Page 32 of The Tainted Cup

“I know a leviathan broke through the walls,” said Ana, “but that is the extent of my knowledge.”

Vashta was silent, as if debating how best to articulate a question.

“I have speculated that Commander Blas’s murder might have weakened our defenses,” said Ana. “Or that someone else might have been targeted in the same way. Might that be the case?”

Vashta stared into the distance for a long time. “What I am about to say to you, Immunis,” she said slowly, “is a very great secret. One we are still trying to understand ourselves.”

“All right, ma’am.”

“You and your engraver cannot repeat it to anyone,” she said. “For if you did, it could very easily cause a panic. And a panic isnotwhat we need right now.”

“That is understood, ma’am,” said Ana.

Vashta glanced at Strovi, then said, “The leviathan did not single-handedly cause the breach. Rather, the walls were destabilized fromwithin.This severely weakened their foundation, leading to a small, contained collapse. This all took place well before the leviathan approached. However, it was this collapse, and this weakening, that the leviathan took advantage of.”

“We think it sensed the collapse in the waters, ma’am,” said Strovi. “Heard it while it was rising through the sea floor, so it knew where to target.”

“We had to remove our bombards from that segment of the walls, fearing further collapse,” said Vashta. “As such, the wall was not only weak when the leviathan came, but it had much reduced defenses. It was the perfect circumstances for a breach.”

Ana shot forward like a mudsnake striking. “A destabilization from within,” she said. “I see!”

Vashta paused, puzzled. “See…what, precisely?”

“That it was likelynotone person who was poisoned,” said Ana, “but several, if not many.”

I couldn’t make any sense of what she’d said, but Vashta and Strovi exchanged another look, this one terribly alarmed.

“What do you mean?” demanded Vashta.

Ana’s fingers danced on the edge of the table. “Allow me to make a conjecture, Commander-Prificto,” she said.

“Do so.”

“Did the destabilization within the walls occur because multiple people within the fortifications—how shall I put this delicately—spontaneously sproutedtreesfrom their bodies, damaging the walls?”

Vashta stared at Ana, astonished. “That is so,” she said softly. “Yes, that is so.”

“I see,” said Ana. She nodded, satisfied. Then she sat back in her chair, sniffed, and said, “Well. Fuck.”

CHAPTER 9

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“IS THIS SOMETHING YOUexpected, Immunis?” demanded Vashta. “Or predicted?”

“Not at all,” Ana said. “If I had, I’d have notified you all immediately.”

“Then how did you conclude this?”

“Well, I assumed that if you were coming to me, ma’am, then you were here about Blas. And since I’d suspected that Blas’s killer was in Talagray, that meant they could kill again with the dappleglass—and thus, I presumed you were here because they had done so. Yet then you said this was about the breach and mentioned something breaking the walls from within. If that was the case, then I presumed—accurately, it seems—that it was notoneperson who underwent such a contagion, but many. Enough to bring the walls down.” She leaned forward. I could see it was taking all of her effort not to start grinning like a loon. “Tell meeverythingabout what happened.”

“W-we’re still trying to collect reports,” said Vashta, shaken. “We do not have many witnesses. But we are told that the direct cause of the collapse was two senior Engineers working on a critical part of the fortifications.”

“A support,” said Strovi. “A strut carrying an immense load, as several others had been weakened due to the quakes.”

“And when the two Engineers, ah,sprouted,let’s say,” said Ana, “the trees damaged the support, causing the collapse.”

Vashta nodded.