“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“Isoka, please. When I woke up I was honestly shocked I wasn’t dead.” Her voice goes quiet. “You dragged us out of the Deeps.”
“Where I would have died, if not for you.”
“I—” She grins. “All right. Let’s just agree that we made a good team.”
“Fair enough.” I find myself fighting a grin of my own. I can still see Ahdron’s puzzled face, feel his shudder as I ran him through. I’m still a monster, and my side rotting hurts. But Meroe is smiling at me.
“So what happened with the Butcher and Zarun?” she says. “Why were you fighting Ahdron?”
My grin vanishes. I take a deep breath and explain, as best I can—Zarun’s rescue, and the deal he offered. My counteroffer, and his terms.
“Why?” Meroe says. “What’s so important about being leader of Pack Nine?”
My hands tighten, gripping my trousers. “I wasn’t going to leave you for the Butcher.”
“Oh.” Meroe looks down at the table.
“I didn’t—” I swallow. I keep seeing myself through her eyes, bloodstained and brutal. “I didn’t want it to work out this way. I hoped Ahdron would give in without a fight. I thought—” I shake my head. “Sorry. No excuses.”
“I…” Meroe hesitates. “I can’t say that I liked Ahdron. But I didn’t ask you to kill him for me.”
“I know.” My stomach roils, like I’m about to vomit. “I told you I’m not a good person, Meroe. This is what I do. I hurt people.”
There’s a long pause.
“I don’t blame you,” Meroe says. “I … don’t want people to get hurt. But sometimes there’s no other way. My father told me that, once.” She’s smiling again, a sad smile full of old pain.
“I’m still going to get us both out of here,” I tell her. “Trust me.”
She meets my eye. “I do.”
There’s the sound of footsteps in the corridor outside, and a moment later Zarun enters, with Thora and Jack behind him. He gives a little half bow, blue eyes sparkling.
“Forgive me if I don’t get up,” I tell him.
“Of course,” Zarun says. “You’re the champion of the hour. And it was well fought, I must say. I knew you were tough, but I had no idea you were such an artist.”
I shrug, uncomfortably. “You’ve got what you wanted.”
“I have indeed. The Butcher was kind enough to wager the fate of Pack Nine on the contest, so she has grudgingly agreed to accept my terms. As of now, you are under my protection.” He repeats the bow in Meroe’s direction. “Welcome, Princess.”
“Just ‘Meroe,’” she says, voice guarded. She still doesn’t trust Zarun.
“Of course,” he murmurs, turning back to me. “As pack leader, you’ll be responsible for choosing your own hunts.”
“With your … advice, I imagine.”
“I strive to be helpful, with you being so new.” Zarun smiles. “To that end, Thora and Jack will be joining you.”
Jack is grinning like a lunatic, which seems appropriate for her. “Pledges of eternal loyalty, pack leader!”
“We’ll try to earn our keep,” Thora says, more subdued.
I don’t think any of us doubt for a moment what’s really going on here. Zarun used my challenge to steal Pack Nine from the Butcher, and he needs to protect his investment. Thus he assigns me “subordinates” to serve as minders.
I don’t object. He’s right that I’ll need the help, and if the time comes when we need to move against Zarun I’m sure we can evade them. Or kill them.
“Thank you,” I tell the three of them. “I appreciate the assistance.”
Zarun waves a hand at our surroundings. “The quarters are yours for as long as you want them. And if there’s anything else you need…”
I bow my head respectfully. “Again, thank you.”
“One more thing. Next week, the Council of Officers will meet in public session. My colleagues have asked me to say that they would be very pleased if you were to present yourself.”
I’m sure the Butcher will be thrilled. But there’s no use trying to duck her. If I’m going to use my new position to get to the Captain, getting close to the officers is the next step. I give a quick nod.
Zarun steps forward, unexpectedly, and takes my hand. I have to work not to snatch it away. “The public sessions are … somewhat formal occasions. You’ll need an appropriate costume.” He grins again, mischievously. “I would be honored if you’d let me assist you in finding something suitable.”
I manage another nod. He stays close a bit too long, watches me a little too close for comfort. Then he pulls away, bows again, and turns to leave.
“We’ll be back in a few hours,” Thora says, and she and Jack move to follow him. “Just need to collect some stuff.”
“Various and sundry treasures,” Jack says, “looted by Clever Jack. Also more underwear.”
I wait a few moments after the curtain closes behind them, until the footsteps fade into the distance. Then I look at Meroe.
“Why am I feeling like I’ve stepped in something vile?” I ask her.
“Zarun wants something from you,” she says.
“I think he’s made that clear.”
“Something other than just wanting to rut you, I mean,” she says, without a hint of embarrassment. “It must be something to do with the Council.”
“I know.” I lean back in the chair with a sigh. “I need time. How am I supposed to play the game without even knowing what the sides are?” Back in Kahnzoka, I’d had years to learn the lay of the land, which boss controlled which streets, who was safe to cross and who to avoid at all costs. I’d been aboard Soliton most of a week, at best, and all I knew was that one officer wanted to kill me and another wanted me in bed.
“Leave it to me,” Meroe says.
I look up at her. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you focus on keeping us alive and I’ll make sure you know where to stand when it comes to the Council.” Her smile is broad and genuine. “I’m not going to just let you carry me everywhere.”
“But…” I wave a hand weakly. “You don’t know anything more about it than I do.”
“No. But I will.” Some of my skepticism must have showed, because she rolls her eyes. “Isoka, you grew up on the street, and you know about gangs and brawls. I grew up in a palace, and I know about people smiling and being courteous while trying to stick a knife in your back. I had my own food taster since I was six years old.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t talked much about herself, down in the Deeps. “I had no idea.”
“Trust me. However nasty things are on Soliton, they’re not worse than the Royal Palace in Nimar.” She cocks her head. “Fewer pastries, though.”
I laugh, and she smiles wider.
“You don’t have to get me out of here,” Meroe says. “We will get us out of here. I don’t know what your plan is, but just tell me what you need.”
“It’s not much of a plan,” I admit. “Not yet. But first of all, I need to get close to the Captain.”
Meroe nods. “Then that’s where we start.”
15
I feel a chill, and threads of black magic shiver across my vision. Then Jack is standing beside me, arms crossed.
“Our prey is there,” she says, “all unsuspecting.”
“Good,” I say. “You’re sure you can keep its attention long enough for Thora and Berun to hold it?”
“Of course. But also unsuspected. There are two of them.” She flutters her eyebrows. “Lovebirds, perhaps? But what shall we do, fearless leader?”
Two shaggies, where we’d expected to find only one. That’s certainly a complication.
“Any chance we can pull one of them away?”
She shakes her head. “Doubtful. Close as two crows in a cage, those two. I suspect they will have to be taken together or not at all.”
“Can Thora hold a shaggy, with Berun helping her?”
“Perhaps,” Jack says. “She’s a mighty one, our Thora. But surely not for long.”
“It just has to be long enough for you and me to take down the other one.” I raise one eyebrow. “I trust that won’t be long.”
“Oh, delicious confidence,” Clever Jack says, “of course not.” But Clever Jack is never less than supremely overconfident in her own abilities.
“Thanks for the assessment,” I deadpan. “Go back to Thora and tell her to grab whichever one looks smaller. When she does, you and I will take the other one, like we planned.”
“Orders heard and understood,” Jack says. “Through this next hole, to the left. I will give you a few heartbeats to get into position.”