Page 38 of The Tainted Cup

“Have we interviewed any friends or comrades?”

“Not yet,” said Kalista. “We haven’t interviewed anyone at all. Most of the work we’ve done in Engineering is to try to predict and stop the next attack.”

Ana’s brow furrowed. “Next attack?”

“The operating theory,” explained Uhad, “is that Engineering officers are being targeted. Perhaps in hopes that their inevitable bloom might damage our fortifications, causing another breach, but…after some analysis, we think this somewhat unlikely.”

“I assume,” said Ana, turning to Nusis, “becauseplanningwhen dappleglass blooms inside someone is utterly fucking mad?”

Nusis’s cheery smile dimmed. She glanced at Uhad, who gave the slightest shake of his head—Ignoreit.

“Ah…correct,” said Nusis. “It would be impossible to time a bloom with any accuracy. The nature of a body, the person’s diet, movement, activity, not to mention the number of spores inhaled…these all would affect the growth rate of the dappleglass.”

“And the dead didn’t all work on the walls,” sighed Uhad. “So theidea that someone poisoned ten random Engineers in hopes that some would work in the area where this strut was located—and then, on top of that, that the dappleglass within them would bloom at theexactright time to damage this oneexactstrut…Well, the idea’s a little preposterous.”

“But theywereall Engineers,” said Kalista. “And all lower officers—princeps and signums and captains. That’s who spends most of their time inside the walls.”

“Yet no commanders, like Blas was,” said Ana.

“No,” said Uhad. “But there seems to be a targeting here, a selection. We just can’t see the sense of it yet. Blas was murdered with great intent. We must assume the same for these ten.”

Ana was rocking back and forth in her chair very fast now, flipping over page after page of parchment with her fingers, until she came to the very last one. Her face was tight, expressionless. I was reminded of a barge pilot trying to navigate a narrow canal.

“I would like a list of all witnesses to the deaths,” she said finally.

“That can be done,” said Uhad.

“And I want a list of all the living assignments of the dead going back one year,” said Ana. “As well as a list of who was residing in the same facilities at those times.”

Kalista snuck a wary glance at Uhad. “That’s a tremendous amount of information,” she said.

“But you Engineers have it, don’t you?” said Ana. “The Empire simply loves to write shit down, and I’d assume the living arrangements of the Iyalets here in Talagray would be well recorded.”

“I can get it,” said Kalista reluctantly. “But…it’s a lot. And, as you can expect, the Engineers are overtaxed right now. Might I ask why you need it?”

“To save us all some goddamned time,” said Ana, grinning. “We want to talk to everyone who could know something, yes? Seems wise to start with who’s been physically around the victims for weeks and months.” Then she casually added: “As well as who they might have been fucking. Living arrangements often reveal such relationships—who’s followed who, month after month. Tricky to slip into someone’s bedroom through a window. Better to be in the same building. And lovers, of course, are vital sources of information.”

Kalista, stunned, removed her pipe from her mouth, leaving a faint indentation in her lip. Nusis’s smile was very strained now. I stared fixedly into the back of Ana’s chair.

“We’ll get you that,” said Uhad grimly. “Before the end of the day—yes, Immunis?”

“Certainly,” said Kalista. She watched Ana from behind a veil of smoke. “However…Ididthink the nature of this relationship was reciprocal, yes? We’d like to get some information from you, too, Immunis, about the previous incident.”

“Yes…” said Ana. “But I had a question for you all first. Did any ofyouknow Commander Blas? Personally?”

The whole room exchanged uncomfortable glances—all except Captain Miljin, who just slouched grumpily in his chair.

“We all did,” said Uhad. “He was one of the most prominent Engineers of the Empire. Architect of some of our greatest defensive artifices. Though I, I admit, probably knew him the least, and only cordially at that…”

“I never served under him,” said Kalista. “But I knew him. I’d met him frequently. Yet that wasn’t unusual. He wasn’t the type to bottle himself up before a drafting board. He had a way of making himself known.”

“I knew him through his activity on the Preservationist Councils,” said Nusis.

Ana’s head swiveled to her. “Tell me more about that, please.”

“Well, ah…he was a liaison to many cantons’ Preservationist evaluations,” Nusis said hesitantly. “Examining whether a new suffusion or alteration, or a new construction project, could impact the natural state of any nearby canton.”

“Say more,” demanded Ana.