"But it's not your choice. The dagger will choose who it wants, no matter who tries to claim it."
"What if it's Tenger?"
"If it is, I'll support him. I don't always agree with his methods, but the Dominion fights in the mud. If we intend to fight back, we have to get dirty."
The muscles on her face tightened. Through gritted teeth, she said, "That's why Darrow should bear the Blade. He won't compromise right and wrong to win."
What a convenient answer that was, to have the luxury of cheering for a battle from the sidelines. "Tell me this much. Do you know where Gerald is now?"
A beat passed. "I can't tell you that."
"Are you sure he can keep the Blade safe?"
"Are you sure Tenger could?"
Another minute of this and my brain would split apart. I took a deep breath. It didn't help. "If Tenger agrees to release Darrow, can you get the Olden Blade back again?"
Her eyes softened. "Stop asking questions you know I won't answer. Don't make me keep refusing you."
"Kes--"
"A few nights ago, Tenger threatened me. Now it's my turn. If Darrow isn't released tonight, there will be no Infidante. I'll disappear by morning and take my secrets with me."
"If you disappear tonight, it's because Tenger doesn't accept threats! You must know what he will do to you!"
"Then he'll lose any chance to get the Blade!"
Gabe poked his head around the corner. "Time to go." Kestra started forward, but he put out an arm to block her. "You made it hard for me to eavesdrop, Miss Dallisor, but I have some idea of what's going on. You should know that Coracks never play fair. Our only chance at winning is to cheat, and Tenger is a master at it."
She only stared forward until he gave up and told us to follow him downstairs. With my injured ribs and a pit in my stomach the size of a boulder, I lagged behind. By the time I got there, Kestra was seated at a large table across from Tenger and Trina. Gabe stood against the wall and caught my eye, subtly gesturing to the lever blade at his side. Tenger must have just given it to him. Surely Kestra noticed it too.
Once I took my seat, a meal was brought in, some flatbread and boiled rabbit and a sheep's milk cheese made in Silven. As was always true for us, the food was simple, nothing to draw any attention to itself, but I dug into the food with enthusiasm. Kestra was eating too, though with measured bites. She wouldn't give Tenger an edge by letting him think she needed anything.
We weren't far into the meal when Tenger reached beneath the table with the hand that wore the grip glove, and put the fake dagger on the table. He was sending Kestra two strong messages: This dagger could be touched, and there would be consequences if she couldn't explain where the real dagger was.
The first bead of sweat broke out on my brow.
"I'm curious," Tenger began. "How did you know this was the Olden Blade when you found it?"
I set down my fork. One sentence into the meal and Tenger had already killed my appetite.
Kestra mostly ignored the captain. She took a forkful of food as she said, "After seventeen years, any other blade would've rusted in that pit."
"True, if this one had been down there that long. But what if this had only been in that mud for a few minutes?"
Kestra remained calm, though I caught the flutter of her lashes. "I know why you're suspicious. You expected it to light up for you, or whatever fool you hoped would become the Infidante. Since it didn't, you accuse me of tricking you."
Tenger's smile darkened. I'd seen this expression on his face before, and it wasn't good.
"Perhaps you can explain this." Tenger turned the Blade over and pointed to the handle. "The name Dallisor is carved here, in very small print. A person could miss it if they were not studying every detail of the Blade as intently as I did."
Kestra didn't blink, though it was obvious she had made a serious error. "If Risha chose to honor her captors, who are we to question it?"
Tenger threw the dagger into the corner of the room, letting it clatter onto the ground. "Where is the Olden Blade?" It was a demand, not a question.
/>
She responded just as fiercely. "Where is Darrow?"