Page 24 of Vilest Things
“Were we briefed on this?”
Aliha and Rehanou glare at Rincun’s councilmember. Though Calla is equally confused, she has to resist the urge to drop her head into her hands for the way Venus just asked. Perhaps before her own soldiers boot her out of power, the council will get annoyed enough with Venus Hailira to put a hit on her from inside San-Er.
“The Dovetail,” Leida starts to answer, before any of the councilmembers can. “The largest revolutionary group in the provinces, with operations based out of Laho.” She tilts her head. Her hair is tangled by her neck. “It sounds like there are others in the room. Deepest apologies. Under King Kasa, the council was prohibited by the crown from acknowledging its existence. I wasn’t sure if that had changed or not.”
Calla stays quiet. The onlyothersin the room who seem surprised are the guards at the doors. Anton isn’t facing Calla. Otta doesn’t even look like she’s listening.
Venus pushes away from the table slightly. “No one told me about this either.”
“You will be told sensitive information when you’re deemed capable in your seat,” Councilmember Mugo rumbles. He has his hands laced across his stomach, his legs stretched long under the table. Rich of him to speak of capability when he was kidnapped in his own province a few months back.
Savin turns her tablet off and places the screen facedown. At some point, she seems to have taken over the interrogation, and Anton isn’t doing anything to resume command. Calla waits for him to interject, but his expression is unfocused. He’s following some other track in his head.
“The Dovetail, as far as we have gleaned, believe the old gods remain supreme, and the kingdom has taken its people away from this natural order. They regularly attack any delegation that encroaches on their operation route, largely in the provinces above the Jinzi River. The palace guards usually think they’re common province rebels.”
“I’m still not hearing why I have been made the scapegoat,” Leida says.
“The Crescent Societies didn’t start carving out hearts until you told them they could sacrifice qi and commune with the gods for more power,” Savin says. “Now six provinces have experienced similar attacks across a few days that target royal soldiers and palace generals. The death counts have already exceeded those of the attacks in San-Er.”
Leida squares her shoulders and tips her nose high. It should look ridiculous while she’s blindfolded, but her figure grows in the shadows, the line of her jaw stark enough to catch light. “If you already suspect that the Dovetail are responsible,” she snaps, “then ask their revolutionary insurgents outside the wall. I have nothing to do with it.”
“Don’t you think we have surveillance out in the provinces? The Dovetail were paid off from within the palace. A large sum of bills was taken out from the vault the day before you were arrested, and their serials have reentered circulation at each yamen where the attacks are taking place.”
Anton swivels suddenly. “No one told me this.”
It is almost the exact line Venus said, but the effect cuts differently. The councilmembers flinch. Some look away, not wanting to be the one to explain why. Others stare forward, as though it wouldn’t be their job to explain to their king anyhow.
They resent you,Calla wants to say. They have always resented August, and now Anton isn’t doing him any favors by digging into his plans and speedrunning them without any sensitivity to the politics of the council.
“The perpetrator is evident enough,” Rehanou concludes, speaking for the table.
“It wasn’t me,” Leida insists.
“Leida,” Anton prompts again, urging her attention back to him, and Calla hears the change in that word alone. She’s not the only one in the room who has noticed: Otta’s attention finally shifts away from Calla, her black eyes narrowing. “Did you know about the Makusas’ involvement with the Dovetail?”
What?
The councilmembers don’t seem to be taken too aback. Calla, however, can’t believe her ears. Anton is asking about the Makusas while posing as August. He’s dropping his act, and if anyone in this room has even the vaguest suspicion about his identity, this would surely be the battering ram. Besides, why wouldhisfamily have been involved with a province group? They were killed in Kelitu by rural rebels… weren’t they?
“What are you talking about?” Leida asks in return. “What do the Makusas have to do with this?”
Councilmember Savin clears her throat, trying to steer the questioning back on course.
“If you provide us with names of the members of the Dovetail you communicated with, we may spare you from execution.”
A sudden, metallic clang booms from the lectern, and the room collectively jolts in surprise. Leida’s tried to tug herself free, rather aggressively but unsuccessfully.
“Have you considered that maybe the similarities between the Crescent Societies and the Dovetail start and end with their hatred for the palace?” she spits. “You don’t think anyone out in the provinces might have tried sacrificing to theirgods for the fun of it and realized it worked? You don’t think they would then try to use that power to fight back?”
Mugo scoffs. “The old gods aren’t real.”
Leida goes very still.
“You’re right,” she says. “They’re not.” Her cuffs clank again, but this time, she’s not the one doing it. “But we are.”
Every light bulb in the room explodes.
Calla breathes a curse, ducking as the shards splinter outward. The Weisannas hurry into action, raising their weapons and training them upon Leida for the first sign of attack. Leida Miliu, however, hasn’t even tried to free herself, her hands still looped in the metal holding her to the lectern. Low gray light from the window illuminates enough of the room to show the councilmembers slowly straightening from around the table. Only a false alarm, perhaps.
