He guessed that Vetas was employing over a hundred heads, based on the comings and goings from his headquarters. That was no small operation, and any thirty of them could be in the headquarters at any given time. The Proprietor had said Vetas had sixty enforcers.
Adamat looked over at Bo. The Privileged was down on his haunches in one corner of the room, his eyes closed, hands folded inside the sleeves of his jacket. He opened his eyes, as if he’d felt Adamat’s gaze upon him. Adamat shuddered. He was still unnerved by the casual murder of Manhouch’s headsman the day before.
“Vetas’s pet Privileged is there,” Bo said. “Right now. She’s not some hired fool, either. She’s got cabal-level stuff at her beck and call.”
A bird burst from the bells above their heads, causing Adamat to jump. He noticed that he was the only one to do so and smoothed the front of his coat. A powerful Privileged? That wasn’t good. Not at all. He was depending on Bo to be able to neutralize Vetas’s Privileged even as Adamat’s men seized the place.
Bo must have sensed the unasked question. “I’ll kill her. Don’t worry about that.”
“If it turns into any kind of a fight between you two, we’re all dead men,” the eunuch said.
“Well, you’re not exactly a man,” Bo said with a smirk. He nodded to Riplas. “And she’s not.” His smirk suddenly turned to a frown. “And she’s
Adamat turned to see Fell standing on the bell tower stairs. The Fontain Academy graduate wore a fitted waistcoat, sans tails, and a pair of tight men’s pants tucked into her boots.
“Ricard can’t spare any men right now,” Fell said, “but he sent me.”
The eunuch turned toward her with a look of disgust. “Does he know the resources the Proprietor is shifting for this operation?” he asked.
“As a matter of fact,” Fell said, cocking her eyebrow, “he doesn’t. I’m sure he’ll be interested to know.”
Adamat stepped between them. “It’s more help than you realize,” he said to the eunuch. For Ricard to send his ten-million-krana servant into harm’s way meant a great deal.
“Bah,” the eunuch sneered. His fingers tapped rapidly against the side of his leg. He seemed on edge — not the quiet, thoughtful killer Adamat had met months ago.
Adamat stepped back to the window and took the looking glass from Riplas. “Any more lookouts?” he asked.
“None.”
“Then take the final assignments down.”
Riplas left the room. She had the positions and descriptions of all of Lord Vetas’s lookouts. She’d hand them over to the eunuch’s goons, and they’d do the rest.
Everything was in place. Now Adamat just had to wait.
He lifted the looking glass to his eye and returned his gaze to Vetas’s headquarters. Over an hour passed, and he watched from his vantage point as the eunuch’s goons took care of Vetas’s lookouts. He felt the sweat roll down the back of his neck as he waited. So much could go wrong. The slightest slip, and Faye was dead.
“What if he doesn’t come outside today?” Bo asked.
The front door to Vetas’s headquarters opened, and a familiar figure stepped outside. He wore his sharp black coat, top hat, and carried a cane in one hand. Adamat felt his heart jump at the sight.
“That’s not going to be a problem,” Adamat said. “He’s leaving now.”
Lord Vetas checked the street with the smallest twitches of his head. Probably receiving signals from his lookouts — the closest of whom Adamat had left undisturbed.
Vetas gave an almost imperceptible nod. A woman came through the door — the same one he’d seen in the red dress weeks ago, with the auburn curls — and together they headed south down the avenue. They were followed two steps back by a pair of well-dressed and well-muscled men. A few seconds later a third came out the door, waited for a moment, then followed.
“I’ll keep on his trail,” Fell said, disappearing down the stairs.
“Take his tail,” Adamat said to the eunuch, “and then meet us at the house. Bo?”
Bo stood up, stretching his gloved fingers. “I’ll get a little closer and unravel the Privileged’s wards. It’ll take me some time, but I’ll be ready when you get back.”
Sergeant Oldrich was waiting for Adamat in the chapel beneath the bell tower. He sat in a pew, legs up, a wad of tobacco in one cheek. He tipped his hat back, watching as Bo slid out one exit.
“So,” Oldrich said, turning to Adamat, “you got yourself a Privileged.”
Adamat steeled himself. He couldn’t be sure how Oldrich would react after having specifically stated he wouldn’t help Adamat rescue Bo. “I did.”
“I heard Verundish dismissed her men and left town yesterday. I thought that might have been the cause.”
“I did what I needed to. He’s freed of his gaes, if that makes a difference.”
“Oh?”
“He killed the guillotine operator who took off Manhouch’s head.”
“Huh,” Oldrich said. “Well, I’m sure the field marshal will be delighted. You ready?”
“Let’s go.”
Oldrich’s soldiers fell in with them as they left the chapel, and Adamat told them to stay back a hundred paces.
