Glayan studied Shirin’s face, and the shock became apparent when he recognized the cat-like eyes uniquely distinctive to the House of Burchard. Shirin’s dark brown eyes were an elongated shape with a pronounced upward slant at the outer corners, giving her a dramatic, almost exotic look. All the blood drained from Glayan’s face, leaving a pale imitation of the ruddy, arrogant man he’d been moments before.

  Once again, Sábria moved down the line, memorizing faces and asking each man his name. When she’d finished, she stepped in front of Jerad again. “Lord Jerad. I assume you and Lord Sanin were aware of my proclamation declaring the Codpiece off-limits to all foreign nobles?”

  Jerad’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed nervously. “Yes, My Lady.”

  She held her hands out to her sides. “And yet, here you are.”

  “Yes, My Lady. My cousin, Lord Sanin, said that no woman would tell him where he could or couldn’t go, especially since the Emperor opens the entire city to the visiting nobility during his annual Festival. Since I’m…or rather, I was his heir, he ordered me to accompany him to see how the real world worked.”

  “Was Lord Sanin aware that Emperor Aloric and I are co-rulers of the Empire?”

  A nervous twitch began in the lordling’s left eye. “He…he believed the Temple serves the crown and that no woman could ever have equal authority with His Excellency, Emperor Aloric.”

  That made no sense to Shirin, who said as much. “And yet, in Tuviste, my mother, Queen Althea, holds as much power as my father, the King.”

  “Sanin never accepted that, Your Highness.”

  “You refer to me as Commander here in Cibía.”

  “Yes, Commander. S…sorry.”

  Sábria waited for him to return his gaze to her, and when he did, she stepped closer and glared down at him. “Listen to me well, Jerad of Renaud. I will pardon you and your men because Sanin paid for his stupidity with his life. This time. If any of you are caught prowling around the perimeter of the Codpiece again, I will personally sentence you to the Magistrate’s prison for an indeterminate period of time. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, My Lady. Thank you.”

  Shirin decided to add her piece as well. “And I intend to write to my father, the King, to explain exactly why one of his lords died here and how his disgraceful actions toward a visiting Dreyuthan Lady Knight brought dishonor to the Tuvistian Kingdom. I can only hope Lady Knight Isobel considers the matter closed since it’s Sanin lying dead in a pool of his own blood.”

  The Adam’s apple bobbed again. “Yes, Commander.”

  “Now, if Lady Sábria is finished with you?” She glanced at Sábria, who nodded. “Then take his body and either ship it back to Tuviste, or if you’re not inclined to incur that kind of expense for a man who brought disgrace on the Renaud family name, then take the body to the nearest city guard post, tell them exactly what happened, and they will dispose of the remains in a way commensurate with his rank.”

  Lord Jerad rose, bowed to Sábria and Shirin, and, for good measure, stepped to where Isobel waited. He bowed low and, with a blush suffusing his sharp cheekbones, apologized for his cousin’s offense. “My Lady. My cousin was a fool who in no way represented the high standards of honor embodied by the Renaud family. Please accept my apologies as the Lord of Renaud, and when I return to Tuviste, I will await your demands of reparation.”

  Isobel’s cool, grey eyes assessed the young man. “There will be no demands. I accept your apology and hold no ill will toward the House of Renaud.”

  With a sharp, relieved intake of breath, Jerad bowed again. “I would never have hoped for such generosity after the dishonorable and…if I’m honest, despicable way he treated you. Thank you, My Lady.” With that, he stepped through the line of men kneeling behind him and mounted his horse. The rest stood, bowed to Sábria, and after hoisting Sanin to lie belly-first on his mount and securing the body with a rope, joined their new Lord on their horses. The entire group turned and rode back the way they’d come.

  Shirin whistled for the archers to stand down, and as they disappeared back onto the rooftops, Sábria asked, “How did you know where we’d need them?”

  “They’ve been following from above. I picked those archers who have trained as roof runners.”

  Sábria put her hand on Shirin’s arm again. “Shirin, I was so lucky the day you showed up at our gates asking to become a shiv. Now, let’s go see what trouble Ailith’s managed to get into, shall we?”

