Emperor's Edge Republic (86 page)

Something clinked. Oops, she had forgotten about the vials and tools tucked inside her coveralls.

Sespian’s lips left hers, though he didn’t draw back far, just enough for her to see the arched eyebrows. “Your chest is poking me,” he said.

“Yes. It’s a sign of my... keen interest.” Mahliki fished in her coveralls for the tongs she had stuck in there earlier, moving them down to a lower pocket. She also dug out a test tube and a couple of other items—dear Akahe, when had she jabbed all those things into her coveralls? She didn’t even remember.

“Was that a magnifying glass?” Sespian asked.

“Yes, and a graduated cylinder.”

“You’re an intriguing woman, Mahliki Starcrest.”

“I’m glad you think so. Can we go back to kissing now?”

“Love to,” he murmured, and pulled her close. If anything else clinked, neither of them noticed it.

• • • • •

Maldynado took a break from dancing with... he wasn’t sure what her name was, Fee-something—to pluck a glass of wine from a tray and lean against a wall. Most of his dinner guests were still wiggling their hips and twirling about with their partners, so he considered the evening a success, even if Rias and Dak Starcrest and a couple of other officers had bowed out on the dancing in favor of discussing who knew what at the table. Politics or military issues probably. How dreadfully drab. At least Deret Mancrest was still out attempting to dance with one of the available women—the swordstick did make things awkward, alas. Basilard and his lady had found a quiet dim corner—Maldynado had ordered the lighting softened to provide such spots—and were swaying together. He had caught a little more than swaying during an earlier glance. Good for Basilard. The soup must have worked. Amaranthe and Sicarius were... holding up the opposite wall together. He had an arm around her, while she leaned against his chest, but it all looked rather boring. Despite Maldynado’s suggestions, Sicarius wouldn’t be drawn out to dance—probably because he had refused to sample any of the dinner courses. Maldynado wasn’t all that certain he wanted to see Sicarius gyrating to drumbeats anyway. Fortunately, Amaranthe didn’t seem to miss seeing it, either. She seemed content standing against the wall with him and watching the others. Presumably they would sway to their own beat later in private. It wasn’t their fault they weren’t very fun people and wouldn’t sway in front of others.

Maldynado glanced toward the front door. Sespian had slipped out with Mahliki. Also good. Maldynado had been quite put out with the young woman for not showing up. He had even attempted to set Sespian up with one of the other younger ladies, but he had fled at this notion, grabbing a sketchpad and suggesting his talents would be most useful in creating drawings to commemorate the evening. He hoped Mahliki was out in the hallway showing him a different way to commemorate things.

A satisfying evening overall, Maldynado decided, at least for those he had helped set up. For himself... he lamented that he didn’t have a lady to go home with. Oh, Fee-something and one of the others he had brought to introduce to Mancrest had offered, but he wasn’t ready to wander off with random women. Though he didn’t know why not. It wasn’t as if Evrial were even in the city anymore. Though she
had
written a couple of times, asking how he was doing and telling him about her promotion ceremony. Maybe if he were to go to her, she would still be... amenable to it?

Colonel Starcrest walked up to Maldynado. “What is this, Marblecrest?” He held up a business card.

“That’s for your uncle. I left it at the table, so he could pick it up after he and his wife were done dancing.” The pair had swayed through two songs, but had both lifted their hands at further entreaties to partake in the festivities. Maldynado hoped he could handle more than two dances when he reached their venerable ages.

“A sculptor?” the colonel asked. “Having a building named after you isn’t enough?”

“I simply wished to make the president aware of the fine craftsmen in the city. Don’t you think that the entryway with the fountain would look fine with a statue of a handsome and noble warrior gazing benevolently upon visitors?” Sure, Sespian had said he had deliberately departed from old traditions by making a fountain that featured branches and leaves instead of hulking war heroes, but that spacious foyer had room for a statue or two in the alcoves.

“You’re incorrigible,” the colonel said.

“Yes, now shouldn’t you be dancing?” Maldynado pointed to one of the young ladies sitting this round out. “Even Mancrest is wobbling his hips, and he can barely walk without that stick.”

“Yes, he’s wobbling them so effectively that all four of the women you brought have been doting on him. And you. The one who deigned to dance with me kept looking over my shoulder at you and wondering, ‘Why does he look so sad?’” The colonel used an alarming falsetto for repeating the woman’s words.

“Ah,” Maldynado said. “I didn’t realize my... mood of lament would make me appear so alluring.”

“I ought to punch you for saying something as idiotic as that, but I’m going to give you the news I came to deliver anyway.”

“Which is?”

“One of my men reported that an enforcer woman who isn’t on the guest list seeks entrance to the residence—and your party.”

“An... enforcer woman?” Maldynado gulped. Was it...? Who else could it be? But here in the city? How? Why?

“You have no one but yourself to blame for your laments if you didn’t invite the girl to your shindig.” The colonel didn’t roll his eye—he was probably too fierce and military to exercise such theatrics, but he sounded like he wanted to. “I assume you don’t want her kept out?”

