“Not at the moment,” I say. “Did any of the sentries or pages enter this room as you set up breakfast?”
She shakes her head but then pauses. “Sentry Avarre came in, but he was just looking for milk. He was only here for a moment.”
Which would be long enough to plant poison in a goblet.
“No one else?” I ask.
She shakes her head and bites her lip to keep from trembling. Then she glances at Eyo. “Why is his face like that?”
“Effects of godless death,” I say.
Unlike truth and justice, death doesn’t have a god recognized in Pryor.
She stares at her lap, but she has nothing more to tell me.
“You may return to your duties,” I say. “Send in the cook.”
As I wait for the next servant, I consider the fact that Sentry Avarre was in this room for no real reason. He was in the pool with Antinous, too, and Senator Terrance does not hide how much he wants to be Senate Leader. Verhardt’s and Antinous’s murders gave him freedom from blackmail, and with Eyo dead, he has a path to absolute power.
But what about Kera’s assertion that she can divine whether this was a murder? The only reason she would make that claim and then backtrack away would be because she doesn’t want them to know how much power she has. But if she can divine the truth about past crimes, perhaps she can aid me in hunting the suspect, in toppling a senator.
I hang my head.
I may need to work with her.
The gods have cursed me. I really shouldn’t have made those comments about the dead birds.
XXVII.
Kerasea
I sit in the throne room, scratching at my wrists under my bangles as the Council begins to vote on whether or not to conclude the conclave.
“Now is the time for action,” Suh says, banging his fist on the table. “Now is the time for bravery, in honor of our dearly departed colleagues. We must save this republic from her enemies. I, along with every patriot, will vote to proceed.”
“I agree,” Terrance says loudly. “It is the moment for action, for resolve. The loss of Senator Eyo should galvanize us. Thus, to fulfill my duties as senator and champion the republic, I, too, vote to proceed.”
“Meaningless bravado aside,” Foreau says, waving his opal-encrusted hand, “because we are arepublic, the first and second provinces must have elected representatives in any conclave. I vote to conclude until new senators are chosenbythe people,forthe people.”
Terrance narrows his eyes, his cheeks coloring at the slight.
Paolo stands and turns his ring. “I vote to conclude, although I motion that with concluding, we hold elections with great haste. I further add that we convene a special session on Arthago within a month’s time.”
Terrance and Suh both sputter as Paolo retakes his seat, his light brown cheeks assuming a cherry hue.
“Which will be far too late for the people of my province,” Medea says from her chair. “And because of that simple logic, I vote to proceed.”
My stomach sinks. With the majority vote, the Council has decided to stay.
I stare at the five remaining senators. Is it possible? Could they have truly colluded together when they can’t agree on simple resolutions?
Senator Paolo leaps to his feet. “The High Priestess must vote for the first province.”
Terrance shakes his head. “We are not tied.”
Foreau looks from Paolo to Terrance, his brown eyes lighting up. “On a matter of this level of importance, all provinces need a voice.”
Before anyone else can speak, I stand. “I vote to conclude.”
