Conspiracy (The Emperor's Edge Book 4) by Lindsay Buroker

Author:Lindsay Buroker
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: heroic fantasy, assassins, swords and sorcery, steampunk, fantasy series, high fantasy, epic fantasy, emperors edge, lindsay buroker, fantasy adventure
Publisher: Lindsay Buroker
Published: 2012-04-26T20:47:38.523873+00:00

Amaranthe nodded toward the front door and headed that way, hoping Yara would follow.

A few blocks away, a clock tower tolled eight times. While the schedule for Sespian’s train hadn’t been announced anywhere, Books had done some fancy math based on known schedules for other trains sharing the railway to determine that the emperor would likely arrive between nine and ten. That didn’t leave Amaranthe a lot of time to win over Yara. At least the sergeant was following them out of the train station without alerting anyone on the way.

“Why did you want me here?” Yara asked as soon as she joined them. “It’s obvious that you don’t have any interest in working within the boundaries of the law, or even the dictates of humanity.”

Amaranthe and Maldynado stood in the shadows of a mercantile store that had closed for the day. A kerosene streetlamp burned at an intersection, its illumination dim compared to the gas lamps that lined the streets in Stumps.

“This—” Amaranthe lifted the papers, “—wasn’t done with my knowledge or approval. As for why I wanted you here, the emperor needs help, and I thought you cared enough to want to see to his welfare.”

“I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Yara said.

“And here I thought she’d come to trade terms of endearment with me.” The dim lighting was enough to show off Maldynado’s white teeth when he flashed a smile.

“I wasted a week’s leave to come,” Yara said without acknowledging him. “The soldiers are on high alert, and nobody will risk kidnapping the emperor now. Not here.”

“Actually, someone will. I promise you.” Amaranthe withdrew a carefully folded note from her pocket and handed it to Yara. “One of my men won an event in the Games this summer, and Sespian gave that to him at the dinner afterward.”

Yara walked to the streetlamp to read the note. Amaranthe forced herself to stay put, but it made her nervous to let any distance form between her and that note. Though it wasn’t signed, it was the closest thing to evidence she had in case she ended up having to justify her actions to someone after the mission.

“Amaranthe Lokdon,” Yara read, “I wish to hire your outfit to kidnap me. I can offer 100,000 ranmyas.” She lowered the note. “You expect me to believe the emperor gave this to you?”

“No, he gave it to one of my men.” Amaranthe smiled, hoping a smidgeon of humor would lesson Yara’s scowl.

It didn’t. If anything, the woman’s lips turned further downward.

Amaranthe coughed and slid the note from Yara’s fingers. She slipped it back into her pocket.

“This means... you’re the one planning to kidnap him tonight?” Yara asked.

Amaranthe nodded.

Yara lifted her eyes toward the sky. “This is worse than sedition, more than a crime. It’s... It’s...”

“Likely to be a good time?” Maldynado asked. “You don’t have to do anything, you know. You can just come along to watch. It ought to be entertaining, if you can avoid being shot.”

Amaranthe lifted a finger to her lips, hoping to hush him up.

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