Page 80 of The Tainted Cup

“We were, ma’am,” said Ana.

“But now you think the Engineers were having these secret meetings at thehalls of the Hazas? At theirgentry estate? And this last secret meeting occurred during some sort ofparty?”

“That is as it seems, ma’am,” said Ana. “The dead Engineers possessed reagents keys to the Haza gates. I think they were there that day of the Haza party, and that that is where they were poisoned. But how and why, I’m not sure.”

The muscles in Vashta’s jaw rippled as she gritted her teeth. “Miljin—I feel stupid asking this, but youcantestify that you at least weren’t there, correct?”

“Wasn’t there, ma’am,” Miljin said. “Don’t get invited to fancy gentry parties. P’rhaps on account I lost my dancing shoes.”

“That’s a damned blessing, then. You are permitted to keep working this, then.” Vashta’s hands crawled along the surface of herengraved helm in her lap. “Sen sez imperiya,” she muttered. “The workings of the Empire must be honest and straightforward. For if the Empire does not work for one, it does not work for all—and then it cannot work to keep the leviathans back.” She glared at Ana. “Well. You’ve done a very good job here, Immunis!”

The bobbing of Ana’s head increased. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“You have not only identified the likely time and location of the crime—again, all within a few days—but you have managed to utterly unravel any faith I had in the Iyalets in this canton,” she said bitterly. “Quite stunning work! As such, I am hoping you can continue to do stunning work.”

Ana’s fingers flittered in her dress. She knew what was coming. “Of course, ma’am,” she said.

“You shall take over as lead investigator,” said Vashta. “You must begin by questioning Uhad, Nusis, and Kalistaimmediately.We must get all their testimony right away.”

“Certainly,” said Ana.

“Good. And there’s nothing else you haven’t told me yet, is there?” asked Vashta. “You don’t have someothermagic reagents key that might open…hell, I don’t know, the emperor’s undergarment drawer?”

There was an awkward silence. I glanced back at Miljin, who looked on, uncomprehending.

“Well…” said Ana.

“Youdon’t,” Vashta said flatly.

“I’m afraid we do, ma’am,” said Ana. “We have found a second key.”

“I was joking!” cried Vashta. “I’ll joke no more, if the gods shall hear them as wishes and make them true! Where did you find it?”

Ana then explained all I’d found in Rona Aristan’s safehouse. Vashta grew more and more agog with every word, and Miljin looked first outraged and then resigned to hear that we’d all got to it first.

“I always did hear,” he muttered as he shook his head, “that working with Dolabra will drive a man mad…”

“Do we have any idea how Blas came into all that money?” demanded Vashta. “And how does that relate to his murder, and the murder of all the other Engineers?”

“We don’t yet know, ma’am.”

“And you’re certain this malign influence doesn’t spread to any of the other investigators?”

“At the moment, all their involvement seems ill-advised but coincidental, ma’am.”

“And what in hell does this new reagents key open?”

“We don’t yet know that either, ma’am,” said Ana. “It appears far plainer than the Haza key, so I doubt if it shall open anything quite so controversial, but…we have given it to Nusis to analyze. I have not yet heard if she has had time to work on it.”

Again, Vashta glowered at us. “Get an update from her when you interrogate her next. We must uncover as much as we can about all of this as quickly as possible.”

“Understood, ma’am,” said Ana. “But…first, of course…”

“The Hazas,” sighed the commander-prificto. “You would like to go to their home, I assume.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And inspect the residence.”