Chapter 77:
The first thing Vek noticed was all the weaponry hanging from Lady Nari’s walls. Here was an oval wreath of knives; there was a serf prod crossed with a scroll; to his side a dart and blowpipe suspended under a bioplastic screen, and finally, near the wall-length windows behind Lady Nari’s desk, a bow with a single arrow notched over its string. As far as Vek could tell, the weapons were all still capable of hitting their marks, which made it seem strange that Lady Nari was using them for decoration.
But that wasn’t the point. The point was Lady Nari, sitting at her desk, looking straight at him.
Vek swallowed. He made his way across the chamber, bowing slightly to the attendant sitting at a nearby console table attached to the wall to his right. She nodded back to him. Vek didn’t know whether or not he should say something to her. He’d seen her around Lady Nari before, but they’d never actually talked. Well, that wasn’t quite true. Vek had spoken to her, thanking her for a telegraph she’d handed to him. She’d smiled and said nothing back, not even to share her name. Vek still didn’t know what it was, and that too was strange, because he knew everyone’s name. Maybe he’d been scared away by the shadow of Lady Nari looming ever behind her, a shadow, dark and tall, looming…
Somehow Vek made it to Lady Nari’s desk. Meeting her gaze – distant, betraying nothing – was even worse than he’d imagined it would be. He had to clench his hands behind his back to stop them from shaking. Rock-god, if only he knew what she was thinking! If only she’d say something, even something bad! But to have to stand there and wait, not knowing what was going to happen…
“I’m sure you understand, Vek, that the Promised Daughter needs to be found.”
Now Vek felt both anxious and ashamed. “Yes, Lady Nari.”
“I have a new mission for you as a result.”
Vek bowed his head. At least she wasn’t shouting at him. He could hold onto that.
“I need you to interrogate some people who could tell us where the Promised Daughter might be.”
“I’ll do anything,” Vek whispered. “I swear.”
“And not just interrogate them for where the Promised Daughter might be currently. I also want you to find out who leaked the Promised Daughter’s movements to the other Free Serf patrons.”
For the first time in four diurnals, ever since he’d lost the Promised Daughter, Vek felt a shimmer of hope. What Lady Nari was saying… it sounded like she was saying it wasn’t all his fault. It sounded like she thought one or more of the other Free Serf patrons might have kidnapped Mayah. Which made sense, Vek supposed. Patrons did political things like that, right? He raised his eyes and chanced a glance at Lady Nari. She was looking steadily at him still, but this time there was a hint of understanding in her eyes.
“I’m telling you this because I know you’re loyal,” she continued. “That’s why I’m giving you this new assignment. And not only that, I’m here to tell you personally that the Uprising is happening, right now.”
That sent everything out of Vek’s head. “What?” he cried out.
Lady Nari had a tiny smile on her lips. “The coup occurred earlier today. The non-Free Serf patrons are dead. The Council is no more. Squad #210 is probably on the move right now to secure the telegraph rooms and elevator bays of your zone. If you hurry, you’ll be able to join them. Or you can help them afterwards move the Rajas from their dorms into the barracks.”
Vek could do nothing but stare. His mind was spinning. The Uprising… the Uprising…
“It’s time to rise up, Vek. You’ve waited a long time, I know. Now is your reward.”
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Vek covered his face with his hands. They were trembling openly now, but he no longer cared. The Uprising was happening… it was finally happening… and not only that, Lady Nari had called him to her not to punish him but to tell him so personally… oh rock-god, how could she show him so much favor after he’d failed her so completely?
Vek’s shoulders shook as he wept. He couldn’t speak. All he could do was worship her. Oh Lady, my patron Lady! I’ll do my best for you! I’ll give you my all! I’ll prove on my dead body that you are right to trust me! I will find the Promised Daughter, I will find out who leaked her movements, I will interrogate anyone and everyone you ask me to, I will do it all for you, for you!
“Go now,” he heard Lady Nari say. “Re-join your squad. Rise up, and take what’s yours.”
Vek still couldn’t speak. How he wanted to die for her, die right now for her sake, die to give her glory! But no, that wasn’t what she called him to. She wanted him to go and not die, but fight. She wanted him to re-join his squad and rise up. So that was what he would do!
Quickly Vek wiped his face with his sleeve. He bowed to her, deeply. Then without looking into her face – he didn’t deserve that – Vek turned and practically ran out of her chamber. It was time to rise up. It was time to Uprise!
***
“That went very well,” Lady Nari said. She signaled to her attendant for a drink. “That was quite enjoyable.”
She got up from her desk and sat down in her courting chair. Open backed and upholstered with bengaline, the chair was a beautiful piece Lady Nari had commissioned from a now-dead but then-loyal woodworking servie.
Lady Nari downed her rum, then examined the arras hanging on the wall in front of her. Yes, Vek had been quite enjoyable indeed. First the guilt, then the hope and finally the adoration. Vek did adoration especially well.
“He’ll be just the first, of course,” she said. “I’ll build up an interrogation corps out of the network of agents and spies I have now. And they’ll act to impose my authority not just over my current patronees, but over everybody.”
For it had to be over everybody. Only Lady Nari, and she alone, was worthy to lead the serfs. She had known this for a long time now. The other three Free Serf patrons might care for the serfs, but their care was shallow, small, stupid. Tyr and Ki were Watchers; Dasgu was a coward. Lady Nari’s love for the serfs, though, was perfect. It was rich and deep and most importantly, it was powerful. Lady Nari was the only one who both wanted and could actually effect that which was good for the serfs.
“It was probably Ki,” Lady Nari murmured. She released her grip on her glass and held it up to be taken away. “She’s been chasing after the Promised Daughter for long enough. Though, then again, maybe not. Ki would have killed her and declared her death everywhere. So maybe it was Dasgu? He is mine, he’s demonstrated that often enough, but I won’t deny that he’s been acting strangely lately. There’s been a hint of resistance about him. He’s an Enabler, though, so if it was him who did the kidnapping, so much the better for the serfs.”
Lady Nari leaned back into her chair. It would be a good deal of work to run an interrogation corps. Did she have the time for it? Did she have the energy? Her mind and her will were precious resources that she had to husband well. Perhaps it would be better to appoint someone to oversee the corps, a chief interrogator who could report to her directly. Yes, that was a better idea. But who to pick?
“Ajay,” she said aloud. “Bring me the Free Serf files, the ones on my shortlist.”
Yawning, Lady Nari glanced at the daysclock on the hood over her door. It was getting quite late into daysleep. She got to her feet, went to her four-poster bed in the corner of her chamber, and lay down. Shutting her eyes, she listened to Ajay roll open her desk’s cylinder top. The rustle of paper was next, followed by the sound of the curtains that hung from the posts around her bed being drawn.
There, in the darkness, and the silence, Lady Nari allowed a slow smile to cross her lips. She was very pleased. The Uprising was happening. Tomorrow she would wake up to a new world.
***
Running racing fighting smashing open every door! Climbing shouting breaking robbing dorm on dorm on dorm! This way – there’s a Rajas – he is hiding by the pier! That way – in the foyer – no don’t let her disappear! Go let’s go let’s march let’s rise the time for serfs is here!
Now Vek, his heart was pounding. His throat was raw with joy. He’d been waiting for this moment ever since he’d been a boy. At seven Mother’d told him the truth of who he was. Don’t ever let it win you; he’d sworn it never would. Now the rise was rising, the swell was swelling forth. Vek could feel it in his body, in every bone and drop of blood. This was what he’d fought for. This was his birthright. The serfs – and the Uprising – were the sum, the whole, of life.
“Get out!” he screamed. “Get out!”