Jane snorted. “Neither is she. That’s how you get to people. You get into their heads, make them think going along with you is their own idea. I’ve been watching it happen to my girls.”

“I don’t suppose you’re willing to consider that they follow me because they believe I’m doing the right thing?”

“They follow you because you’ve got them all twisted up,” Jane said. “You’re a clever fucker, no doubt about that. But you can’t have Winter.”

Winter pushed the chair closer to the wall, all thoughts of propriety abandoned. Jane’s here? How could Abby not have told me?

The answer came to her a moment later, sending a chill down her spine. Abby doesn’t know. She remembered, belatedly, the name of the sentry—a woman named Coin, who’d been one of Jane’s Leatherbacks, and had followed her with a loyalty that was closer to worship. I always thought it was strange she didn’t leave with Jane and the others. But it can’t just be her. There must be others among the Girls’ Own loyal to Jane, who’d stayed deliberately to wait for an opportunity to . . . what?

“The fact remains,” Janus was saying, “I don’t believe Colonel Ihernglass would leave the regiment if you asked her to.”

“Right,” Jane said. “You’ve got your claws in too deep. That’s why you’re going to order her to do it. Tell her it’s over, that you don’t need her anymore. Get her away from the army, and I’ll take care of the rest. Once she’s seeing clearly again, she’ll thank me.”

“I would be extremely reluctant to lose an officer of her talents—”

“You’ve got the city,” Jane said, a pleading note entering her voice. “You could declare yourself king, if that’s what you want. You don’t need her anymore.”

“There’s more to it than that. You know, I believe, what she did in Khandar.”

“The demon?” Jane sounded as though she wanted to spit. “I know.”

“The Black Priests will not let her go.”

“That’s what she told me. But we only have your word for that, don’t we? Maybe the Black Priests only care about her because she’s working with you.” Jane paused. “Anyway, whatever it is, we can handle it. We did fine in Desland, no thanks to you.”

“So you want me to do this out of the goodness of my heart?” Janus said. “Or is it the pistol that’s supposed to convince me?”

Oh, Balls of the fucking Beast, Winter thought. She pushed herself out of her chair, weariness falling away under a tide of adrenaline. Out in the corridor, Coin was still waiting in front of Janus’ office, looking more nervous than ever.

“Sir,” she said, “he’s still—”