CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Cevo
Animal heads covered the walls. Elk. Polar bears. Leopards. Elephants. I did not slaughter the animals myself, of course. Hunting is positively boorish. I order them in from a wonderful taxidermist overseas. The first time I saw a whole row of large, stuffed animal heads hanging in my den I felt so... exhilaratus.
Taxidermy is so virile.
And now, seeing my old friends again after thirty years was like a family reunion. And back in my own home again. Terillium bequeathed the mansion to me, but the city had claimed this place as their ruling chambers after I left. Mahalelel would live here from now on; he was going to have to get used to living alone.
I noticed one of the mounts was missing. Second from the left, above the door that led to the ruling chamber. Mahalelel always hated that alligator; I bet he sold it the day I left town. I stared at the empty space. "That is where I will put Evan's head. What do you think about that?"
Hagnus did not respond. We faced each other, sitting in two large leather chairs—she was bound at her wrists and ankles.
Tapping my fingers, I sighed. "The problem I have, Hagnus, is that I cannot trust your information. The only option I have is to suffocate you. It is not personal, I hope you understand."
"That's a comfort."
They key to negotiating is striking the right balance between fear and hope. First, you make your adversary believe her worst fears are about to become a reality. For example, a slow, painful death. Or, even more effective, the slow, painful death of a loved-one. Then you allow a seed of hope to foster—that she possesses the opportunity to avoid this imminent reality. People will do almost anything to maintain that shred of hope.
"If I had some way to verify the truth of your claims," I said, "that would be quite another matter. But my usual methods of getting what I want—variations on the motivational tool known as pain—do not work when I want to know what is inside a human head. People will say anything when their fingers are being smashed with a hammer..." My voice trailed off as I became caught up with the thought of what came next: my hands wrapped around her throat, watching life flicker from her eyes—
"What are you doing to the people?" she said. "I heard servants in the hall; they said you're executing children."
"After you were cut from the scaffolding this morning, I gave the people of El Qir the opportunity of a lifetime. Volunteer to work in my mines or be skinned alive. Four people chose to be skinned. After that, the rest followed my guards obediently below ground. So, I do not understand why you would ask if I am executing children. That would be counterproductive, would it not? Why would I harm my own employees?"
"Slaves?"
I frowned. "Is there a difference?"
"Employees don't get slaughtered if they take a personal day."
"Sounds like a wretched concept."
"Only for you."
"Oh, an idealist? You are beginning to remind me of my late wife."
"She was that smart?"
"I must retain the right to terminate the bad stock. How else could I get anything done?"
"They're not animals."
I found my pulse quickening. Hagnus seemed so familiar... But I had made a vow. I could not let this woman, this very young women, get her hooks into me. "Do not romanticize them."
"They have families."
My smile grew. "Even the little ones can dig."
"What are they doing—"
"Too many questions. I will not be interrogated." I clamped her mouth shut with sapience and smiled. "Let us enjoy each other's silence for a while, shall we?"
She glared at me, large round eyes boiling over. Fear, yes, but she was also excited. I was not surprised. This is a common occurrence with women, young and old. The way she breathed, how her lips parted when I spoke. I slid into the chair next to her. She seemed even younger. Yet children cannot master sapience like Hagnus could. I gestured to her wrists. "Why are you still bound?" I released my hold on her voice.
She gasped, sucked in air. "I thought you weren't using sapience."
I eyed her suspiciously. "What would you know about that?" It was just Hagnus and I. No one had to know, certainly not Mahalelel. And it was just a little bit, nothing like splashing her guts all over the wall.
Mahalelel burst through the door. "This can't go on."
"Do not be rude. Hagnus and I were in the middle of a conversation."
The snake-like straps uncoiled from her wrists and ankles and slithered to the ground.
To Hagnus I mouthed the word: "Impressive."
She rolled her eyes.
"Release the people," Mahalelel said. "Or I'll—"
"Be thankful brother, because I am going to give you everything you desire. I know you lust for ruling this cesspool of a city."
He leaned forward. "You'd make me Chancellor?"
"As soon as the mines are in order. You honestly believed I wanted to rule this city?"
Mahalelel nodded at Hagnus. "She's of your kind, isn't she?" Mahalelel scooted his chair, increasing the distance between them. She kissed at him.
Mahalelel curled up his nose. "Send her away. We have business."
