The beat of my blood rose. How wonderful it would be to drive a knife into one of Thalamis’s squinty little eyes.
“But then,” said Thalamis, “the Senate appoints an Iudex Investigator to Daretana. And she requests an engraver. A specialized role, requiring an unusually talented Sublime to fill the post. But then…why, suddenly out of nowhere, this young Sublime swans in and scores the top marks on his Iudex test. An absolutely phenomenal performance—so much so that he’s given another Iudex test, just to confirm it’s real. And again, he gets top marks. And so, this investigator picks him. I’d say it’s remarkable…but that’s the wrong word, isn’t it? I think a better one is unbelievable. Perhaps impossible.”
I focused on my breath, on my posture, on anything but the face before me.
“I will figure out how you cheated, Kol,” said Thalamis. “And when that happens, your time here is deader than a butchered hog. And all your dispensation, and any lands you might be rewarded at the end of your service term, are gone. But before you go, I’ll have you caned—again—just for wasting my time. Is that clear?”
I said nothing.
“Is that clear, Signum?”
“I understand, sir,” I said grudgingly.
He stepped back. “But maybe I won’t need to wait that long, Signum,” he said. “Maybe you’ll piss off the Hazas so much that they’ll find a way to get your apprenticeship terminated.”
He walked away. I stood in the dark street, still standing at attention. I could feel my blood beating in my ears and my breath hot in my nostrils. I watched Thalamis go, wishing it had been he, and not Blas, who’d been torn to pieces by those trees.
Yet I remembered the hunger in his eyes, and his very specific questions.
It suddenly felt like Captain Thalamis was working for the Hazas. That seemed valuable to know.
Yet I wondered—how many other officers were friends of the Hazas? What exactly had I gotten myself into this morning? And what did Ana know?
I supposed I’d find out tomorrow. I turned and slinked off to bed.
CHAPTER 5
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THE NEXT MORNING I led my three reluctant witnesses to Ana’s house, my practice sword swinging at my left side and my engraver’s bonds tinkling at my right. The sword was uncomfortable to carry, for the blade was made of lead and wood to build strength, so it was far heavier than a common sword. Gennadios moved the slowest of the three, her painted nose high in the air. Perhaps it was out of protest, but she also wore the platformed wooden sandals associated with high-gentry servants, forcing her to shuffle through the muddy streets. After her came Ephinas, the older servant girl, and then Uxos, the groundskeeper. Both of them seemed utterly terrified.
After what felt like a damned day of walking, we made it to Ana’s porch. “I’m going to need to confirm none of you have weapons,” I told them.
Gennadios’s tiny, glittering eyes widened. “You are not,” she said, “laying a finger on me. Or my people.”
“I’ll touch you only through your robes, ma’am,” I said.
“You will not!” she said.
“I have to,” I said. “It’s my duty.” I wanted to tell her I certainly wouldn’t be enjoying it any, but that didn’t seem diplomatic at the moment.
She huffed for a moment. Then she said, “I will pull my robes tight about me, and Ephinas will do the same. Then you will see we have no blades on us. Uxos can do as he pleases, of course.”
Ephinas and Gennadios then did so, pulling their clothing tight against their bodies while I looked them over, blushing, for I found this more mortifying than just searching them. Then I cleared my throat and searched Uxos, checking his waist and leggings. Nothing.
“Satisfied?” asked Gennadios.
I ignored her and knocked on Ana’s door. I heard a short “Come!” and opened the door.
Ana had redecorated. The books and projects had all been removed from the meeting room. Instead, she had produced a small desk, and she was sitting behind it in her short stuffed chair, waiting for us with her blindfold on her eyes.
She smiled as we trooped in. “Good morning. I am Investigator Dolabra. Please take a seat.”
She gestured before her. Two chairs awaited the witnesses, along with a stack of books to serve as the third seat.
The three servants stared at her. I took up a position standing behind Ana, my hand on my practice sword. It seemed unlikely that these anxious people would try anything, but Ana had told me to be ready, so I would be ready.