The Consuming Fire (The Interdependency #2)(74)

“It’s this: Confidence isn’t about knowing you’re right. Confidence is about knowing you can make it right. You have doubts because it makes sense for you to have doubts. Just like it made sense for me to have doubts. But remember the plan is not the goal. What is your goal?”

“To save as many lives as possible, through every means possible.”

“Be confident in that, and everything else will follow.”

“Thank you,” Cardenia said, after a minute. “What you said about confidence makes sense to me.”

“You’re welcome,” Rachela I said. “I read it in a book once.”

*

Cardenia emerged from the Memory Room to find Obelees Atek waiting for her. Atek had a mildly apprehensive look on her face, in part because she was always uncomfortable coming into the emperox’s private apartments, which she felt was an invasion of personal space, and in part because she didn’t know what the Memory Room was and it disturbed her. Cardenia had explained to her that it was a relaxation chamber of sorts, which was occasionally accurate, but she didn’t think that made Atek’s apprehension any less acute.

Cardenia smiled at her assistant, took a breath, and became Grayland II again.

“Is my next appointment here?” Grayland asked.

“She is, ma’am, waiting for you in your office.” Atek motioned with her hand for the emperox to lead the way.

In her office Lady Kiva Lagos waited, leaned way back in a chair, looking up at the ceiling, kicking one foot casually as she did so. Grayland was amused by this. Most visitors were over whelmed by the office and its centuries of priceless cruft, but Kiva gave every impression of, Yeah, you have a lot of shit in this place, so fucking what. Which Grayland could definitely sympathize with.

Atek discreetly coughed. Grayland saw Kiva look over, see Atek giving her the get the hell up signal, and haul herself out of her chair for a bow.

“Lady Kiva, good to see you again,” Grayland said, and excused Atek from the room. “Sit back down, please.”

“I was staring at your ceiling, Your Majesty,” Kiva said, sitting back down. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much gold foil in one place.”

“It’s a lot, yes.”

“One of the perks of being emperox.”

“I suppose it is. I honestly don’t think about it much. I rarely look up at the ceiling these days.”

“Give it a try sometime, ma’am. It’s pretty impressive.”

“How is your friend doing? I’m sorry, her name escapes me at the moment.”

“Senia Fundapellonan.”

“It’s a lot to remember.”

“I told her the same thing when I first met her. She is doing much better, thank you, ma’am. And thank you again for sheltering her at Brighton Palace. It makes her feel a lot safer.”

“Of course. And how are you? I know your friend was injured, but the bullet went through your window.”

“I’ve replaced the window with something a little more bulletproof,” Kiva said. “But other than that I’m still at my place. If someone wants to come find me, they know where I am.”

“I don’t know whether that’s brave or foolish, Lady Kiva.”

“It’s definitely foolish, ma’am. But if someone is going to make that much of an effort, then it doesn’t matter where I sleep. So I might as well sleep at home. Besides, I have a good idea who did it. I’ve expressed my displeasure.”

“I hear rumors that the same night your friend was shot, Countess Nohamapetan’s chief of staff was assaulted in her bed.”

“I wouldn’t know anything about that, ma’am.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” Grayland nodded over to Kiva’s hand, which was bandaged. “What happened to your hand, Lady Kiva?”

“This?” Kiva held up her hand. “I broke it against something stupid.”

“Was it worth it?”

“Absolutely, ma’am.”

“Well, good. Keep it up.”

“I have every intention of doing that. And on that note…” Kiva reached over, grabbed a pile of documents that were set to the side of her chair, and dropped them on the emperox’s desk. “Let’s talk about just what I’ve got on the fucking Nohamapetans.”

Grayland raised an eyebrow at this.

“Oh, shit, I just swore out loud, didn’t I?” Kiva said.

Grayland laughed.

“Sorry,” Kiva said. “I’ve been trying to be on my best behavior, Your Majesty.”

“I’d rather you just be you, Lady Kiva.”

“Let’s hope you don’t regret saying that, ma’am.”

“I’m pretty sure I won’t. Especially after you show me what you have here.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you plan to do with it?”

“The information? Nothing yet.” Grayland caught Kiva’s expression. “But I promise you, Lady Kiva, none of your work here is going to be in vain. I’ll make use of it. Effectively.”

“Then let’s get into this,” Kiva said, and pulled out the sheet. “And let’s begin with these.”

“What are they?”