Jorge’s eyes remained closed as he asked, “You mean in addition to the barbarians with their undead horde, and the cunning noblewoman who leads a secret rebel insurgency?”
“An’ th’ handsome potion maker from Rah-ez?” asked Blaine.
“Raeez,” corrected Jorge, eyes still closed. “And thanks.”
“Yes, boys, in addition to all that.” Sonya slowly got to her feet. “I’m going to ask the Lady Marzanna for help.”
Jorge finally opened his eyes. “You can do that?”
“I’ve never contacted her on my own. Usually she just finds me. But I watched Mikhail do it when he asked permission to train me to be a Ranger. It’s a little involved, but I think I remember how it’s done.”
“How could she help us?” asked Jorge.
“She has more power than just bringing me back from the dead, you know,” said Sonya. “A Ranger can ask for a boon. Some sort of extra ability. Mikhail asked to have his face changed after the war, so that none of the imperial soldiers who had seen him during his captivity would recognize him. He told me that his uchitel asked for the ability to communicate directly with animals. So hopefully she can give me something that would help against Sebastian’s magic.”
“And the price… would be the same?” Jorge did not look happy about it.
“Hopefully,” she said.
He looked even more worried now. “Wait, it could be worse?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She didn’t know if she was assuring him or herself.
“Ya’ need any help?” asked Blaine.
She shook her head. “Only Rangers and those they plan to indoctrinate can witness it.”
He nodded. “Ask her t’ tell Bàs hello for me.”
She smiled. “I wonder if they know each other.”
“Why not?”
She hadn’t really considered it before. She was of course certain of Lady Marzanna’s power. But clearly, the Uaine were harnessing some sort of power when they raised the dead. Why not this Bàs? The Lady and this Bàs might even be related somehow. Siblings perhaps? Or lovers? It was a strange idea, but she liked it.
“I better get started,” she told them. “Have to go find someone worth killing.”
“You have to kill someone to contact your goddess?” asked Jorge.
“Well, she is a goddess of death, after all.”
58
You bloody fool!” Vittorio’s face was plumb-colored with outrage. “You child! You imbecile!”
Sebastian had never known Vittorio to be so furious. He stood in the commander’s quarters and stared at the wooden slats of the floor as the insults rained down on him.
Then he heard a sudden crash and looked up to see that Vittorio had flipped his table onto its side, sending books, parchments, and other items across the room. Vittorio’s shoulders heaved up and down, straining against his tight uniform jacket as he glared at Sebastian.
“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I—I know it doesn’t change anything, but I’m so sorry. Such cataclysmic loss of life should never—”
“What?” Vittorio stepped in so close, Sebastian could hear the quiet whistle of air through his flared nostrils. “You think I care whether a bunch of useless, filthy peasants died?”
“Well, I—”
“Your damnable sister and her rabble of heathens are threatening everything we’ve worked for, and you pointlessly revealed our greatest military and strategic advantage. That is what I care about.”
“Oh. I see…”
“Do you see? Do you understand that your sister will soon march on Gogoleth and until reinforcements arrive, we barely have enough troops to defend the city?”
“W-will we not ride out to face them?” asked Sebastian.
Vittorio sneered. “So that we can leave the city vulnerable to all those secret cabals of rebel insurgents who continually slip through your fingers? I thought you had some sense in you, Portinari. But perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps you are nothing more than a weapon to be wielded.”
“Wh-what can I do, sir?” Sebastian asked plaintively. “How can I make amends?”
“You can shut up, stop sniveling, and do what you’re told. You will not act until I say you are to act. You will not speak unless I give you permission to do so. And you better pray that during the impending conflict you are able to kill your bitch of a sister so that I feel inclined to forgive you for acting like a reckless, idiotic, spoiled infant. Answer me now. Is that clear?”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.” Vittorio turned his back on Sebastian and shouted into the hallway. “Someone come and clean up this damned mess!”
Sebastian hurried out of the room, but once he was safely