  “Hopefully, none with Terro there to keep her on the straight and narrow.”

  They turned down Wythen Street, which marked the unofficial entrance to the Codpiece.

  CHAPTER 20

  As Sábria walked down the middle of the cobblestone street, she saw that it was business as usual. Lollies stood on balconies exposing their breasts to passersby or sat with their backs against the wall, waiting to give some man a quickie so they could earn enough coin to buy a tiny packet of Rukilla Dust.

  Some people bowed or curtseyed. Most doffed their caps as they walked by, but by the puzzled looks on many faces, some had no idea why the others were acting so out of character.

  The honor guard had returned to their original formation. Isobel walked on one side of Sábria while Shirin stayed in her customary place to the right and slightly behind her Arch Priestess.

  The quickest glimpse of a mop of curly brown hair caught Sábria’s eye and disappeared so quickly that she wondered if she’d actually seen it. “Does Terro realize that Ghost is out and about in the Codpiece again?”

  Shirin glanced at the rooftops, wondering what Sábria had seen. “What do you mean? Part of the deal for her staying at the Temple was that she would have to remain on Temple grounds unless she was with Terro or another Blade.”

  “Well, I suppose there could be another skelli or nint with that same hair, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Ailith and Terro are on their way to deliver the food and that little scamp is tagging along. I’m sure she neither understands the concept of rules nor the breaking of them. It’s something we’ll have to work on.”

  There was another byproduct of the feeding plan that Sábria was relieved to see. With the increased presence of the Blades in the Codpiece, she was happy to occasionally see an older skelli or nint leaning against one of the block walls with their arms crossed, watching the streets with a wary eye. “That was fast.”

  “What was?”

  “The fact that there are a few skellis and nints out and about. I’d think it would be too soon for them to begin leaving the sewers and venturing out into the streets.”

  “They started coming out yesterday. I was surprised myself, but Ailith says that they’re some of the older ones she’s gotten to know. They trusted her when she said the Codpiece would be safe for at least the next two sevendays. These are apparently the advanced scouts who are testing the waters, so to speak.”

  A group of the Temple’s archers sailed over an alleyway to their right, and as always, Sábria admired their agility. She looked to the left and saw the same thing happening on that side. As a young Blade, she’d wanted to train as a roof runner, but by the time she became eligible, the ring had already appeared on her finger. While bearing the ring had many benefits, it also brought what she considered to be chains. To a twenty-two-turn Blade, roof running had seemed like an exciting and slightly dangerous skill to learn. She’d even been picked to be in the next training class, but then Elyon marked her as the next Arch Priestess. She sighed and shook her head.

  Isobel glanced at her. “Why the heavy sigh? Things seem to be going well if I’m understanding what the two of you are talking about.”

  “It’s nothing, and yes, I’m very pleased to see a few of the young ones coming out of the sewer systems, even if they are here as advance scouts.”

  Since Rúsola was a Prime and yet not really a Prime anymore, she had the leeway to say things other Primes might not. “I remember when Sábria wanted to be a roof runner as a young Blade. She’s always been physical, better than all the rest, I’d say. I’m willin’ to bet that figured into th’ Goddess’ reasonin’ as far as pickin’ her. She were quick as a whip, too, and could outrun any Blade or shiv at th’ Temple. I remember she were that upset when I took back me permission fer her to train with them.”

  Isobel thought about that for a while. “I suppose there were many things that were denied to the heir apparent. I’m curious. Did the previous Arch Priestess die before her time that you had to assume the mantle of office at such an early age?”

  Sábria shrugged, “I wondered why I was chosen while Lady Sandrin, my predecessor, was still in her prime. I idolized her and remember being terrified that the ring appearing on my finger was a portent of her death. It was strange, because I thought she would be worried about it also, but she wasn’t. Luckily, she was a very astute woman who picked up on my anxieties. She took me aside and had me go to the archives to research whether there had been other occasions where the ring had appeared earlier than expected. She knew the answer, of course, but she was always teaching, always encouraging me to study and learn.”

