Page 69 of The Queens and the Kings
“Bastid piece of shite,” Einar hissed.
“What is damma for?” Henrik asked.
“Arcane suppression.”
“Of what?”
Without breaking a stride, Alma blithely avoided the question by answering unstated ones. “It’s unlikely that you’ve heard of damma before. It’s mined, according to rumors, fromthe mountains to the east of Stenberg, near His Glory’s second residence.”
Only His Glory, the attendants that lived at his distant castle, and His Glory’s personal soldat team ever went to the second residence. If miners existed, it was not to his knowledge. That rock in his gut continued to sink.
“If you don’t know about damma, it’s because His Glory hasn’t wanted anyone to know about the export. I believe that not even his Captains know about it. Except, perhaps, the representative one.” The elongated tone the Ladylord used almost set Henrik’s fragile frustration on fire.
“Ingemar,” Henrik stated.
She nodded.
That His Glory should have trade secrets from the populace or the soldats was no grand surprise. That he should hide an export from his Captains meant he sought to avoid taxation on the export, and pocket whatever riches came from it himself.
Arvid would know more. Certainly, Ingemar would.
Henrik felt sick. The Ladylord revealed an entire undertone and motivation for His Glory that none of them knew existed. Yet another avenue for His Glory’s greed. If damma was truly only found on Stenberg, His Glory had likely been using it to control the relationship with the mainland for decades.
Why? Henrik didn’t willingly assign any charitable reason to His Glory. There had to be another reason. Nothing else added up.
“Why do you need arcane suppression?” he asked.
“Regardless of the reasons,” she continued, ignoring the question yet again, “werequirethat shipment. The erratic nature of the shipments this year has been aggravating, and the effects compounding. If a delivery ship does not land into port within the next three days, my General has orders to sail toStenberg and rip the dammafrom His Glory’s own blood, if we must.”
Her livid tone, cold as slicing steel, sent a flicker of interest into Einar’s eyes.
“Tell us why you need it,” Henrik demanded.
“I won’t.”
“Why?”
“The dammais our problem, not yours, Henrik theformersoldat.” Her acerbic tone promised no wavering. “If you and Einar prove helpful, I’ll happily explain further. At that point, you’ll need all the information you can get in order to find our shipment before the real problems begin. As it stands, you’ve given me little reason to truly trust you.”
No fear lingered in her eyes. Not yet. But a close approximation flickered in her narrow depths, coaxing Henrik’s anger farther from the cave it retreated. Britt hadn’t been certain she could trust Alma. Neither was he.
Yet, this was the inevitable path.
Alma sauntered closer, keeping plenty of space between them. Her focus shifted to the west-facing windows overlooking the sea.
“There’s a chance that His Glory sent the second shipment and it met ill weather, but I doubt it. The time for sea storms is not right now. Unless you look west, of course. Surely, you’ve noted the constant and building storm?”
He hadn’t, but had a feeling Pedr would know.
“There’s also a slight chance that the ship went off course,” she continued, “but twice in four months? The odds are too slim. My sea Captains haven’t seen any shipments, and my entire navy has their eyes out. His Glory has given no response. If you have any loyalty to those left on Stenberg, decide quickly whether you will help our efforts.”
“How quickly?” Einar asked.
“In three days, if no shipment is received, my generals and I will meet here to decide the final plan of attack. If you come to the meeting on time,” she added with a touch of frosty amusement, “then I shall tell you why we need damma as much as you need jord.”
Einar scoffed.
She added, “Oh, and one more thing? To answer your request: my scribes have located a person of very great interest. She will be available to meet you, should you wish to meet her,afteryour assistance.”