"Hagnus is not long for this world. She is no threat to us."
"Why are you letting her live?" Mahalalel said.
"Funny, I was just wondering the same thing about you," Hagnus said.
"Our brother Terillium did something foolish. He bequeathed his first and most precious Sacrist, the Spider, to Evan Burl. Hagnus claims to have information on where I can find it."
"When will it be enough for you? How much power does one person need?"
"Evan Burl received the Spider in hopes that the boy would grow up to rule over the Cultures once Terillium was dead. Our brother believed sapience could be used for good, if it was kept in check by someone powerful enough to quench those who got out of hand. But Terillium was wrong. Sapience must be blotted out of history. Not even the Three Families can be allowed to live."
Hagnus edged closer, her hands hidden under the table. "What about you?"
I imagined her slipping a skewer from within her dress, a blade she'd managed to hide in the scraps of cloth that had hung from her body during the execution. I imagined her sliding the razor edge across my throat.
"After removing all remnants of the atrocity my father discovered, I will take sapience with me to the grave."
"So where is he?" Mahalelel said. "Where is Evan Burl?"
"He could be anywhere. I do not know how old he is, or if he knows the power of the Spider."
"I can tell you," Hagnus said.
I ignored her. "Mahalelel, you will rule over the people of El Qir. Give them mums to keep them docile. You will not need guards once they are hooked; they will do whatever you command to keep their addiction fed. We will use Terillium's clankers to create a third Sacrist, in case I am unable to find the Spider."
"What of the Crow?"
"Missing for hundreds of years. It may not even exist."
Hearing the slide of metal on skin, I glanced at Hagnus. Her hand moved under the table. She froze. I swung my hand. The table flew sideways. In Hagnus's hand was a black shiv.
"You came here to assassinate me?"
"I have my own vision for a better world. It doesn't include you."
"You have nothing on Evan Burl?"
"He—"
"You have been wasting my time?" I watched her grasp at the invisible fingers contracting around her neck. She gasped. The coal blade fell to the groundwork.
"Did you actually think..." I stepped toward her. "You did; I can see it. You actually believed you could come into my own house and kill me."
Mahalelel moved to the door.
"Stay." I slammed the door shut. "I must remove every last remnant of Hagnus's kind, and you are going to help me little brother."
She searched for the clenching fingers, but there was nothing to find. She gasped. "You let the others live—"
"Who?
"
"The children."
"What are you talking about?"
"You sent them to Daemanhur. The babies."
"Tell me what you know!" I squeezed harder.
"That's where you'll find Evan Burl. That's where Terillium sent him."
"Impossible."
She flicked her fingers. A scrap of parchment appeared between them. I summoned it.
Evan Burl's falling
Daemanhur Castle
10:49 in the evening on March 27 1522
I shook the note at her. "Where did you get this?"
Hagnus's face went purple. I loosened my grip.
"Terillium put you up to this, didn't he?"
She gurgled. I released her. She collapsed.
"I..." She sucked in air. "I stole it from him."
"Why did you wait to show me?"
"I wanted to see what you knew."
"You were going to kill me," I said.
"I wasn't, I swear."
"I saw the blade. Did Terillium make that too? He said he was crafting one. A knife that could eradicate even the most powerful sapient. And now it is mine."
"No, I-I wanted to make a deal with you."
I slapped her. "This note does nothing for me without a rubric."
"That's where you sent the children?" Mahalelel said. "To Daemanhur?"
"Terillium set me up. It was his idea." Daemanhur castrum is the place I most want to forget, and now, the place I most desperately need to get to.
A trickle of blood ran from Hagnus's nose. "I can help you get there."
"There's nothing you can do for me."
Hagnus snapped her fingers. A vialus rubric appeared, floating above her palm.
I pulled at it. She closed her fingers.
"Where did you get that?"
"I have a deal for you," she said.
"That rubric is inanimate. It is no good to me."
"We both know you can activate it."
"So, is that your deal? The rubric for your life?"
"I want to be your partner."
I laughed. "I do not have partners."
"You do now."
"I can just annihilate you and take the vialus."
"If you kill me, you never find out what I know about Evan Burl."
"I know everything."
"Terillium hid this from you. It's your brother's darkest secret."
"How can you possibly know what I know and do not know?"
She smiled. "It's obvious."
"Enlighten me."
"If you knew what I know about Evan Burl, you'd be far more afraid of him."