The Autumn Republic

“It sounds,” Bo said, looking equally surprised, “like they’re trying to put us out of a job!”

“If you’ll just…,” Ratchel said.

“Well.” Nila threw her hands up. “I got my wish. Thank you for calling us in here to let us know. I think I’ll go spend the rest of the day in bed.”

“I’ll join you!” Bo said with a wink, linking his arm with hers and turning them both toward the door.

“Where the pit do you think you’re going?” Ratchel demanded.

Nila and Bo both turned back toward the governors. “If you don’t want us,” Bo said, “we’re more than happy to leave.”

Ratchel shuffled the papers in front of her angrily. “It’s not that we don’t want you,” she said. “It’s that we have yet to determine how the cabal will serve our government.”

“Ah,” Bo said. Prosthetic clicking, he went and grabbed one of the chairs from beside the wall and dragged it noisily into the center of the room, plopping himself down in it and leaning forward on his cane. Nila took up a position behind him. “The cabal,” he said, “intends on serving as it always has. But instead of the king, we will serve the best interests of the people.”

“That’s very vague.”

“I’m glad you noticed.”

“It’s too vague. The cabal must report to someone.”

“We do. We report to the army, who reports to the First Minister, whose actions are answerable to both the Hall of Magistrates and the esteemed governors before me.”

“There must be more direct oversight.”

“And you,” Nila said, “propose that we report directly to the governors’ council?”

“Yes,” Ratchel said curtly, fixing Nila with that same annoyed squint she’d used on Bo earlier.

“We’ve already gotten similar offers from both the First Minister and representatives of the Hall of Magistrates.” Bo laughed. “And we’ve decided that it is in the best interest of Adro for the cabal to remain independent. We will fight the nation’s wars. We will fight for the people’s interests. We will not be lapdogs to any single group of politicians.”

“And who decided this?” Ratchel demanded. “The two of you?”

Nila said, “The two of us, as well as the recently promoted General Vlora and the remaining half-dozen members of Tamas’s powder cabal.”

“We’ve combined, you see,” Bo said. “So if you want to have this conversation again, you can do it with a handful of war heroes in the room in addition to the last two Privileged you have left.” He slapped his hands on his thighs. “Well, out of time. Good day to you all.”

Nila helped Bo to his feet, taking satisfaction in the stunned silence that followed as the two of them left the room.

Outside the office, Nila watched men scrub at the blackened marble farther down the hallway while Bo adjusted the straps on his prosthetic, wondering if it was her fire that had caused the stains or fire from one of the Brudanian Privileged. Frankly, she was shocked that the entire building hadn’t been condemned after that fight.

“I thought that went rather well,” Bo said cheerfully.

Nila nodded. Part of her agreed. Bo was right. The spirit of this new government would be crippled from the beginning if any one branch of the legislature had the cabal at their fingertips. Going it alone, however, meant there was no one else to blame for their failures and shortcomings. Sometimes taking orders was the easiest way.

“Borbador!” a voice echoed down the long hall.

Nila turned around to find Inspector Adamat heading in their direction. The inspector wore a new suit, and his eyes had dark rings beneath them from lack of sleep. He gave Nila a half bow, then turned to Bo.

“Inspector,” Bo said. “How are you?”

“Well, thank you. Tired. Busy. But well.”

“Your family, how are they?”

Adamat covered his grimace well. “Wonderful. Thank you for asking.”

“And Jakob?” Nila asked.

“Faye considers him one of her own.”

“That item that we discussed…?” Bo said.

Adamat handed him a folded piece of paper. “You’ll find her here.”

“Very good.”

Nila glanced curiously at Bo, but his face gave away nothing. “You’re making this poor man run errands still?” she asked.

“Thank you for the consideration,” Adamat said, coughing into his hand, “but half a day’s work for fifty thousand krana seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

“How do you feel about a more permanent position?” Bo asked.

“I have one, thank you,” Adamat said. “I’m an ambassador now.”

“Congratulations,” Nila said. “To where?”

“We haven’t quite gotten that far, actually.”

“You’ll get it sorted out, I’m sure,” Bo said. “I promise, though, that I pay better than the government.”

“Ricard is very generous with his friends.” Adamat paused, clearly cautious. “Just out of curiosity, what did you have in mind?”

“Spymaster for the new Adran Cabal.”

Nila raised her eyebrows. Bo hadn’t mentioned this to her.

Adamat shook his finger at Bo. “Not a chance. Far too dangerous. Far too political.”

“I’ll leave the offer on the table for a week,” Bo said.

Adamat bowed and took a step back. “I should be flattered by the consideration, but I won’t do it. Thank you, Privileged.”