plans to make his final gambit. The telepathic spy is off the chessboard.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you do. You’re friends, aren’t you? And we all know you, Mr. Álvaro, are not as stupid as your test scores would have you appear.” Sacha’s mouth twitched up, like it was some mutual joke. “So I’ll ask again. Where is Dara?”
“I don’tknow. Probably the Ministry of Defense. I’d tell you to ask Lehrer, but I know you won’t.” Noam crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Sacha with all the hatred he’d stored up these past years.Fuck you. Fuck you. You’re a fucking murderer.“You already decided what you think happened. So fuck the truth, am I right?”
“He’s not in the Ministry,” Sacha said. “I checked. I even asked Calix, but he told me Dara’s safety depended on his location staying a secret.”
“Yeah. It probably does. So why are you still asking?”
“Because there’s nodeath threat, Noam. Not unless you count whatever Calix plans to do to Dara when this is all over.”
“You’re crazy,” Noam said, but that did nothing for the cold that laced down the back of his neck.
“I’m trying to protect him.”
“Yeah. You have a great track record protecting the people who live in your country.” He gritted his teeth so hard it hurt. “Fuck you. I can say that, right? Or is that treason now too?”
“Of course,” Sacha murmured, unclasping his hands. He leaned back in his seat. “You consider yourself one of the refugees, don’t you? You were born here in Carolinia, but your parents weren’t.”
Noam glared in silence.
“Undocumented too. I looked them up. We never managed to get our hands on your father, but he had quite the unofficial record himself. Is that how you got involved with Brennan’s people in the first place? Your dad?”
“How dare you talk about my dad,” Noam snapped. “You have no right.”
“Should we talk about you instead?” Sacha was unmoving. “After your mother killed herself, you filled her shoes well enough. You got two jobs and dropped out of school. You took care of Daddy when he couldn’t take care of himself.”
“Shut. Up.”Noam couldn’t quite breathe. The air in his lungs felt like acid. He was drowning in it.
Sacha gazed back at him dispassionately. “Then let’s change the subject. Tell me what Lehrer isreallyafter—because I know he doesn’t care about being king again.”
Noam imagined Sacha with his neck on a guillotine. That was how Lehrer had dealt with traitors after the catastrophe, after all.
A pretty thought. Noam exhaled, long and slow.Steady. Calm.
This headache was fucking stunning.
“I don’t know,” Noam said.
Sacha was grasping at straws, trying to make Noam angry enough to give something away. That meant he was almost out of time.
Good.
