people remembered only the lies the Trifecta had spread about them after the Second Poppy War. They killed and ate infants. They lured young women to their convents to serve as sex slaves. They’d more or less become monsters in folklore. If the Gray Company hoped to win converts, they had their work cut out for them.
“They’ve got to try regardless,” Kitay said. “I read it in their holy texts once. Their scholars argue that as the Divine Architect’s blessed and chosen people, their obligation is to preach to every infidel they encounter.”
“‘Chosen’? What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” Kitay nodded past Rin’s shoulder. “Why don’t you ask her?”
Rin twisted around.
Sister Petra was striding briskly down the shore toward them.
Rin swallowed her last bite of fish too quickly. It crawled painfully down her throat, each swallow a painful scratch of unsoftened bone.
Sister Petra met Rin’s eyes and beckoned with a finger. Come. That was an order.
Kitay patted her shoulder as he stood up. “Have fun.”
Rin reached for his sleeve. “Don’t you dare leave me—”
“I’m not getting in the middle of this,” he said. “I’ve seen what those arquebuses can do.”
“Congratulations,” Petra said as they returned to the Kingfisher. “I’m told this was a great victory.”
“‘Great’ is a word for it,” Rin said.
“And the fire did not come to you in battle? Chaos did not rear its head?”
Rin stopped walking. “Would you rather I had burned those people alive?”
“Sister Petra?” A missionary ran up from behind them. He looked startlingly young. He couldn’t have been a day over sixteen. His face was open and babyish, and his wide blue eyes were lashed like a girl’s.
“How do you say ‘I’m from across the great sea’?” he asked. “I forgot.”
“Like so.” Petra pronounced the Nikara phrase with flawless accuracy.
“I’m from across the great sea.” The boy looked delighted as he repeated the words. “Did I get it right? The tones?”
Rin realized with a start that he was looking at her.
“Sure,” she said. “That was fine.”
The boy beamed at her. “I love your language. It’s so beautiful.”
Rin blinked at him. What was wrong with him? Why did he look so happy?
“Brother Augus.” Petra’s voice was suddenly sharp. “What’s in your pocket?”
Rin looked and saw a handful of wotou, the steamed cornmeal buns that along with mayau fish comprised most of the soldiers’ meals, peeking out the side of Augus’s pocket.
“Just my rations,” he said quickly.
“And were you going to eat them?” Petra asked.
“Sure, I’m just taking a walk—”
“Augus.”
His face fell. “They said they were hungry.”
“You’re not allowed to feed them,” Rin said flatly. Jinzha had made that order adamantly clear. The civilians were to go hungry for the night. When the Republic fed them in the morning, their terror would be transformed into goodwill.
“That’s cruel,” Augus said.
“That’s war,” Rin said. “And if you can’t follow basic orders, then—”
Petra swiftly intervened. “Remember your training, Augus. We do not contradict our hosts. We are here to spread the good word. Not to undermine the Nikara.”
“But they’re starving,” Augus said. “I wanted to comfort them—”
“Then comfort them with the Maker’s teachings.” Petra placed a hand on Augus’s cheek. “Go.”
Rin watched Augus dart back down the beach. “He shouldn’t be on this campaign. He’s too young.”
Petra turned and gestured for Rin to follow her onto the Kingfisher. “Not so much younger than your soldiers.”
“Our soldiers are trained.”
“And so are our missionaries.” Petra led Rin down to her quarters on the second deck. “The brothers and sisters of the Gray Company have dedicated their lives to spreading the word of the Divine Architect across Chaos-ridden lands. All of us have been trained at the company academies since we were very young.”
“I’m sure it’s easy to find barbarians to civilize.”
“There are indeed many on this hemisphere that have not found their way to the Maker.” Petra seemed to have missed Rin’s sarcasm entirely. She motioned for Rin to sit down on the bed. “Would you like laudanum again?”
“Are you going to touch me again?”
“Yes.”
At this rate Rin was going to run the risk of backsliding into her opium addiction. But this choice was between the demon she knew and the foreigner she didn’t. She took the proffered cup.
“Your continent has been closed off to us for a long time,” Petra said as Rin drank. “Some of our superiors argued that we should stop learning your languages. But I’ve always known we would come back. The Maker demands it.”
Rin closed her eyes as the familiar numbing sensation of laudanum seeped through