Page 92 of Esperance

The empirical seals. She’d been looking at them, he was sure of it. And he hated everything about that, because that was the sort of thing the rebels would have an interest in. Just as the Rising had asked Jayveh to memorize the blueprints of every stronghold, they might have asked Amryn to steal the seals, which could be used for forgeries; false reports and messages, and other conspiracies that could damage the empire and destroy lives.

He hadn’t shared this in his report to Ford last night, and he didn’t know why.

Saints, that was a lie. He hadn’t told anyone because he didn’twantit to be true. He didn’t want Amryn to be part of the Rising.

All day as they’d walked to this campsite, he’d turned things over and over in his mind. Maybe Amryn, like Jayveh, had joined under some kind of threat? But that hardly made sense. Jayveh’s uncle, the king of Xerra, was a terrible man who’d threatened her younger brothers if she didn’t help the rebels. Amryn was fond of both her uncle and King Torin. There was no one to blackmail her.

And even if there had been, she could have found a way to come forward, as Jayveh had done.

So, no, blackmail didn’t seem likely.

It struck him then that he had all but dropped Jayveh as a suspect. He wasn’t sure if she’d convinced him she wasn’t a double agent, or if he’d just become distracted.

As for Marriset, he was mostly convinced at this point that she was just power-hungry. Her greed was too personal to be tied to an organized rebellion. Besides, her ambitions were not to tear down the empire, but to use anything—and anyone—to her advantage.

It was actually a depressing thought. It meant he’d hurt Amryn for nothing.

Then again, he’d hurt her just by existing. Their first rift hadn’t come from Marriset, but from the moment she remembered who he was: General Vincetti, the Butcher.

Footsteps sounded behind him, and he was surprised to see Ivan. “May I join you?” he asked.

Carver nodded. He’d been watching Ivan closely ever since they’d hotly debated the war in Harvari, but the Sibeten hadn’t said or done anything else inflammatory.

Ivan came to stand beside him, also gazing out into the darkening jungle. They stood in silence for a long time before Ivan said, “I do not believe you killed Cora.”

He didn’t know what he’d expected from Ivan, but it wasn’t this. “I didn’t,” he affirmed.

The large man grunted. “Trevill gives me reports, but he does not tell me everything.”

“He probably doesn’t want you to jeopardize his investigation.”

Ivan’s icy eyes fixed on Carver. “I do not think he is looking in the right place.”

“What makes you think that?”

The man’s jaw tightened. “He dismissed all of us, and he’s now looking exclusively at the clerics, guards, and servants. But what reason did any of them have to kill her?”

“You think one of us had reason?”

“None of us knew Cora well, yet we spent more time with her than any servant or cleric. She was shy and quiet—what could she have done to offend anyone enough to provoke her murder?”

“Perhaps someone was offended by the violence her brother enacted at the wedding feast,” Carver said. An overzealous cleric might have thought more punishment was necessary for violating the sacredness of the temple. “If it was a cleric, it would explain the note.”

Retribution has come for you.

Ivan’s frown deepened. “I have considered this, but it does not make sense. First of all, Cora wasn’t to blame for the violence. That was her brother’s doing, and it grieved her greatly. Second, if a cleric was angry enough to kill, how did they have the patience to wait for weeks to do it?” He shook his head. “This was a calculated murder. Not one of anger or passion. The note left with her body indicates that as well.”

Carver nodded. “That makes sense.”

“And a servant or guard seems unlikely. As I already said, they would have had few interactions with her. And while Cora was reserved, she was never rude. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“You think it was one of us, then.”

“Don’t you?”

Well, yes, as a matter of fact. Especially if Cora’s killer was an imposter who had murdered and lied their way into Esperance.

“I assume if you’re talking to me about this,” Carver said slowly, “you want my opinion.”

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