The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang Page 0,17

then.” Moag cocked her head to the side. “I heard Adlaga didn’t go well.”

“Got derailed,” Rin said. “Had a surprise encounter with Daji.”

“Oh, I know,” Moag said. “The whole coastline knows about it. You know how Sinegard has spun this, right? You’re the rogue Speerly, traitor to the crown. Your Mugenese captors drove you mad, and now you’re a threat to everyone you come across. The bounty on your head has been raised to six thousand Imperial silvers. Double if you’re alive.”

“That’s nice,” Rin said.

“You don’t seem concerned.”

“They’re not wrong about anything.” Rin leaned forward. “Look, Yang Yuanfu is dead. We couldn’t bring back his head, but your scouts will confirm everything as soon as they can get to Adlaga. It’s time to pay up.”

Moag ignored that, resting her chin on her fingertips. “I don’t get it. Why go to all this trouble?”

“Moag, come on—”

Moag lifted a hand to cut her off. “Talk me through this. You have power beyond what most people could dream of. You could do anything you want. Become a warlord. Become a pirate. Hell, captain one of my ships if you want to. Why keep picking this fight?”

“Because Daji started this war,” Rin said. “Because she killed my friends. Because she remains on the throne and she shouldn’t. Because someone has to kill her, and I’d rather it be me.”

“But why?” Moag pressed. “No one hates our Empress as much as I do. But understand this, little girl: you’re not going to find allies. Revolution is fine in theory. But nobody wants to die.”

“I’m not asking anyone else to risk it. Just give me weapons.”

“And if you fail? You don’t think the Militia will track where your supplies came from?”

“I killed thirty men for you,” Rin snapped. “You owe me any supplies I want; those were the terms. You can’t just—”

“What can’t I do?” Moag leaned forward, ringed fingers circling the hilt of her dagger. She looked deeply amused. “You think I owe you? By what contract? Under what laws? What will you do, take me to court?”

Rin blinked. “But you said—”

“‘But you said,’” Moag mocked in a high-pitched voice. “People say things they don’t mean all the time, little Speerly.”

“But we had an agreement!” Rin raised her voice, but her words came out plaintive, not dominant. She sounded childish even to her own ears.

Several Lilies began to titter into their fans.

Rin’s hands tightened into fists. The residual opium kept her from erupting into fire, but still a haze of scarlet entered her vision.

She took a deep breath. Calm.

Murdering Moag might feel good in the moment, but she doubted even she could get out of Ankhiluun alive.

“You know, for someone of your pedigree, you’re incredibly stupid,” Moag said. “Speerly abilities, Sinegard education, Militia service, and you still don’t understand the way the world works. If you want to get things done, you need brute force. I need you, and I’m the only one who can pay you, which means you need me. Complain all you want. You’re not going anywhere.”

“But you’re not paying me.” Rin couldn’t help it. “So fuck you.”

Eleven arrowheads pointed to her forehead before she could move.

“Stand down,” Sarana hissed.

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Moag examined her lacquered nails. “I’m trying to help you, you know. You’re young. You’ve got a whole life ahead of you. Why waste it on revenge?”

“I need to get to the capital,” Rin insisted stubbornly. “And if you won’t give me supplies, then I’ll go elsewhere.”

Moag sighed theatrically, pressed her fingers against her temples, and then folded her arms on the table. “I propose a compromise. One more job, and then I’ll give you everything you want. Will that work?”

“What, I’m supposed to trust you now?”

“What choice do you have?”

Rin chewed on that. “What kind of job?”

“How do you feel about naval battles?”

“Hate them.” Rin didn’t like being over open water. She’d only agreed to jobs on land so far, and Moag knew that. Around the ocean, she was too easily incapacitated.

Fire and water didn’t mix.

“I’m sure a healthy reward would change your mind.” Moag rummaged in her desk, pulled out a charcoal rendering of a ship and slid it across the table. “This is the Heron. Standard opium skimmer. Red sails, Ankhiluuni flag, unless the captain’s changed it. He’s been coming up short in the books for months.”

Rin stared at her. “You want me to kill someone based on accounting errors?”

“He’s keeping more than his fair share of his profits. He’s been very clever about it, too.