done it long ago. Your name has come up many times at the council… but the death vote never passed.”
“Which way did you vote?”
Fatima showed her teeth. “We’re no longer children, Nyxnissa. Let’s not fight.”
The matron returned from the back. “Blood test says the girl’s ours,” she said. She handed a coded note to Fatima. “Called Ara so Basmirah. One of Shadha’s girls.”
“Shadha?” Nyx said.
Fatima stared at the coded note. Nyx saw her mouth harden. Then she raised her gaze, and the slip in her expression smoothed.
“The council has encountered some conflicts of interest among its members.”
“So she’s rogue after all?” Nyx said. There was no more “conflicting interest” in Nasheen than bel dames policing a rogue bel dame.
“That term is a little extreme,” Fatima said. “We have full control over the matter.”
“Isn’t that what Alharazad said before she killed half the council twenty years ago?”
“Thank you for bringing in the head,” Fatima said, avoiding her look. “We’ll get her reanimated and interrogate her. I assume you checked to make sure the diplomat’s name wasn’t on a red note?”
“Obviously.”
“And—”
“And I checked for mine,” Nyx said.
Fatima nodded, showed her teeth again. Was that supposed to be a smile? Nyx wondered if the facial scar had severed something essential in Fatima’s face. Best she remembered, Fatima knew how to smile, when it suited her. “If nothing else, we’ll discipline her for causing a public disturbance. You should come up to file a report.”
“Why the fuck would I file a report?”
“Records. The council loves them. Indulge me.” Fatima hesitated a moment, then, “What happened in Chenja was a misunderstanding.” Her words came out quickly, like pulling a scab on some old wound. “The Queen saw fit to clarify your purpose for being in Chenja after the fact, but you must have understood my position at the time. It’s another reason you aren’t dead. In the future, it would be… prudent if you informed us of your private notes. It ensures that our interests are aligned.”
So, Nyx thought, it had bothered Fatima that she tortured her back in Chenja. That was something.
“The Queen told you Rasheeda was working both sides back then?” Nyx asked.
“No note was put out on Rasheeda. She was reported dead six years ago. I assumed you’d killed her.”
“I did, but I never burned the head,” Nyx said. “I guess somebody could have had her reanimated within the thirty-hour window.” Tended to happen, with rogue bel dames.
“You, of all people, should know better,” Fatima said. “As it is here, there have been some changes.”
“Like you getting elected?”
They were only an arm’s length apart now. They could have reached out and strangled each other. Nyx thought about that for a while. “How many council members are rogue, now?” Nyx asked.
Fatima showed her teeth again in her half smile/half grimace. “Bel dames don’t go rogue.”
“Like Rasheeda didn’t go rogue? Or this Ara girl? You remember who I am?”
“I remember. Which is why you should come upstairs and file that report.”
Nyx could have filed a report in the office. Fatima didn’t invite folks up into Bloodmount proper for paperwork. All told, Nyx was idly curious about why Fatima wanted to pull her away privately. She could kill her easily and legally enough here.
Nyx shrugged. “Your time.”
Fatima’s mouth twitched.
Nyx followed Fatima back into the courtyard. The two bel dames posted outside the door took up the rear. She was struck by how young they looked. Neither was a day over twenty, but they carried themselves with the assurance of bel dames—the cool expressions, squared shoulders. She noted that the pistols at their hips were the new kind—those organic hybrids with green glowing barrels.
Fatima led her up toward the primary filter
“Which way did you vote?”
Fatima showed her teeth. “We’re no longer children, Nyxnissa. Let’s not fight.”
The matron returned from the back. “Blood test says the girl’s ours,” she said. She handed a coded note to Fatima. “Called Ara so Basmirah. One of Shadha’s girls.”
“Shadha?” Nyx said.
Fatima stared at the coded note. Nyx saw her mouth harden. Then she raised her gaze, and the slip in her expression smoothed.
“The council has encountered some conflicts of interest among its members.”
“So she’s rogue after all?” Nyx said. There was no more “conflicting interest” in Nasheen than bel dames policing a rogue bel dame.
“That term is a little extreme,” Fatima said. “We have full control over the matter.”
“Isn’t that what Alharazad said before she killed half the council twenty years ago?”
“Thank you for bringing in the head,” Fatima said, avoiding her look. “We’ll get her reanimated and interrogate her. I assume you checked to make sure the diplomat’s name wasn’t on a red note?”
“Obviously.”
“And—”
“And I checked for mine,” Nyx said.
Fatima nodded, showed her teeth again. Was that supposed to be a smile? Nyx wondered if the facial scar had severed something essential in Fatima’s face. Best she remembered, Fatima knew how to smile, when it suited her. “If nothing else, we’ll discipline her for causing a public disturbance. You should come up to file a report.”
“Why the fuck would I file a report?”
“Records. The council loves them. Indulge me.” Fatima hesitated a moment, then, “What happened in Chenja was a misunderstanding.” Her words came out quickly, like pulling a scab on some old wound. “The Queen saw fit to clarify your purpose for being in Chenja after the fact, but you must have understood my position at the time. It’s another reason you aren’t dead. In the future, it would be… prudent if you informed us of your private notes. It ensures that our interests are aligned.”
So, Nyx thought, it had bothered Fatima that she tortured her back in Chenja. That was something.
“The Queen told you Rasheeda was working both sides back then?” Nyx asked.
“No note was put out on Rasheeda. She was reported dead six years ago. I assumed you’d killed her.”
“I did, but I never burned the head,” Nyx said. “I guess somebody could have had her reanimated within the thirty-hour window.” Tended to happen, with rogue bel dames.
“You, of all people, should know better,” Fatima said. “As it is here, there have been some changes.”
“Like you getting elected?”
They were only an arm’s length apart now. They could have reached out and strangled each other. Nyx thought about that for a while. “How many council members are rogue, now?” Nyx asked.
Fatima showed her teeth again in her half smile/half grimace. “Bel dames don’t go rogue.”
“Like Rasheeda didn’t go rogue? Or this Ara girl? You remember who I am?”
“I remember. Which is why you should come upstairs and file that report.”
Nyx could have filed a report in the office. Fatima didn’t invite folks up into Bloodmount proper for paperwork. All told, Nyx was idly curious about why Fatima wanted to pull her away privately. She could kill her easily and legally enough here.
Nyx shrugged. “Your time.”
Fatima’s mouth twitched.
Nyx followed Fatima back into the courtyard. The two bel dames posted outside the door took up the rear. She was struck by how young they looked. Neither was a day over twenty, but they carried themselves with the assurance of bel dames—the cool expressions, squared shoulders. She noted that the pistols at their hips were the new kind—those organic hybrids with green glowing barrels.
Fatima led her up toward the primary filter
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