The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker Page B

he wanted her information, not out of kindness. That was not surprising, but it reminded her how much talking she was going to have to do to convince him to become her ally.
    Amaranthe gave a detailed description of the conversations she had shared with Hollowcrest. She recited the words on the letter verbatim. Those experiences, when she had thought she was dying, were indelibly imprinted in her mind.
    Sicarius’s face remained unreadable throughout her narrative. At the end, he gave her that cool stare he did so well.
    “Hollowcrest gave his reasons for wanting you killed, described the tea he’s using to drug Sespian, and explained why he feels the need to manipulate the emperor in the first place.” He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. “To you.”
    His tone didn’t change to suggest it was a question, and it wasn’t until he tacked on the last two words that Amaranthe realized it was a statement of disbelief.
    It hadn’t occurred to her that he might think she was lying. Before, when she
had been
lying to him, he had sensed it. She stared back at him and willed him to sense she was telling the truth now.
    “Yes, he did,” she said.
    “Hollowcrest had no reason to tell you anything, and he doesn’t explain himself, or justify his actions, before killing people.”
    “Honestly, I was surprised myself, especially when he came to chat in the dungeon,” Amaranthe said. “Do you suppose… Could he have thought I’d escape—or that you’d come get me and help me—and that this was a message meant for you?” She looked up at him, again trying to read his face, but it was still expressionless. “You’re obviously connected with him somehow. Based on the fact that Hollowcrest and Sespian both recognize your dagger, I’m guessing you were the court assassin or something of that nature, although assassination isn’t supposed to be the Turgonian way. Still, I think Hollowcrest is a sneaky old sod, and he wouldn’t have minded having someone like you around. From what I remember of Emperor Raumesys, they were similar types. Your enforcer record—your list of
public
assassinations—started up, what, five years ago? That was the same time as Raumesys died. Maybe Sespian, being a rather
good
human being, didn’t want an assassin on the payroll, and gave you the boot, so you had to go out and find other work. Of course, that doesn’t explain why…”
    A warning instinct lifted the hairs on the back of her neck. She had been looking at Sicarius while she spoke but, in her musings, had stopped
seeing
him. Now, her focus sharpened.
    His expression had not changed, but he was very, very still, and his dark eyes were colder than ice shards. Amaranthe chomped down on her flapping lip and dropped her gaze to the floorboards. He hadn’t said a word, but she could feel the threat hanging between them. She might need
his
help, but with her information delivered, he didn’t need anything else from
her
. Probing into his past was not a good idea.
    “No,” Sicarius said after a long, uncomfortable silence. “Hollowcrest would not send me a message.”
    “Good,” Amaranthe said, trying for a bright tone and not quite achieving it. “Glad we’ve eliminated that possibility. Maybe he’s just getting old and feeling guilty over some of the choices he’s made of late. Or maybe he’s tired of his usual flunkies and wanted someone new to talk to. Or
maybe
,” she said with a self-deprecating eye roll, “it’s my friendly personality that got him chatting.”
    “Huh,” he said. It was ambiguous, but at least his tone was a little lighter. Less dangerous.
    Still, it wasn’t until he clasped his hands behind his back and turned toward the window that she dared look at him again. Despite his recent workout, his black shirt was tucked in, his pants free of wrinkles, and his low boots brushed clean of dust. No hint of beard stubble softened the hard angles of his jaw. Even his fingernails were trimmed and