  They were coming up on the street leading to the largest frack, and Sábria intentionally slowed her pace to allow the roof runners to maneuver around so they’d be on both sides of the street perpendicular to the one they were on. “I found three other instances of a young Blade receiving the ring while the current Arch Priestess was alive.” She looked down a moment and then glanced up at Isobel. “This is going to sound a bit egotistical, I’m afraid, but all of those young women went on to become some of the most celebrated Arch Priestesses in the history of the Temple.”

  “But why were they chosen before their time? Did they need extra training than those who received the ring after the previous Arch Priestess died?”

  Sábria shook her head. “That’s what I assumed as well, but I have since…” she hesitated, needing to explain what Elyon had told her without actually revealing that she had face-to-face conversations with the Goddess, “… come to think that throughout history, most of the women slated to be the next Arch Priestess lived the typical deadly life of our Blades, since no one but Elyon knew they were to be the next one to wear the ring. As you’re aware, our life is not an easy one, and too many Blades over the turns have died before their time. For whatever reason, with those of us chosen early, I believe the Goddess knew she needed our unique personalities and abilities in the position and simply couldn’t risk losing us. I still carried out the duties of a Blade, but instead of having only one partner when I worked the streets, I had two.”

  Sábria held out her hand to Isobel, palm up. “I hadn’t realized it at first, but when the ring appeared on my finger, it wasn’t complete.” She pointed to a spot on her finger right above her palm. “There was a small gap right here that didn’t close until Lady Sandrin passed. In fact, I was on patrol when I felt a slight tingling in my finger. When I looked down and saw that the ring had closed, I knew she was gone.”

  They turned down the final street, where a group of rough-looking men and women awaited them. Exasperated at yet another interruption, Shirin muttered under her breath, “Give me strength.” She signaled once again for the group to halt.

  One woman walked toward them with a strange limp while the rest, a motley group of half-starved, unwashed rogues waited in the street. The woman’s gait was uneven, as though one leg was weaker or less coordinated than the other. She favored one side of her body and put more weight on one leg than the other. That being said, no one in the Blades made the mistake of underestimating her. Whatever her current or previous line of work might be, it had given her a muscular chest, strong arms, and calluses on her hands. They weren’t calluses made by swinging a sword, but if the short-handled sledgehammer tucked in her belt was any indication, she would be a dangerous foe.

  Both Shirin and Isobel took one step forward. They didn’t so much as block access to Sábria as placed themselves in a position to defend her should the need arise.

  The woman’s tunic and trews were smeared with dirt one expected to see on those who lived in the Codpiece. She stopped and fingered the leather belt that held the hammer tight against her thick belly. “Do one of ye be that there Arch Priestess we been hearing ‘bout these last days?”

  Since there’d been no aggression by anyone up to that point, Shirin treated this as though it were a typical, everyday introduction. “May I have your name?”

  “I be Barta.”

  “Then,” without turning, Shirin indicated Sábria standing slightly behind her and Isobel. “Lady Sábria, Arch Priestess of the Daughters of Elyon, may I introduce Mistress Barta, presumably of the Lower Quarter?”

  Barta shook her head and spit on the ground. “I be of th’ Codpiece. Born here. Gonna die here.”

  Shirin gave her the benefit of the doubt. “It’s considered insulting to spit on the ground in front of the Arch Priestess.”

  Barta’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded once. “Meant no offense, Lady.”

  Sábria sighed, wondering where this conversation was going. “Thank you, Barta. How may I help you?”

  “Me ‘n t’others.” She hiked a thumb over her shoulder at the rest of her group. “Some babblers said ya was headin’ this way. We come to thank ya fer th’ extra warriors ya got walkin’ ‘round down here. Don’t normally want ‘em, ya ken, but we was gettin’ ready to start bashin’ some of them poxy nobles all on our own. We ken that’d cost us our lives.” She scrunched her face up in a look of disgust. “An’ ya may think our lives ain’t worth nothing, and maybe that’s so, but we got tired of watching th’ young’uns starve and be hunted by them poxy weasel-faced nobles. It were that Blade what brung th’ food to th’ skellis and nints what kept us from attacking th’ bastards, ya ken?”

