“ According to the ledger, they were only there for one day.” Amaranthe tapped her fingers on the table. “You’d think that an organization that’s been previously investigated would stay away from a place like that to avoid suspicion.”
“ If that ledger is the only place their stopover was recorded, not many people would know about it,” Books said.
“ Do we believe it likely this circus troupe will have anything to do with the coup in the capital?” Sicarius asked.
“ Are you implying that we’re wasting our time with this discussion?” Amaranthe asked him.
“ Our time may be better spent training for the inevitable confrontation with Forge and Ravido, rather than meddling with inconsequential affairs.”
Ah, Sicarius, always the blunt one. He was probably right, though Amaranthe wondered why he cared about Forge and Ravido and, for that matter, the fate of the empire. With Sespian no longer in Forge’s grasp, Sicarius no longer had a wrestler in the Games, not so far as Amaranthe knew. Unless he hoped to help his son get the throne back. Perhaps he felt that by doing so, he could gain Sespian’s trust?
All she said out loud was, “This might not be inconsequential.”
“ You have a hunch?” Books asked.
“ Why would the circus troupe be going to the capital now if they didn’t have some role to play in the events there? From everything we’ve been able to discern from the newspapers, Stumps is in upheaval with martial law on the horizon, if it isn’t in place already. As far as everyone there knows, the emperor is dead, and there’s going to be chaos until a successor is appointed. Stumps should be the last place the troupe wants to visit right now. Who’s going to worry about getting circus tickets at a time like this?”
“ Even in eras of economic woe, people will spend money to be entertained,” Books said.
“ This isn’t so much woe as chaos, or the potential for it,” Amaranthe said. “Would you go to the circus if there were soldiers marching up and down the streets, enforcing curfews and who knows what else?”
“ We don’t know that’s happening yet,” Books said. “We won’t know the exact scenario until we’re on the ground there and able to investigate for ourselves.”
Sespian waved toward the open ledger. “It could just be that they’ve made a commitment to perform and are financially obligated to do so. And the Forge woman that owns them… maybe she simply boarded the River Dancer because it was the fastest way to get back to the capital and reconnect with her Forge cronies. Maybe she didn’t even know the troupe was aboard. Maybe she’s sneaking about so they won’t spot her and question the fact that they’re being forced to travel to a city on the brink of war.”
“ In other words, you two both think we’re wasting our time?” Amaranthe looked back and forth from Sicarius and Sespian. Though she felt a tad ganged-up-on, she managed to find amusement in the situation. “Is this the first time you’ve been in agreement over something?”
Sicarius said nothing, but Sespian straightened his spine and uttered a hasty, “No.”
“ You’ve agreed on a point before?” Amaranthe asked.
“ No, I meant we’re not agreeing now. We’re just spreading our tiles on the board. Everyone is. Isn’t that what one does at meetings like this?” Sespian peered about the cabin, seeking support.
“ I don’t know.” Maldynado pointed at Sespian and Sicarius. “Your tiles do look similar to me.”
Sespian frowned at him. Amaranthe supposed Maldynado had given up on greasing the kid’s lube points when he realized Sespian was in no position to grant him a statue. Or maybe he thought everyone appreciated his ribbing.
Amaranthe patted the air in a placating gesture. “Maybe you’re all right. Maybe this is all nothing and we blew up an absolutely lovely door for no reason.”
“ Being trapped on the wrong side of it was reason enough for me,” Yara said.
“ But we don’t have anything else to do until we reach the capital,” Amaranthe said. “We might as well-”
“ Train,” Sicarius said.
“ Er, what?”
“ We can train. Whatever awaits us in the capital will be taxing.”
“ I’ll… keep that in mind,” Amaranthe said, “but we may find it’s worth having a couple of people go out to poke around.”
“ In maid outfits?” Maldynado gave Yara a speculative look, as if disappointed he hadn’t seen her in the disguise.
She flushed, but was quick to counter with, “Only if you’ll be the one wearing it.”
“ That would certainly alarm those old Forge ladies,” Sespian said.
Akstyr snickered. “Imagine returning to your cabin after dinner to find a big muscle man in a skirt and slippers.”
“ There’d be screaming involved, surely,” Books said.
Maldynado sniffed. “I assure you, I look good in any thing. If there were screams, they’d be screams of delight.”
“ No more maid outfits,” Amaranthe said of the groans of protest. “For anyone. Security will be on alert after the first incident. Those of us with notorious faces will stay in our cabins.” Unfortunately, that probably included her.
“ And those of us working on more important tasks as well?” Books asked.
“ Yes, yes, you can continue concocting your new-government paradigm,” Amaranthe said. “I do want someone with a gift for stealth to roam around and see if any more Forge people are aboard. I also want someone to find out where the circus troupe is staying and see if they acquired any interesting items on their Gulf stopover.”
Basilard glanced at Sicarius and, when he didn’t volunteer for the stealth mission, signed, I will look for Forge people.
“ Thank you, Basilard,” Amaranthe said.
“ I’ll look through the troupe’s belongings,” Yara said. “I’m… responsible for our earlier discovery. You might have found more if I hadn’t dropped my knife.”
Amaranthe’s first instinct was to wave the notion away and alleviate any guilt Yara might be feeling, but maybe she could use the moment to her advantage. She sensed that Yara was undecided as to whether this was her fight anymore, now that Sespian wasn’t who she’d thought. But Amaranthe would need every hand she could get once they returned to the capital. Giving Yara some responsibility might be a good way to get her thinking she was an integral part of the team.
“ Thank you for volunteering, Sergeant,” Amaranthe said. “I’ll put you in charge.”
“ In charge? Of… what?”
“ Are you sure you should be roaming around the ship after nearly being caught by security?” Maldynado asked before Amaranthe could assign someone else to go on the mission.
“ I think the troupe is staying on the lower deck near the staff and servants,” Yara said. “Better for me to be down there than up where I might run into Forge people.”
“ Or better for you to stay in your cabin instead. We can find some in-room recreational activities for you to engage in if you get bored.” Amazing that he could say that with a straight face. Only his eyes twinkled.
“ If you’re worried about my safety, you can come with me.”
Amaranthe blinked, surprised that she’d invited him.
Maldynado sat up. “Really?”
“ Er.” Ah, maybe Yara was surprised she’d invited him too.
“ That’s a good idea,” Amaranthe said before the other woman could back out. “Akstyr, will you go with them too?”
“ What? But my face is notorious, and I’ve got as much research to do as Books.” Akstyr thumped his magic tome.
“ Yes, but nobody else here will recognize magical doohickeys if they chance across them,” Amaranthe said.
“ They’re called artifacts,” Akstyr said. “Fine, I’ll go. Do I get to keep what I find?”
“ That depends on the explosive potential of the items.”
