Read Online The Office of Shadow by Matthew Sturges - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Matthew Sturges
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fetching water, or we'd be ashes in a hole somewhere."
"It tells us nothing of the kind," said Heron. "I believe that what it tells
us is that she hasn't got any more of them."
"What this tells us," continued Everess, "is that the kind of war we were
trained to fight has become obsolete in a single blaze. This new weapon of
Mab's means that an army is no longer necessary at all! All one needs is a trebuchet and a tailwind and he can lay waste to anything he sees fit, from a safe
and happy distance."
"Nothing will stop war," said Heron. "And war with Mab will soon be
inevitable, as it has been twice before, and nearly was a year ago.
"I could not disagree more," said Everess. "We are entering the age of a
new kind of war. What matters now is not just where our troops are placed. What matters is information and influence. We need to know what Mab's
game is. We need to know what Mab's allies are up to, and where our own
allies stand. We need to know how many of these accursed things Mab's got,
how many she plans to build, and how long before she decides to fly south
and begin incinerating the Seelie Kingdom. And we need to do whatever we
can to disrupt that process at all costs."
He stared at Heron. "With the right tools, we can prevent that war."
Everess smiled at Silverdun. "And I believe that you are just the man to
help in that endeavor."
"You want me to be a spy?"
"More than that," said Heron drily. "He wants you to become a Shadow."
Heron made a melodramatic spooky face at him.
"You mean the mythical spies from the Second Unseelie War?" asked Silverdun. "I was under the impression that they didn't actually exist."
"Oh, but they did," said Everess. "And they shall again."
"This is a lovely fantasy," said Secretary Heron. "But the way to stop Mab
is through diplomacy and, if it comes to it, war. All of your playing at spies
won't change that, Everess."
Glennet had been observing without comment. "I understand your objections, Madam Secretary," he said, leaning in. "But I'm afraid that the Foreign
Committee in Corpus is willing to give Lord Everess the benefit of the doubt."
He paused, giving Heron a conciliatory look. "For the time being."
He looked at Silverdun. "And for what it's worth, I agree that Lord Silverdun would be an excellent choice."
"Fine," said Heron. "Play your games. But understand that I will expect
complete reports of all your activities."
"Done," said Everess. "I'd be a fool not to keep you apprised of our
progress."
"And if I find out you've been keeping vital information from me," she
said, "there will be repercussions."
"If all goes as you believe, Secretary Heron," said Everess, sniffing, "then
there will be nothing of value to withhold."
The conversation moved on to other topics, though the chill between
Everess and Heron never thawed. Silverdun, however, barely paid attention.
"What the hell was that all about?" said Silverdun. They were at a table at a
cafe on the Promenade, just outside the Foreign Ministry building, a few
blocks from the Evergreen Club. It was night, and the Promenade Green was
filled with musicians, jugglers, and solo mestines. It was dark, the Green illuminated only by witchlit lanterns. Nightbirds sang from hidden perches.
"If there's one thing that ought to be obvious," Silverdun continued, "it's
that I have no interest in politics or governance. When I left school and took
up my title, I sat in Corpus exactly once, and I was so bored I stopped paying
attention after about ten minutes. I voted on six bills, and to this day I have
no idea what they were."
"Oh, stop it," said Everess. "That's not why I asked you here."
"Then why am I here? You come to the temple with vague presentiments
of doom, talk me out of my cozy monastic life, and now suddenly you're
offering me a job as a spy?"
Everess took two glasses of brandy from a passing waitress, a wisp of a
girl with conjured wings who fluttered a few inches off the ground.
"It tells us nothing of the kind," said Heron. "I believe that what it tells
us is that she hasn't got any more of them."
"What this tells us," continued Everess, "is that the kind of war we were
trained to fight has become obsolete in a single blaze. This new weapon of
Mab's means that an army is no longer necessary at all! All one needs is a trebuchet and a tailwind and he can lay waste to anything he sees fit, from a safe
and happy distance."
"Nothing will stop war," said Heron. "And war with Mab will soon be
inevitable, as it has been twice before, and nearly was a year ago.
"I could not disagree more," said Everess. "We are entering the age of a
new kind of war. What matters now is not just where our troops are placed. What matters is information and influence. We need to know what Mab's
game is. We need to know what Mab's allies are up to, and where our own
allies stand. We need to know how many of these accursed things Mab's got,
how many she plans to build, and how long before she decides to fly south
and begin incinerating the Seelie Kingdom. And we need to do whatever we
can to disrupt that process at all costs."
He stared at Heron. "With the right tools, we can prevent that war."
Everess smiled at Silverdun. "And I believe that you are just the man to
help in that endeavor."
"You want me to be a spy?"
"More than that," said Heron drily. "He wants you to become a Shadow."
Heron made a melodramatic spooky face at him.
"You mean the mythical spies from the Second Unseelie War?" asked Silverdun. "I was under the impression that they didn't actually exist."
"Oh, but they did," said Everess. "And they shall again."
"This is a lovely fantasy," said Secretary Heron. "But the way to stop Mab
is through diplomacy and, if it comes to it, war. All of your playing at spies
won't change that, Everess."
Glennet had been observing without comment. "I understand your objections, Madam Secretary," he said, leaning in. "But I'm afraid that the Foreign
Committee in Corpus is willing to give Lord Everess the benefit of the doubt."
He paused, giving Heron a conciliatory look. "For the time being."
He looked at Silverdun. "And for what it's worth, I agree that Lord Silverdun would be an excellent choice."
"Fine," said Heron. "Play your games. But understand that I will expect
complete reports of all your activities."
"Done," said Everess. "I'd be a fool not to keep you apprised of our
progress."
"And if I find out you've been keeping vital information from me," she
said, "there will be repercussions."
"If all goes as you believe, Secretary Heron," said Everess, sniffing, "then
there will be nothing of value to withhold."
The conversation moved on to other topics, though the chill between
Everess and Heron never thawed. Silverdun, however, barely paid attention.
"What the hell was that all about?" said Silverdun. They were at a table at a
cafe on the Promenade, just outside the Foreign Ministry building, a few
blocks from the Evergreen Club. It was night, and the Promenade Green was
filled with musicians, jugglers, and solo mestines. It was dark, the Green illuminated only by witchlit lanterns. Nightbirds sang from hidden perches.
"If there's one thing that ought to be obvious," Silverdun continued, "it's
that I have no interest in politics or governance. When I left school and took
up my title, I sat in Corpus exactly once, and I was so bored I stopped paying
attention after about ten minutes. I voted on six bills, and to this day I have
no idea what they were."
"Oh, stop it," said Everess. "That's not why I asked you here."
"Then why am I here? You come to the temple with vague presentiments
of doom, talk me out of my cozy monastic life, and now suddenly you're
offering me a job as a spy?"
Everess took two glasses of brandy from a passing waitress, a wisp of a
girl with conjured wings who fluttered a few inches off the ground.
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