  That took Sábria by surprise. She blinked rapidly, her thoughts dizzy with the realization of what an absolute catastrophe it would have been if the peasants in the Codpiece had risen in revolt.

  “And like I said, ya may not think our lives are worth no more than what runs down in them sewers, but still, ain’t none of us lookin’ to die. Ya can tell yer Blades that us here in th’ Codpiece, those what can anyway, we’ll be backin’ ‘em up in a fight.”

  Everyone standing behind her nodded once and mumbled, “Aye.”

  Sábria raised her brows and, acting on instinct, pushed through Shirin and Isobel and strode up to the woman. She held out her arm, which Barta stared at, astonished. “A warrior greets another warrior by clasping forearms. I can see that you and all these men and women have warrior hearts. Please, take my arm.”

  Barta’s dark eyes studied the proffered arm before glancing up at Shirin and then over to Isobel. Ever so slowly, she raised her hand and hesitantly clasped Sábria’s forearm. Her gaze darted between Shirin and Isobel, obviously expecting one of them to react. Her shoulders relaxed when nothing happened, and she looked Sábria straight in the eye.

  Sábria retrieved her forearm. “Barta, you’re absolutely correct when you say your life and probably the life of every man, woman, and child in the Codpiece would have been forfeit had you begun attacking the visiting nobleman. And while I’m thankful for the offer, you and your people may not engage in any type of fighting, even if you’re backing up the Blades. Do you understand me? I know it’s not fair, but even if you’re defending my people, Emperor Aloric will have you put to death. I’m sorry the young ones have been suffering, and if you want to help me, the way to do that is to talk to the people of the Codpiece and tell them we’re not their enemy. I’ve tried to bring food into the Codpiece before —”

  Barta interrupted her. “Aye, like I said, I’ve lived here me whole life. Then barrels of soup ya brung? Pfftt.” She waved a disgusted hand in dismissal.

  Sábria sighed and nodded. “Yes, it was only recently that the young trainee you were talking about, Ailith, explained to me what the nobles were doing to the soup. I can only apologize and say we’re trying, Barta, but we need your help. Please convince the lollies, skellis, and nints that we’re not the enemy. When the Festival is over, I’ll be drafting new laws. Unfortunately, when new laws affect the nobility, it might be turns before they can take effect.

  Barta rolled her eyes at that and then cocked her head. “We was protecting her, ya know. Yer lass. Weren’t no harm gonna come to her whilst she were bringin’ th’ younguns food.” Sábria’s emotions were still raw from all that had happened in the last few days, and tears welled in her eyes at the kindness she found in the most unexpected places. She blinked them back, but not before Barta noticed. “Ach, Lady, we may be skezzi skunts, but yer lass? She treats us like we’re normal folks. Not many ever have, ya ken? And she were bringin’ ‘em food.”

  Sábria’s eyes grew hard. “All of my Blades should treat you that way. I’m giving you permission to come to the Temple. No, I’m telling you that if any of my Blades treat you with anything less than the respect you deserve, you will come to the Temple and tell me.”

  Barta’s barked laughter was a strange combination of high-pitched giggle and guttural snort, and the men and women standing behind her chuckled at what they considered a good joke. After a few moments, she shook her head, “Don’t think that’ll ever happen, Lady. Folks what babble end up on th’ midden heap. No, we’ll take what we’re given.” She looked thoughtful for a moment, though. “And what happens to all yer extra warriors end of Festival, eh? Do th’ skellis and nints go back to starvin’ and gettin’ beat ‘till they kark and nobody here to stop th’ noble bastards?”

  Sábria shook her head. “No. There are a lot of changes coming to the Codpiece, Barta. That’s why I need your help to convince people that my Blades are not the enemy. We’ll try to figure out how to bring food down and how to protect that food. But if I have Blades protecting a barrel of soup, you and I both know that no one will come near. That has to stop. Will you help me make a change?”