“Why…yes,” said Miljin, startled. “A…a crackler. That was what he’d said.”
“And you thought the idea mad at the time—but what if it wasn’t?” asked Ana.
My mouth opened in surprise—yet Miljin remained unmoved. “A man ten span tall was following this Engineer,” he said. “Around the streets of Talagray. We are to take this seriously?”
“It’s very simple,” said Ana. “Jolgalgan got onto the grounds, made a hole, and secreted herself away until the party. But how did she get past the walls? Well, Din’s reports, and our interviews with our witnesses, have forced me to conclude that the only way our poisoner got onto the estate grounds was through the sluice gates.”
I nodded as I began to understand. “But the sluice gates are heavy…”
“Right! Yet someone very, very strong might have lifted the sluice gate just enough to allow Jolgalgan inside. And, Miljin, you were told that Terez said he’d been seeing a rather suspicious crackler about—one with yellow hair. And who else has yellow hair?”
“Jolgalgan,” I said. “She has pale yellow hair…”
“She does!” said Ana. “Because she is from Oypat. As is, I think we can now assume, this mysterious crackler who helped her break in. Two Oypatis, taking apart the Empire from within Talagray…The theory that Jolgalgan is out for some kind of bloody revenge for the death of her canton grows ever stronger!” She turned a page. “And thus, I now look through the list of all the folk in Talagray augmented for strength. We find an Oypati crackler, then we find Jolgalgan.” She paused, very briefly. “Along with any other collaborator she might be working with. I just need a name. Just one name to hunt down…” She grimaced, and her stomach growled noisily. “By hell, what time is it? I’m so damned famished I can hardly think!”
I beckoned to a porter standing at attention across the courtyard, waving him over.
“We need a meal here,” I told him.
“What might you prefer, sir?” the porter asked.
“Flesh. Beef or fish, preferably, and as recently slaughtered as possible. It doesn’t have to have been cooked, just oiled and salted and sliced thinly.”
Ana paused as she turned the page, a smile playing at the edges of her mouth. “You’re beginning to know me well, boy. But have it brought to my rooms, please. I will need to study this list in a place with a little less stimulation…”
I dropped a few talints into the porter’s hand, and he bowed and trotted off.
Ana began messily piling her papers. “I shall finish my work and find a name. But pursuing this crackler will not be simple. An Apoth like Jolgalgan will have many invisible ways of murdering you, possibly beyond dappleglass. Thus, once I have a name, I shall contact the Apoths to ready a contagion crew.”
Miljin’s face darkened. “A contagion crew…By the Harvester, I never wished to ride out with one of them.”
“We have no choice. I’ll not have you or Din choking on your own blood because Jolgalgan set graft trips in your path.” She stood. “Come to me in the morning, and I will give you your orders. Perhaps we eliminate one of our three mysteries tomorrow. But Miljin…” She lifted her blindfolded face. “Unless I’m mistaken, we do have an hour or so of light left…”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll show the boy a few tricks, ma’am.”
“Very good. Thank you. But one last thing…Din? Come here.”
I did so, extending my arm to her as I was accustomed. Yet her fingers pawed up my shoulder, then to my head, where she plucked out three of my black hairs.
I winced. “Ma’am! What was that fo—”
“Oh, relax,” she said. “I need some black hairs. And my and Miljin’s hair is too pale. Only yours could do.”
“Do for what, ma’am?”
“To keep me alive, of course. For I’m relatively sure someone shall try to poison me as well, and that right soon—yet these shall protect me.” She grinned. “Good night!”
* * *
—
AS THE EVENING grew full dark, Miljin showed me a few ugly little moves of his; not really fighting techniques as much as dirty tricks, ways to hobble or hamper your opponent. My particular favorite was one where, if you had time to identify a thrust, you could deflect the blow and angle your blade in such a manner that you trapped their sword with your crossguard, and they impaled their shoulder upon its point. I did it so well that Miljin had to stop himself from piercing his flesh. “That’s enough of that one, then!” he said, shuddering.