“Even if they try him,” Bobby said, “it’s not like there’s any evidence. He’d be cleared in the end, wouldn’t he?”

Winter shook her head. She remembered the Borelgai and Hamveltai “spies” who’d been hanged from the Cathedral, back when the Deputies-General had barely been formed. Somehow she didn’t think the invention of a machine to make it more efficient had really improved the process.

Another, longer silence. Abby coughed.

“So,” she said. “What are we going to do about it?”

Jane’s fist shot out, slamming down on the table and making the ink bottle jump and rattle. Winter started, then turned to her, staring. Jane was breathing hard, and her eyes were wide.

“Winter,” she said very quietly, “could we have a few moments alone?”

Winter looked from Bobby to Abby, then nodded.

“Bobby,” she said, “go to the fortress and get Sevran and Cyte back here. Abby, see if you can spread the word among the lieutenants that no one is to get drunk tonight.”

“Yes, sir!” Bobby shot to her feet and slipped outside. Abby followed more slowly, giving Jane a last look before withdrawing.

When their footsteps had receded, Winter reached across the table for Jane’s clenched fist. Jane snatched it away, crossing her arms and looking up at Winter.

“You’re going to do something about it,” Jane said. “Aren’t you?”

“I don’t . . . I don’t know.” Winter shook her head. “We can’t—”

“Don’t lie to me. You will. You just haven’t talked yourself into it yet.” Jane looked down again. “I knew this would happen. I knew it.”

“Knew what would happen?” Winter took a deep breath. “Jane, I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

“You don’t see what he’s done to you.”

“Who?”

“Janus. General Janus bet fucking Vhalnich. How did you end up hearing all this?”

Winter briefly sketched what had happened, her hiding place behind the screen when de Ferre had stormed in.

“If de Ferre had seen me, he might have had me arrested, too,” Winter concluded. “So Janus told me to hide.”

“Of course he did. And so you heard just what he wanted you to hear.”

“He wasn’t expecting de Ferre to come back so soon. He said so himself!”

“Would you listen to yourself? Do you honestly think this was an accident?” Jane shook her head. “He set the whole thing up, because he knows that you’ll go charging off to rescue him. He’s got you eating out of his goddamned hand.”

“That . . .” Winter paused. “If that’s what he wanted, he could have just told me.”

“Oh no.” Jane put on a rictus grin. “This way is much better. You convince yourself that it’s necessary. It’s how he works.”

“You barely know him!”