Page 153 of Fortress of Ambrose
The Dragunhead.
“Exceptmy sister.”
Ube is such a good liar. I can’t tell if this is true or if he’s saying this to protect her. “So the Dragunhead ispaying youfor secrets on us?” I fold my arms.
“You misunderstand. I didn’t know the Dragunhead was interested in hiring us until his messenger told me. I haven’t taken it to the group yet. But this is what we do, sell secrets.”
“Hismessenger?”
“Yes, she tried framing me, knowing that we were working together. But two can play that game.”
“Who?”
“Yaniselle.”
I steady myself. “Your people up there would willingly helpa mass murderer? The Dragunhead is a monster!”
“When you live as we have, it no longer matters who the monster is. It only matters that he doesn’t treat us likewe areone.”
I can’t form a cohesive sentence; so many thoughts are converging in my head at once. Everyone here was about to be offered a chance to spy on us for the Dragunhead, so Ube says. Buthe’sthe only one who actually has. He and Yani.
“I need proof of Yaniselle’s involvement.”
“You said if I told you the truth, that was enough for my freedom.”
I close the distance between us, swelling the shadows in my hand.“I lied.”
Ube puts distance between us. “I don’t have proof. She mentioned it casually as we worked on a trial extraction. She knew who we were and what we do. She asked if I was available to hire. She said she could guarantee our freedom if I’d pass information to her for the Dragunhead. She insisted that betting on you and Jordan was foolish, when the Dragunhead has other Houses behind himandan army of Darkbearers.”
I choke on nothing. My heart rams harder.
“I asked what information she wanted,” he goes on. “And she said to get to know you as best as I could and pass on anything, even the seemingly inconsequential, to her. She had me write notes of your behavior. I’d pass those to her during the day. Once we were locked in our rooms, it grew harder to spy on you. Then when there was news of the ball, she told me to get the diadem from your room and leave it in Sunrise Corridor. Then she turned on me, framing me for the jobshe told meto do!”
“And you didn’t say that in the ballroom in front of everyone because?”
“And blow the whistle on my people’s knack for spying? That reputation remains our best-kept secret and everyone’s most secure source of income. Besides, Jordan wasn’t going to believe anything I said. I was a dead man when Yani spoke up.”
“And now you’ve just traded their freedom for yours.”
He shrugs. “There is no honor in this business, like I said.”
“One last question.” It’s been needling me since we were locked in the ballroom. Jordan said the Scroll’s pieces were found and probablyusedcenturies ago.What does that mean?“Do you know anything about an Immortality Scroll?”
“A what?”
I repeat myself, and he stares, earnestly bewildered. “Never mind.”
“Well, then, let me out. Unless you were lying about that, too?”
“You’ve failed the Dragunhead. I’m sure he will punish you better than I ever could.”
Ube doesn’t say a word as I sneak him back upstairs, through the broom closet corridor, and into the Secret Wood. I point west.
“Out here? You want me to just—”
I draw on the shadows sleeping in my bones.“Now.”
He runs, and I watch until he is a dot in the distance. I was right. Yani is the traitor, but the deception goes deeper than I realized. How much of what Ube said is the full truth? That everyone inside would help our enemy given the chance. That no one believes in the new world being built.
