There were several blissful minutes of silence while Nila sewed and Bo sat in his chair, rocking back on two legs and staring at the ceiling. Nila’s mind began to wander. Maybe she shouldn’t go to Novi. Perhaps she should head across the ocean to faraway Fatrasta. Less likely she or Jakob would ever be found or recognized.
“Jakob,” Bo suddenly said. “His last name was Eldaminse, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you worked for his family?”
Nila nodded. The Eldaminse house. That seemed like so long ago. Had it really only been four months? Memories of that place felt like visions of a world from a dream.
“Did you know anything about his father’s business?”
“I was a laundress.”
“Servants hear everything. That’s why so many of them spy for the cabals.”
Nila blinked. “They do?”
“Well. Indirectly. They don’t know
“I never did. I was taught never to snoop.”
“Pity.” Bo rocked his chair down onto all four legs and stood up. “Jakob,” he called, heading down a short hall toward the room Nila and Jakob were sharing.
Nila paused in her sewing and cocked her head to one side.
“Jakob,” Bo said, his voice muffled, “do you remember if your father was ever visited by any military men?”
Nila couldn’t hear Jakob’s answer.
“Really? Interesting. How long ago was that?” There was a pause, and then, “Thank you, Jakob. You were very helpful.”
Bo returned to the room. He grabbed his jacket off the hook.
“Where are you going?” Nila said.
“For someone taught never to snoop, you sure look like you were listening hard.”
Nila felt her cheeks redden.
Bo smiled. “I’m heading to the Public Archives. I’ll likely not be back until tomorrow. There’s a small stack of banknotes hidden under the windowsill. Feel free to get you and the boy some food.” He stopped in the door, his gloves in one hand. He seemed preoccupied. “Are you sure you don’t want to try on my gloves?”
Nila pushed her chair back and stood up.
“I’ve had enough of this,” she said.
Bo’s eyebrows rose. He seemed genuinely surprised. “Of…?”
“Your flirting. I’ll leave if you want us to, but I’m not going to bed with you.”
Bo took several quick steps across the room, coming to a stop with less than a handbreadth between them. He leaned forward, and Nila could hear her heart thumping in her ears. She became acutely aware that if Bo did try to force himself on her, or to hurt her or Jakob, she couldn’t do a thing about it.
“I flirt with everyone,” Bo whispered in her ear. “And if you wanted to go to bed with me, I wouldn’t say no. But I’ve never raped a woman and never will. So stop cringing every time you catch me looking at you. I like looking at people. I find them fascinating.”
Nila’s throat was dry. A glance down showed her that Bo still wasn’t wearing his gloves. “If you don’t expect me to go to bed with you, why haven’t you made us leave?”
“Because I like you,” Bo said. “And I like the kid. But I’m leaving the city soon and you should figure out your plans. I won’t be here longer than a week.” He stepped away. “See you tomorrow?”
Nila swallowed. “Yes.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Tamas’s army crossed the last of Kresimir’s Fingers and ascended the wide plateau of the Northern Expanse almost seven weeks after they’d left Budwiel.
The Northern Expanse, like the Amber Expanse to the south, was a breadbasket of the Nine. Unlike the Amber Expanse, it was not home to cattle farms or wheat fields but to immense bean fields, which could survive better with little water.
Tamas ordered forage teams to spread out across the plateau, under the command of the most levelheaded sergeants in the army. He needed to strip the land of its resources while making this as painless to the native population as possible.
He rode at the head of the column, eyes on the northern horizon. It would be several days before they crossed the Deliv border and could see the city of Alvation, but he couldn’t help that his heart beat faster with every step. Soon, they’d find relief. Soon, they’d cross the Charwood Pile Mountains and descend into Adro, taking the fight back to the Kez.
Gavril rode up beside Tamas. He and his horse were coated in dust from coming up behind the column. Not far behind him, an old man rode a pack mule. He had a hard time keeping up with Gavril’s charger. Tamas reined in his mount. Olem stopped too, his eyes vigilant despite the plateau being empty but for their army.
“Who is this?” Tamas said, nodding at the old man, who was still fifty paces off.
“A Kez bean farmer.”
“Why is he here?”
“Wanted to talk to you.”
Tamas cocked an eyebrow at Gavril. This was the last thing he needed. Why on earth would Gavril bring him here? “Does he know who I am?”
“Yes, and he has some interesting things to say.”
What could an old bean farmer on the Northern Expanse have to say of interest?
The old man brought his burro up beside their horses.
