“So does that make this your initiative or a typical Enforcement policy?”

“I wasn’t aware that you took such an interest in our logistics.” Asan jerked her head toward the stairs, and I quickly rose and followed her. “Don’t worry, the idea of the caches predates my tenure as Commander. I just ensure they are restocked.”

“How many are there?”

“A few. The exact number slips my mind.”

“An approximation, then?”

“Really, Jiana? I’d almost think you were more worried about stocks of firewood than our present crisis.”

Reverend Morwin huffed, but said nothing else.

Outside, the Sisters had organised themselves. Along each stretch of the parapet walk, women stood and stared out across the moonlit fields. An uneasy quiet had settled over the Crown; from the base of the hill, I could hear the horses nicker and stamp. Poor animals. They were probably safe though; if the Haunt showed up, it was almost certain to ignore them. With a feast of Sisters nearby, horse flesh was no temptation.

Lien, one of Asan’s junior officers, was waiting for the Commander at the bottom of the stairs. She squinted in the sudden brightness of the lantern light.

“Nothing so far, Commander,” she said, even as her hands flicked through a perfunctory gesture of respect. “We’ve got the sharpest eyes watching the eastern side. I also ran a quick inventory on the lace situation—only four brought emergency vials, but most of us performed a rite within the last week.”

“I suppose that’s the best we could have hoped for.” Asan sighed. “Not that I’m any better; I’m only running on half power. Morale?”

“Not too bad. A little jumpy, especially the non-Enforcement Sisters.”

“To be expected. Try to keep things orderly.”

“Yes, Commander.” Lien bowed her head.

“Good work so far.” Asan started up the exterior stairs to the roof. “Leave the lantern inside, Reverend Morwin. It’s going to ruin the watch’s night vision.”

The roof of the Crown rose slightly higher than the exterior walls; a flat stone rectangle about thirty feet across. The bridges slanted down to join with the parapets, and long years of exposure had worn every surface smooth as ice.

Easy to slip, I thought as I watched Morwin out of the corner of my eye. The Councilwoman never looked away from Asan. A thread of lace, a little shove, and the Commander could be dead on the stones below. It would be a different sort of accident, but not a wildly improbable one. Celane would still get the extra Council seat that she wanted. I emptied my sack of wood where Asan indicated. Maybe Rhyanon’s twitchiness was just rubbing off on me.

“Can you stack that up, Olberos?” Asan passed Jesane her tinder box. “Don’t light it yet though.”

“Understood.”

Then, like the last gasp of a wounded animal, the breeze died.

My skin prickled. Something had changed; the atmosphere over the fort grew close and cold. No one made a sound. I stared out into the darkness, aware of the rapid beating of my heart, the chill of sweat against my skin.