The Autumn Republic

Tamas began to pace the tent, his mind racing. Royal seals always had the faint touch of sorcery to them, much like a ward. It allowed generals in the field to check for authenticity. Tamas had been able to sense it himself, but Sulem needed to be convinced as well.

“These are the words of a desperate man,” Sulem said. “You should be pleased.”

“He’s trying to buy time. He knows that we won’t advance into Kez while the snows fall.”

“So what if he does? My armies have by now ravaged the Amber Expanse. They shall retreat to Alvation for the winter and sharpen their bayonets. Come spring we will crush whatever resistance the Kez have left.”

Tamas paused in his pacing. He still did not want to explain to Sulem about Kresimir and Ka-poel. Nor did he think that Sulem cared much for the fact that a Brudanian army held Adopest. “He may be able to forge alliances. If Starland or Novi decides to enter the war on their side, this war will last for ages.”

“Novi wouldn’t dare,” Sulem said with a wave of his hand.

One flap of the tent parted as Vivia returned. She handed Sulem the letter. “It’s Ipille’s,” she said, and slipped back out the way she had come.

Tamas advanced to the table in the middle of Sulem’s tent and pushed several maps and correspondence out of the way, laying his own map of southern Adro down and rubbing it smooth. “I will not allow this war to last any longer.”

“You have a plan?” Sulem approached the table curiously.

“The Kez will likely gather here and prepare for our approach,” Tamas said, pointing to the northern entrance to Surkov’s Alley. “They’re less than half a day ahead of us. I propose that we march double-time into the night tonight and all day tomorrow and catch them unawares.”

The Kez king frowned at that. “You mean to stop them before they can secure a defensive position at Surkov’s Alley?”

Tamas smiled. “I mean to do much more than that.”

CHAPTER 36

When Adamat told his carriage driver to take him to the Flerring Powder Company on the west side of Adopest, he hadn’t expected them to head well outside of the city and into the countryside.

He and SouSmith climbed out of their carriage at about three o’clock in the afternoon the day after their visit to Uskan and paused to examine their surroundings. The chemical company was at the end of a dirt track several miles off the main highway. It appeared to be a collection of over two dozen buildings of various sizes spread out at distant intervals across a wide field. A creek ran through the center of the complex, providing power to a single mill.

Near the river, set apart from the rest of the buildings by some several hundred yards, Adamat noted a black smudge of dirt that looked like it had once been the foundation for yet another building.

The perils of making gunpowder.

Adamat headed toward the largest of the buildings.

He was stopped just outside the building by a woman holding a blunderbuss. She stood half a head taller than Adamat and had the shoulders of a boxer. Long brown hair half covered her eyes, and she leaned against the building door. She pointed the weapon lazily at his feet.

“Can I help you?”

Adamat noticed the cudgel hanging from her belt and wondered if she was the only guard. He didn’t think that likely. Companies like this needed manpower to keep their secrets safe from competitors. “I’m looking for Flerring the Elder,” Adamat said.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“I don’t.”

“What do you want?”

“I need to discuss a matter of some urgency.”

“And that is?”

“I should probably speak with Flerring himself.”

The woman tilted her head to one side. “I’ll see if he’s available. Whom can I tell him is here?”

“Inspector Adamat.”

“You here from the state?”

“Yes.”

“Then go away until you’ve made an appointment. Or come back when you’ve got more goons. We’re not rolling over for your idiot regulations.”

Idiot regulations? “You think I’m a government inspector?”

“That’s what you just said.”

Adamat let out a chuckle and smoothed the front of his jacket with one hand. “No, no. I’m not that kind of inspector. I’m investigating a murder attempt.”

“And that knowledge is supposed to get you inside?” The woman looked him over skeptically and raised the barrel of her blunderbuss by half an inch.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Adamat said, putting both hands out in a calming gesture. “I need to speak with Flerring about his blasting oil.”

The blunderbuss was raised until it was pointed at Adamat’s chest. “Well, then you’re definitely not coming in.”

SouSmith stepped forward suddenly, putting himself between Adamat and the gun. “Lower the weapon,” he rumbled.

“I don’t care how big you are, I don’t-”

“Put. It. Down.” SouSmith took a step forward.

“SouSmith, it’s okay, we don’t need to escalate this further.”

The woman suddenly lowered her blunderbuss. “Did you just say SouSmith? As in the boxer?”

“That’s me.” The words came out of SouSmith in a growl. “Problem?”