In Her Shadow(28)

"Not really. A guess."

Britta jumped to her feet. "We have to go get her. Rescue her. And as much as I hate to say it, give her back to the Regnals before–"

"No."

Britta blinked. "No? What? If we–"

"Look at it from the Regnal point of view, New Moon. We've already returned one of their own, kidnapped by one of ours. Then, the one who did the kidnapping vanishes, and we bring her back again. . ."

"The first time's helpful. The second time is suspicious."

The Abbess of Night smiled.

"But, if the city is set to explode anyway, shouldn't we try something?"

"Oh, we are – but I'm waiting."

Britta furrowed her eyebrows at the old woman. "Waiting for what?"

The Abbess of Night held up a finger. Half-a-breath later, someone knocked on the door. "Come in."

The door swung open. One of the sisters rushed in, sweat pouring down her face, her eyes wide with panic. "Abbess! Abbess! Soldiers! There's a whole cohort out there. Their leader, Dux Lucius demands an audience."

"Then, by all means, let him in."

The sister vanished down the hall so quick, she didn't even shut the door.

"The lights," Britta said. "You have every lantern in here lit because you knew he was coming."

"Oh, it's the polite thing to do. I was rude to let him stumble around in the darkness during his last visit."

"But I've been with you this whole time – so I know no spies relayed you any messages. Which means you're either a very good guesser or–"

"A better question," the Abbess said with crooked smile, "is why you didn't tell me he was on his way."

The fact was, Britta had hoped he'd ignore his orders. She'd thought, foolish as it seemed now, Lucius would find some way out the situation. She'd wanted to give him time to figure it out before she potentially escalated the situation by telling the Abbess. But here he was, stepping through the door. His boots crunched the shattered cup. He glanced down to see what had happened, but made no remark. Instead, he doffed his helmet and tucked it under his arm. The Abbess of Night squirmed out of her chair and went to him.

"Dux Lucius," she said, her arms out for a hug. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

***

Dux Lucius wasn't sure the proper way to respond as the Abbess tossed her arms around him in an embrace. Anything but blushing, he hoped. Would it be improper to hug back, or improper not to? With no clear guidance, he let his arms hang. Even in his attempt to remain passive, his discomfort must have been obvious. He half-expected to look over and see Britta hiding a smile, but she scowled instead. Of course, he thought, this must seem like a massive betrayal to her. It tore at him. He wanted to drop to his knees before her, take her hand and tell her it was all going to be alright. But a combination of decorum, and the vague sense things weren't going to be alright, kept him focused on his task.

"Abbess of Night," he said in as formal a voice as he could muster. "I'm glad to see you again. Were that it were under more favorable circumstances."

The Abbess let him go. She guided him towards the chair beside Britta and had him sit. "Tea, dear?"

"Ah, no thank you. Please, we have much to discuss."

"Don't we, though? All the more reason to do it over a cup of tea," she said, pouring him a cup anyway. Dux Lucius thought better of complaining. No reason to make the situation worse than it already was. "What brings you out here this time of night?"

Dux Lucius took the cup. It was so small in his hands, a fragile little thing he could crush between his fingers if he so choose. "Surely you know." He blew the steam from the tea before taking a polite sip.

"Broadly," said the Abbess of Night. "Weboshi has gone missing, and the city is on the edge of descending into chaos. What do you want me to do about it?"

"You didn't take her?"

"You already know I didn't."

Dux Lucius set the cup down on the table. "I know, but I had to ask."

"So then why are you here?"

"Britta didn't tell you?"

"No," said the Abbess of Night. "She can be quite coy sometimes."

"Ah, uh–" Lucius cleared his throat, trying to catch of glance at Britta's expression through the corner of his eye. She remained much as she had when he'd entered. Perhaps less angry and more stern. Is that what he looked like all the time?

"So I ask again, Dux Lucius: why are you here?" said the Abbess of Night

"To arrest you."

"But yet you've come to my quarters alone and, I might add, unarmed."

"I have soldiers outside."

"Yes," said the Abbess of Night, "but you haven't used them. You could have stormed this place. Which makes me suspect you're either a fool, plan to ignore your orders somehow, or are trying to establish trust with us for some nefarious scheme."

Dux Lucius nodded. "A combination of all three, I suspect."

"You've come here for our help."

"Yes. I believe Weboshi is at the docks, in a ship somewhere."

"If so, why haven't you found her?"