Page 66 of A Trade of Blood

Ippeas stared into the tabletop as he struggled with this. “But…but I’ve no idea why they’d wish to targetmeas well!” he burst out finally. “I can’t inherit! The inheritance passes through Velona Armenta! My father shall never take the whole of our spreads!”

“Does the killer know that?” said Seriv.

“Well, they certainly seem to know a great fucking deal about everything else!” said Ana. “Including, apparently, gossip about young Ippeas here, and Din’s damn sister! Let us presume they know plenty!”

Ippeas and I both glowered at Ana at that, then glanced at each other, and steadfastly stared at the floor.

“Is there any more?” demanded Ana.

“N-no. I came back to the Crooked Horn, and tried to bathe without anyone spotting me. By then the streets started filling with custodi. Asking if they’d seen anyone suspicious fleeing back here in the early morning. And I knew someonehadto’ve seen me. I am no talent at sneaking, obviously. So. I figured I’d wait for you here. And turn myself in.”

“Very commendable,” said Ana. “One last thing, Master Ippeas—have you had any unusualdreamsrecently?”

“D…dreams?” said Ippeas. “I don’t believe so? Not unusual ones—or not that I can recall.”

“You’re sure? No dreams of being trapped in place, or performing some act?”

“N-no…?” he answered, mystified.

“Thank you. Now—we have one last thing for you to do. Specifically, to lick.”

“To what?”

I pulled one of Tauri’s wheels of green testing parchment from my pocket, pulled off a strip, and handed it to him. “Please lick this,” I said. “A test, you see.”

“For what?” he said uncertainly as he took it. Then, with a shrug, he licked it. “What is it you seek?”

We didn’t answer. The parchment in his fingers had turned a bright, clear orange.

—

Ana waited untilSeriv shut the door to the chamber before scoffing, shaking her head, and saying, “He is a well-meaning boy. Not a bright one! But a decent one, and a brave one at that, I suppose.”

“And he is infected,” I said tersely.

“Yes,” sighed Ana. “Apparently so.”

“Is the whole of the Armenta estate infected as well, you think,” said Seriv, “just like the Buravs?”

“Possibly! I shall send word to Commander Tauri to test that place swiftly. But while Ippeas has been poisoned, I am unsure if he has beenconditionedyet. He’s not had the dreams! For now, I am far more interested in what that sotted servant said to him.”

“Yes—Burilis Burav has been going into the forest,” I said. “And has been bringing lanterns and smokes with him…”

“Indeed,” growled Ana. “That is mostveryinteresting to me.”

“I can’t imagine what’s in the forest for him,” said Princeps Seriv. “All that is known with any certainty is that there’s a smattering of old Daljeni shrines—which the Buravs didn’t consider holy, being Kurmini. But more to the point,no onegoes into the wood. You can’t get four span past the tree line before your heart fills with panic, and the branches block your way.”

“So we are told,” said Ana softly.

We both looked at her.

“Might you know otherwise, ma’am?” I said.

“I have suspicions,” she said, “which I will confirm when I corner Commander Tauri later.” She turned her blindfolded face to Seriv. “Princeps—Ithink you should lock the young Master Ippeas in one of your nicest cells here. Not because I think him guilty, but because I think someone has tried to kill him, and will surely try again! More, there will be many who shall suspect, hate, and damn the Armentas now. Especially given thatsomeonesurely saw us bringing Ippeas Armenta here, and that will set tongues a-wagging!”

Seriv rubbed his face. “Ah, hell…you speak truth there, ma’am.”

“We are all in quite the shitpot, yes!” said Ana. “Yet I note this attempted murder was much,muchsloppier than the killing of all the Armentas, as well as Zansay’s butchering. Attempting to lure someone into a hostile house with vague offers of exculpatory evidence? It’s nonsense. I mean, only a fucking idiot sends a completely anonymous note that says, quite literally, ‘Burn this note.’ Though I confess, I’m shocked Ippeas actually did it! Perhaps you should lock him up for being a damned simpleton!” She raised a finger. “But you shan’t lock him up alone!”