Page 83 of The Sun He Buried

The sound wakes Snowpetal. Her head appears beyond his knee.

Ketill takes the paper. “Pay the night crews double. Tell Halla no one works more than six hours without food and two without heat.”

The woman nods.

“And bring me the east release books when the current count is finished.”

“All?”

“Unless one of them has learned to answer questions.”

“Yes, overseer.”

She leaves at a quick walk.

Ketill unfolds the paper.

Baldr doesn’t wait. “What did he do?”

“The east reserve is eight bars short against the release ledger.”

“I know about the east reserve. What did Eirik do?”

Ketill folds the paper once and sets it down. “Ordered all four reserves counted by hand. Every sealed release opened. Nothing leaves until the physical total agrees with the books.”

Baldr leans back. “He wants to delay me.”

“Maybe Eirik wants to find the missing bars,” I say.

Baldr looks at me. “The bars are missing from the east reserve. My allotment was counted three times.”

“But Eirik doesn’t know where they went.”

“He knows they didn’t come from mine.”

“Does he?”

Baldr’s fingers tap the table.

“No.”

“Then he has to count everything.”

Ketill laughs.

It comes out loud. One hard burst that makes Snowpetal’s ears flatten and stops every servant in the room.

He puts a fist against his mouth.

I stare at him.

Asta sets down her cup. “What’s funny?”

“She took Eirik’s side.”

“I did,” I say.

Ketill looks at me. “He hasn’t even come downstairs to meet you.”