“I asked you once what you’d be willing to do to escape a life of slavery. Remember, Jack? For me, there was a time I was willing to risk Brach’s anger and retribution for coming here.”
“You never told me the last part,” I said.
“Life with Brach had always been hard. But his obsession with revolution made him insufferable. He came to expect that I share his madness, do to others what he’d done to me. That’s when I came to see Mr. Wilkinson to explore my options.”
“Didn’t like what you saw?”
“To his credit, Henry was honest about how exposed he and the Iron Horse were becoming, though he did mention that he’d begun to cultivate a promising successor, who he hoped might help him renew the ward.”
“Henry didn’t tell you it was me?”
“He kept that to himself,” she said, “ just as he kept my visit private. Do you have any idea what would have happened to meif Brach had found out I’d contemplated leaving him and the Shiguan?”
“I can guess,” I said.
“No, I don’t think you can.” She waved a gloved hand to indicate she was done with her story.
“You know,” I said, “when I revealed Brach’s scar, I caught a look inside your shadow.”
She drew smoke. “Is that so?”
“Pretty sure I saw a hint of the same wound Brach was carrying.” She stared at me, her cigarillo burning between us.
I didn’t need to peer into her shadow again to see the betrayal. I knew that look. “You left the Iron Horse that day with a new idea. Not to escape Brach, but to take his place.”
She nodded. “Once things were in motion . . . I do wish I’d tried to stop it.”
“Henry trusted you because he thought you needed help, and you twisted that trust into a plot to kill us both.”
“Brach needed what only the Ward’s death could give him.” Emaline shrugged. “He’d coveted it for a very long time. The Iron Horse protections had just always been too strong.”
I hated how casual she was about it all. “But then you learned the ward was failing, and you helped him see that if Henry was out of the way, he could weaken her and take her song.”
Emaline said nothing. This woman whom I’d empathized with, fought beside, and started to fall for was the one truly responsible for Henry’s death. I thought I might be sick.
She tapped her ashes again. “I guess I didn’t think it would get that far.” “No, because you planned to sell him out to Convocation and the
Chancery. He gets boxed, you take over. You’re no longer the slave. You’re the master.”
“It’s true I have my own ambitions,” she admitted, “but it’s also true that I couldn’t live that life anymore. And I didn’t agreewith the way Brach was pursuing his revolution. So, I made a choice.”
I got very close to her. “Youkilled Henry.” “Henry was a good man. He will be missed.”
“Yes, he will. And I guess that puts an end to our friendship.” For sure, but I did feel a pang for it—somehow, I was still drawn to her.
She held my gaze. “Perhaps. Do consider, though, that I could have done less to help you with your ward, or even maneuvered to take it myself. But I didn’t, because I appreciate what it does for you and your people. None of which means, mind you, that the revolution is over.”
“Which means what?”
“Brach’s part is done,” she said, “and he was a catalyzing influence, to be sure. But his followers still clamor for reprisal against topsiders. And you shouldn’t forget that half the chancery still favors revolt. You’ve won peace for now, Jack, but there are many paths to revolution. For my part, I won’t ever again yield to someone who would seek to control me with lies . . . and that includes your topside world.”
I shook my head. “Kind of ironic. You saying that to me.” She smiled.
I wanted to gut her with my khopesh right there on the street. Of course, she was protected by the ward. “Turns out you’re every bit the daughter Brach always wanted.”
She tamped out her smoke against the wall. “Let us say our goodbyes before we spoil what rapport we have.”
“Just one more thing,” I said. “Brach was holding a child, Madam’s son. Get the boy back to her, or I’ll tell the Convocation about your part in Henry’s death.”