“No! I mean of course not. I—is she here now?” Maldynado kept from grabbing the colonel’s arm—barely. “Or are they keeping her outside in the cold?”

“It’s not that cold.” The colonel waved to a soldier by the door.

He stepped into the hall. Maldynado leaned forward on his toes, tempted to spring across the room. If Evrial had come, what did it mean? That she missed him? That she wanted to give him another chance to join her in the country? That she... wanted to arrest him for something? He did a quick search through his brain, trying to remember if he had partaken in any misdemeanors in the past weeks. He didn’t think so, but he suddenly felt guilty.

When Evrial Yara stepped into the banquet hall, his feeling of guilt, a certainty that he had done something wrong, intensified. Not only was she wearing her enforcer grays, the uniform pressed so crisply that the seams on her trousers stood to attention, but her baton, short sword, and handcuffs hung on her belt. All business, that uniform said. His gaze lingered on the lieutenant’s baton-and-dagger rank pins on her collar flaps, then lifted to her face.

Evrial spotted Maldynado then and strode toward him, not sparing more than a glance for the president and his officers at the table. She did cast a brief withering gaze toward the dance floor—and the women in dresses wiggling their hips out there. Maldynado wondered if he could have talked Evrial into dancing if they had still been together and if she had deigned to come to his event. She preferred to unleash her emotions in private.

Maldynado caught Amaranthe and Sicarius watching Evrial’s approach, and wondered if Sicarius would step in if Yara tried to arrest Maldynado. Probably not. He would probably hold open the door for her to drag Maldynado out.

“Good evening, Lieutenant Yara,” Maldynado said warily.

“Good evening, Maldynado.”

She wore a determined expression, and he waited for more, but she didn’t seem to have her next line worked out.

“Are you here to arrest me?” he asked.

Evrial blinked. “Have you done something illegal?”

“Not that I know of, but that doesn’t mean much. I don’t always pay that much attention to the legalities of the world. It’s a flaw. I’m a creative and unrestrained spirit.”

She glanced up at his hat, the golden vines dangled to either side of his eyes. “Yes.”

“If you’re not here to arrest me, what brings you all the way into the city?” Maldynado noticed Basilard and his lady dancing by, their ears turned toward him. Had he just become the gossip for the evening? He thought about taking Evrial into the hall, but didn’t know if she wanted privacy for... whatever she had come to say.

“My new promotion. In the NoDoc District.” A small smile found its way onto her stern face. “I just got off my first day’s duty.”

It dawned on him slowly that yes, that
was
a city enforcer uniform, not one from rural district whatever number she lived in. “I... How? I thought...”

“I told Captain Brinst that I had an offer for a promotion back in my home district and that if he wanted to keep me on his team, he would have to offer me a promotion here.”

“When was this?”

“A few weeks ago. After we... chatted that night at the building site.” Evrial lifted her eyes toward the ceiling and nodded, maybe impressed that this was the same site.

Mahliki and Sespian danced past, much as Basilard and his lady had a moment earlier. Maldynado noticed it because they were obviously spying and also because they had left the room earlier—quite a bit earlier. Mahliki was still wearing her plant-smeared coveralls, but Sespian didn’t seem to mind. Indeed, they were both wearing large grins. Well, one mission accomplished.

“He was slow in making up his mind,” Evrial said. “I’d already been working back at home for two weeks when he made his offer. Are you still...” She glanced at the extra women on the dance floor again. “Unattached?”

A grin stretched across Maldynado’s mouth. “I’m still
attached
actually, to this strong, brave enforcer woman, who must have a lot of courage to come back to the city and seek out the man her father and brother so dearly loathe.”

Some of the rigid enforcer-ness melted out of Evrial’s body. She rested a hand on his arm, her eyes crinkling. “They loathe you less now.”

“Oh?”

“They heard someone was naming a building after you.”

“
They
heard? Way out in the country?” Maldynado realized his jaw was dangling open, so he shut it. “Did everyone know about this except for me?”

“You didn’t know? There was an article in the
Gazette
.”

Mancrest shambled by with a young lady supporting him. He winked at Maldynado as they headed for the beverage station.

Maldynado sniffed and made sure Mancrest heard his comment. “I don’t read that droll periodical.”

“Regardless,” Evrial said, “I’ve... missed you.”

“You must have. You haven’t called me a dolt or a dunderhead once tonight.”

“I’ve only been here five minutes. The night is young.”

“Oh? Will we be spending it together?” Maldynado wiggled his eyebrows.

Evrial draped her arms over his shoulders and gave him an inspired kiss, though all she said was, “Why don’t we start with a dance?”

“I would love to, my lady. So long as you don’t prong me overmuch with that baton.”

“No promises.”

THE END

Afterword

Thank you for reading along with Amaranthe, Sicarius, and all the others. If you enjoyed the story and have time to leave a review, I would appreciate it. If you want to discuss this world with others, you can check out
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