Page 32 (1/1)

Father does not reply Froaron smooths a hand over the last dispatch on the desk, rather in the way I iine a man strokes a reluctant lover’s skin, I realize that Father has not been invited to speak He is obliged to listen, just as I areat expense to elevate a eneral"

Father sucks in a breath as hard as if he has been punched in the gut Iht that I can somehow protect hi all his life

Lord Gargaron’s gaze flashes up The look he gives me stops me like a door slammed in my face

"First, your financial affairs led from those of Ottonor’s heirs before the creditors descend This must be accomplished at the same time your household scrupulously observes all the properrituals so your low birth is never a reason for suspicion"

He has arranged the papers into three stacks One is the household financial records One he has already pushed aside as of no interest to him He keeps a hand open and flat atop the third stack From this distance I cannot read the words but by the shape of theuess it is the careful record Father keeps of his day-to-day service, everything he has seen and done while at war

"Second, a general must have a proper wife Not this infa in the way Efean women can be How o, fresh and ripe and young But you are no longer a youngman’s toys and pets must be put aside if a man has ambition Do you have ambition, Captain?"

"To put asideher his concubine, and he cannot call her his wife "She is a woman, not a pet or a toy"

The thin saron’s thin lips I want to scrub its foul kiss off le! Let eneralship in the Eastern Reach if you agree to marry my niece and enter my sponsorship with no encumbrances"

"Your niece?" Father sounds dumbstruck

I aoes on quite irl, unusually intelligent and showing an astute grasp of financialyour pardon, e would be willing to aron pushes the third stack of paper out of the way and pulls to hiht blue butterfly mask It is the only ornament Father keeps in his study, set on his desk to reh he was supposed to "My niece wasof the ways and soossip within the court Not to put too fine a point on it, Captain, but aoods No lord will marry her, and as you know by law only a married woman can conduct business By this al standing she needs to continue in the faain the respectability and connection you need to ain this exceptional reward I must put aside the woives birth to a boy?"

"What if she does? Such a boy cannot legally inherit froardless You can sire another son but this is the only chance you will ever receive to burnish your fa henceforth known and obeyed as General Esladas"

I wait for Father to shout Lord Gargaron down, to proclaihters I wait for hiacy he cares about

Father says nothing

Gargaron is the one who speaks "There would be one other stipulation I want your daughter"

Father cracks He takes an aggressive step forward, then stops hi at court if it beco used as another man’s concubine? You cannot demand this of my honor"

"Concubine? Ah, you mean the pretty one She is an attractive morsel, to be sure But I mean the one who runs the Fives"

The simple words choke me

Did Kalliarkos confess the whole after telling me he would keep my secret?

But it is too late now to hide the truth I have kept frohs "None of hters runs the Fives, my lord A man of my rank and position could never permit that"