“They might not have the time,” General Pollack said, quietly. “How many people do you know who are depending on their notes being repaid tomorrow?”
“Then tell them to wait,” Harman said.
General Pollack looked back at him, evenly. “And what if they can’t wait?”
Jalil slapped the table, hard. Everyone jumped.
“We have a problem,” he said, sharply. “Right now, our sole priority is finding a way to solve the problem before we run out of time. We can assign blame and rewrite the laws later, once we have some breathing space. Vesperian’s death cannot be allowed to tear the city apart.”
Emily winced, inwardly. She had a feeling it was already too late. Buying back the notes for face value was the simplest solution, but who had that sort of money? The only person she could think of who could afford such an investment was King Randor, yet she knew better than to expect him to solve the independent city’s problems without payment. He’d probably want to put a garrison in the city, for starters. Perhaps the guildmasters could put together a fund to buy the notes…
Except those who didn’t invest will resent having to pay for those who did, she thought, grimly. And then they won’t be happy either.
“Lady Emily,” Jalil said. “Would you be prepared to join the investigation team?”
Emily took a moment to consider it. She was no accountant. Indeed, she had the feeling her appointment would rub far too many people the wrong way. And yet, figuring out just how much money Vesperian owed – and to whom – was the first step in defusing the time bomb before it exploded. If General Pollack wasn’t confident of controlling the streets, when the investors realized that none of the money would be repaid on schedule, she knew the riots were going to be bad. The rioters might even blame the guildmasters for the disaster.
“I would,” she said. A thought struck her. “And I would like to propose that Markus be invited too.”
“A banker,” Harman muttered.
“He understands modern banking.” Emily had her doubts about Harman. The accountant had every reason to want to see the newfangled paper banking system collapse into rubble. “And I have faith in him.”
“Very well.” Jalil looked at the grey man. “Harriman?”
“I will serve,” Harriman said. “However, I do not expect quick results. This is an unprecedented situation. We do not even know – yet – who Vesperian named as his heirs.”
“He had a son,” Merriam pointed out. “And a wife.”
“And we don’t even know if the project is viable,” Harriman added. “If we seek to complete the project, sir, we have one set of decisions to make. But if we decide to wind it up and sell the remains to the highest bidder…”
Emily groaned, inwardly. The railway line between Beneficence and Cockatrice was a wonder, even though the planned extension was almost certainly a financial disaster waiting to happen. She didn’t want to watch, helplessly, as it was broken down for scrap, the engines melted down and the railway lines torn up. Hell, merely selling the rails would send the price of iron plummeting. The accountants might not reclaim even a fraction of their paper worth.
“We will assess the situation first,” Jalil said. “We will work out what actually happened to the money. And then we will decide what we want to do.”
He looked at Emily. “Guildmaster Harman and Harriman will escort you to Vesperian’s offices.”
“I can’t come with you,” Sienna muttered. “Be careful when you come home.”
“I will,” Emily promised. “And thank you.”
General Pollack moved to stand next to her and spoke quietly, pitching his voice so only she could hear. “Be very careful. The Guard has managed to keep a dampener on any major riots, but small fights are constantly breaking out all over the city. Too many people in bars, drinking themselves silly; too many rumors, each one worse than the last. Quite a few involve you.”
Emily grimaced. “Do I want to know?”
“Probably not,” General Pollack said. He motioned for her to accompany him - and Sienna - out of the room. Sienna cast a privacy ward as soon as they were outside. “But you should know.”
He sighed. “The most common rumor is that you either loaned or agreed to loan Vesperian a great deal of money. Each retelling credits you with ever more fantastical sums of money – right now, there are rumors that insist you loaned him millions of crowns.”
“There isn’t that much,” Emily protested. “I am nowhere near that rich.”
General Pollack shrugged. “Those are the decent rumors,” he said. “We have various rumors suggesting that you promised investment, only to pull it out at the last minute so the project would fail. Or that you charmed him into overextending himself so you could sneak in and claim the railway for yourself. And then we have suggestions that King Randor used you to destabilize the city so his armies could march in and take over. And then…”
Emily scowled. She didn’t want to believe someone could think that of her, but she knew – all too well – that rumors grew in the telling. There was no internet on the Nameless World…not that the internet would have made things better. If anything, the internet would probably have made matters worse. By now, people were probably implying that she’d made a deal with the Necromancers and was working to undermine the Allied Lands from within.
“I’ll send Caleb to join you too,” Sienna said. “You may need his help.”
“Thanks.” Emily wasn’t sure if Caleb could help, but she knew she’d welcome his presence. And then another thought struck her. “General…is it wise to ask the Hands of Justice for help patrolling the streets?”
“We’re short of manpower,” General Pollack said, grimly. “A third of the City Guard has decided it’s a good time to desert. Others bought notes of their own. We just don’t have many choices if we are to keep the streets relatively calm.”
“It won’t last,” Sienna said. “Prices are already going up.”