“Captain d’Ivoire wanted to stop you, but you didn’t let him.”

“I . . .” Jane took a deep breath. “I thought it would be over quickly. But this . . .” She shook her head. “Everyone who made it through today just gets to do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. I can’t just watch them all die. I can’t.”

Tears were welling in her eyes. Awkwardly, Winter pulled her close, and soon Jane’s head rested in her lap. Jane pressed her face against the fabric of Winter’s uniform, her back heaving with muffled sobs. They stayed like that a long time, Winter’s hand resting on Jane’s shoulder as she cried in near silence. Eventually, the sobs subsided, and Jane’s breathing became slow and regular.

“Jane?” Winter said experimentally.

“Mm?” Jane looked up, then frowned at Winter’s expression. “What are you looking at?”

“Sorry.” Winter let the smallest smile appear. “One of my buttons has embossed a royal eagle on your forehead.”

Jane touched the red spot and smiled weakly. Winter leaned down and kissed the mark, gently.

“I’m sorry,” Jane said when she pulled back. “I didn’t mean to fall apart on you like that. I just . . . I couldn’t . . .”

“It’s all right.” Winter ran her fingers through Jane’s hair, red and silky, even tangled and dirty as it was. “Listen. Anyone who wants to leave can go, you know that. It’d be my job to stop them, and I’m not going to. But they won’t. They’re here because they think Vordan needs defending.”

“I know. I know! I didn’t mean it. And I’d never leave you alone here, you know that, too.”

“Thank God for that.”

Jane’s smile was stronger this time. Winter kissed her again, on the mouth this time, but drew back after a few moments.

“You,” she said, “taste like puke and gunpowder.”

Jane sighed, and pulled at a tangle in her hair. “Right. I should get cleaned up.” She shook her head. “What did Janus want with you, anyway?”

“Nothing important,” Winter said. “I’ll fill you in in the morning.”

Chapter Two

RAESINIA

Claudia twirled her elegant umbrella and looked up at the gray autumn sky.

“Well,” she said cheerfully, “at least the rain’s held off!”

Oh yes, Queen Raesinia Orboan thought. It would be a shame if bad weather spoiled the executions.