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“You’re also established in Markoth. It’s best if you remain here.”
“Did you familiarize her with the armory? The route back?”
“All the above and I even got her a way into Caiven’s estate.”
“Why? We only need to get into his armory. What else…” Maude trailed off, her mouth falling open. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“You trust Lilith with that girl?”
“She’s the only one I trust with her.”
Maude’s aura continued to wilt. “I warned you it was too much. Getting what we need out of Caiven’s cellar is one thing. But stealing from his home?”
“It isn’t just about stealing, guns or people…” Kyer took a step closer. “Dismantling Caiven’s operations interrupts one of Eocera’s largest smuggling networks. Without his distribution system, the central continent’s access to ghosted tech almost ceases to exist. Not to mention he funds the smuggler in Reave who is now heading the rebellion against Perex.”
“All of that only happens if Caiven is dead.” Maude bristled as Kyer remained impassive. “You really think she’ll do it?”
“I think she’ll make the right choice.”
“Did you stop to consider that you’re actually helping Brialis? Leaning into either side isn’t what we should be doing. All of them are our enemy.”
“If the technology coming from the slums in Reave is as advanced as I’ve heard, then we need to pick our poison. It’s been done, Maude,” he finalized, turning his back on her. “You’ve had a long few days. Take some time.”
Maude’s anger returned palpably fragrant, even to Kyer whose face was hard but didn’t bleed it like his daughter. She whirled around, enveloped in a cloud of dark citrus-laden colors and stomped away.
“Always so high strung,” Kyer mumbled to himself. He looked to Jarek, presenting only a hardened member of Rimore’s army and not the carefree spirit he usually carried. “And you?”
Kyer’s motives left a lot to consider. He had mentioned the trafficked girl before, but the priority had always been the guns. Maude was right. Giving anyone in the empire an advantage was as risky as trusting Lilith on her own for days on end. “I am a little irritated that I spent the better part of a year tracking her down for you to release her when my back was turned.”
“I imagine you are, but the timing was perfect. I wanted her there early enough to scope out the estate before the banquet. You three just so happened to be occupied enough that I didn’t have to listen to so much protesting.”
“What makes you think she’ll return?”
Kyer grazed over Jarek. Like Maude, Jarek respected the man, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t blood, and he acted in his own interest. If Amalia, or anyone tied to her, stepped out of line in a way he couldn’t stomach, he wasn’t bound to comply with orders. Never again would he do that.
“I have assurance she will,” Kyer said.
Jarek laughed. “Luka? That’s it?”
“I thought you said she cared about him?”
“Yes, but I don’t trust he’s enough for her to give up what she wants, and what she wants is to get as far away from here as possible, and you gave her exactly that.”
It was as if Jarek was stealing Kyer’s agitation as the major’s slipped away and his grew. “Have a little faith. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we? Amalia wants the Wraith back, and I think it’s best for them both that I deliver a motivated one. Caiven is the right kind of scum that not even Lilith will have second thoughts about killing of her own free will. But if you’re so concerned, you’re welcome to go early and make sure everything is fine.”
Jarek’s eye twitched. “I am not worried.”
“I didn’t say worried. I said concerned.”
“Is there a difference?”
Kyer stared at Jarek who could feel the man digging into his psyche. “Sterling,” he finally said under a frown.
Sterling, who was leaning in the doorway and watching the interactions as if it were a show put on just for him, grinned. “Sir?”
“I’ll hold down the camp here, if you don’t mind. After you complete your runs to the tunnels, prepare a party to Ava’s safe house. Enough for an escort back here for Lilith and Croll and another for the ferry to Zaitrerin for the girl.”
