Page 45 of Choosing Jenny
“Yes,” Deacon agreed quietly.
“So Justice wins either way. If they spy on you, he gets what he wants. If they don’t, he still gets what he wants because now you’re fighting with your consort, your sister-in-law, your friends. He’s fracturing your alliancefrom within. You stop trusting even the people you love. Justice doesn’t just stop a rebellion, he poisons the house it would have grown in.”
“Moons above,” Jac said on an exhale. “Justice is playing with you.”
Sarah nodded slowly in understanding. “And either way, Justice wins.”
Mal laughed, low and rueful as he looked at me. “Why didn’t I see it?”
“You’re too close to the situation,” I said, and shrugged. “This is the kind of mean-girl bullshit I used to see all the time at the café. Teenagers manipulating each other. Lying, scheming. Pitting people against each other so no matter what, they win. Only now, it’s not about gossip. It’s about war.”
They all looked shell-shocked at the realization and truth.
Deacon leaned back in his chair, visibly shaken. “I should have see it. I’m ashamed that I didn’t. But my pride is of no consequence. Only this war matters…”
His jaw tightened and did not loosen until Sarah took his hand in hers. The love in his eyes for her touched my heart. He was utterly devoted to her, there was no denying it. He looked to Jac, who was too far for him to physically reach, but the love between them was just as undeniable. Jac nodded once, giving his consent to whatever he wanted to do next.
Deacon turned to Mal, eyes hardened once more as he spilledtheirsecrets. “Our allies on Orhon are Sorla Skell, the Lady Blossom Winderbell, Graybeard Lowentyr, Mattison Trinks, and Buster Dembeck.”
Malice’s fork bent around his fingers as he squeezed it in reaction to the list. “Winderbell, that simpering moron?”
Jac laughed hard. “Then her cover is intact.”
“I’ve known her for years. She’s always been simple—”
“Exactly,” Jac said, still grinning.
Longshot released a breath and his shoulders fell. “Buster Dembeck? You can’t be serious.”
Deacon nodded. “Completely.”
“He’s in prison in Yesanol. How is he an ally?”
“Every prison has a communication system,” Jac explained. “How do you think I’ve been able to run prisoners out of the royal prisons for as long as I have? Can’t do that without communication.”
“What can he possibly do for you, being locked up?” Longshot asked, still not convinced.
“He has never stopped fighting Justice,” Deacon said. “As far as he is concerned, he is still governor of Yesanol and there is no united Orhon. The war ended for everyone but him and his allies.”
Confusion etched Longshot’s features. “But you were on opposing sides during the war—”
“And one day, we may have aconversationabout that,” Deacon said. “But until Justice is out of power, we have a mutualenemy, and Buster has devoted allies who want to see Justice dead.”
Mal stared at Deacon for a long moment. “Why are you telling us now?”
Deacon didn’t hesitate. “Because it’s the one thing Justice would never expect. That I, being who and what I am, would trust you, being who and what you are. He will never see it coming.”
CHAPTER 14
Mal
“You have allied with some interesting people, Deacon,” Longshot said, his voice cool. “But what is the plan?”
“We are still refining it,” Deacon replied, meeting Longshot’s eyes from across the table. “But the objective is a large scale strike on the capital with our soldiers. The palace is too fortified for an initial assault, wedged between the city and the mountain. So we’ll target the capital first, to draw out Justice’s elite guard. We’ll dress as commoners inciting a riot. Once his forces leave the palace to protect the city, the second wave of soldiers will strike the palace directly.”
“That’s when your second wavewill die,” Longshot corrected. “Do you honestly believe Justice Bateen would ever allow himself to be left vulnerable?”
I nodded in agreement. “He’s right, Deacon. Your plan will only serve to get civilians and all of your soldiers killed.”
