Deadly Games

CHAPTER 19

Amaranthe straightened the crimson,braided-hide band across Basilard’s chest. Following in theTurgonian style, he wore it diagonally across a crisp white shirtwith silver piping. According to imperial lore, the band wassymbolic of the across-the-back sword scabbards the originalconquerors had worn, a throwback to the days when the size of aman’s sword had indicated…well, no man had dared carry one anyless than five feet long.

How do I look? he asked when shestepped back.

“Maldynado picked out your clothes anddressed you,” Amaranthe said. “How do you think you look?”

Fabulous?

“Correct. How’s your shoulder?” They hadtaken him to a surgeon to remove the pistol ball, and Akstyr hadapplied his healing fingers, but she was still surprised he hadbeen able to compete in the final Clank Race. Compete and win. He’dsaid he had realized his purpose-or perhaps remembered it-down inthat laboratory and had been motivated to kill himself, if that’swhat it took, to earn dinner with the emperor.

Basilard rotated his shoulder. Goodenough. How is your knee?

Amaranthe grimaced. “Also, good enough.Unfortunately. I was hoping for more of a vacation from ourtraining regimen.” She glanced toward the doorway of the rail car,though she doubted Sicarius was anywhere nearby. He had been scarcethe last three days, and she wondered if there was something he hadnot told her about the events below.

Sicarius does not know what a vacationis.

“I’ve noticed.” She could use one though.Earlier that day, she had talked to Keisha about Fasha’s death, andthe weight of that failure, along with so many others, hung heavilyabout Amaranthe’s shoulders.

When I get to talk to the emperor,Basilard signed, what should I say about the team?

Everything, Amaranthe wanted to blurt.Basilard should tell Sespian how much they’d done for the empire,that they were responsible for stopping his assassins, for fixingthe water supply when it was poisoned, and for saving the athletes.And he should let the emperor know Sicarius wasn’t the demon heonce knew.

Amaranthe exhaled slowly. “Don’t say anythingabout us. That’ll get you thrown in the dungeon. You didn’t enterthe Imperial Games using the name you go by now, so, with luck, hewon’t know you’re part of a team of criminals. Wrongfully accusedcriminals, but criminals nonetheless. Just talk to him about what’simportant to you.”

Basilard held her gaze for a long moment,then nodded. I understand.

Amaranthe waved to Books, who was sighingdramatically and repeatedly as Maldynado fiddled with his clothes.Since he no longer had a bounty on his head, Books would go withBasilard to act as a translator. Sending two members of her team tosee the emperor was risky, but this was Basilard’s dream. Besides,they were the quietest and least notorious of her crew.

What if we get thrown in the dungeon?Basilard asked, as if he had been reading her thoughts.

“We’ll rescue you, of course.” She patted himon his good shoulder and debated a moment before voicing her nextthought. “I’m glad you chose…to set aside the past to try toimprove the future.”

He stared at her. You know? That I meantto kill…

He did not finish. He didn’t need to.Amaranthe knew.

“You’d been glowering suspiciously in hisdirection for months,” she said quietly, so the others would nothear, “and then suddenly you were avoiding looking his way at all.And spending an inordinate amount of time with Akstyr.”

Oh.

“You don’t have to forgive people for theirpast crimes, but if you believe they can do future goods, perhapsit’s worth helping them along that path.”

Perhaps. It’s hard for one man to makethose kinds of choices. Normally a priestess would advise….Basilard grimaced. It doesn’t matter. No priestess will adviseme any more. Even if I avenged our people, it wouldn’t make adifference. Not for me. I have no chance at redemption.

Amaranthe blew out a slow breath. What couldshe say to that? “I’ve noticed…every culture has a differentnotion of what the afterlife entails, which makes me think nobody’sall that certain. Maybe your best bet is to find fulfillment here,in this life.”

Basilard raised a single eyebrow. Youthink I can find fulfillment with Sicarius?

Amaranthe smirked. “Perhaps not himspecifically, but if you can get him on your side, he’s prettyuseful for helping achieve goals.”

Basilard stroked his chin, and she left himlike that. Considering her words, she hoped, and not dismissingthem as the ravings of a Turgonian heathen.

Amaranthe headed for the doorway, butMaldynado stopped her with, “Don’t go far, boss. We’ve got to getyou into your outfit and do something with your hair.”

“My outfit?” She cringed and wished she hadnot mentioned that she was meeting Deret that evening. She onlyintended to tell him her team’s side of the story, but Maldynadobelieved that, because this discussion was taking place in theImperial Gardens and involved a picnic basket, it should be treatedas a tryst.

“I picked out something tasteful for you,”Maldynado said.

“Tasteful?” Books said. “You? That’sdoubtful.”

“You doubt my fashion sense?”Maldynado asked. “You who, most days, wear the same rumpled clothesas you slept in? And who…”

Amaranthe left them to bicker. Maybe shecould sneak out of camp before Maldynado finished with Basilard andBooks.

When she hopped out of the rail car, sheturned and almost stepped on Sicarius’s toes. He stood by the door,his back to the rusty metal siding.

“Something you wish to discuss?” Amaranthecould not imagine him eavesdropping on a conversation aboutclothing.

“We should move the camp tonight. If Basilardis recognized and interrogated, he could lead the imperial guardright to us.”

Always the positive-thinking pragmatist.

“We have been here for a while,”Amaranthe said. “We can move tomorrow.”

“Tonight would be better.”

“I don’t believe Basilard would give us up,even if he were taken prisoner. Besides, tonight everyone’sbusy.”

“Busy,” Sicarius said.

“Sorry, but after the last week, I think afew days of relaxing and recuperating are in order. You’re welcometo do so, too.”

“Relax.”

“Yes, it’s something most humans need to do.It involves getting one’s mind off one’s troubles, putting awayone’s extensive knife collection, and not stalking about in ahyper-alert state all the time.”

“Sounds like a way to get killed,” Sicariussaid.

Amaranthe pointed toward the rail cardoorway. “Maldynado and Akstyr do it at brothels all the time, andnobody’s bothered to stick daggers in their backs yet.” Sherealized how that might be construed and winced. “Not that you needto visit brothels to relax. I mean, unless that’s what you prefer,because it’s not my business if you do, but you could, uhm, take anice moonlit stroll on the beach.” Oh, sure, like any man wouldchoose that option. “Or play Tiles or gamble a bit, or, uh…” Dearancestors, she could not imagine what he might do for fun orrelaxation. Practice throwing knives? “Well, you should dosomething you’d like to do tonight, as the rest of us are, andwe’ll worry about moving in the morning.”

Sicarius, as usual, regarded her with theblandness of a particularly featureless rock, then walked away.

The dress Maldynado had chosen wasn’tentirely appalling. The V-neck and sleeveless nature left more