Page 153 of The Infernal Battalion

“And... I can’t...” Winter shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. “You’re certain?”

“Reasonably. I have the records from Mrs. Wilmore’s, copied before it burned down. And surveillance reports from Concordat agents.”

“Does Marcus know?”

“He knows that his sister is alive.” Sothe tensed up. “For most of his life, he assumed that Ellie died with his parents. It was one reason he volunteered to be posted to Khandar, as far from Vordan City as he could get.”

Exactly what I was looking for when I escaped, Winter thought numbly. I suppose it runs in the family.

“After the revolution and the fall of the Concordat,” Sothe went on, “Marcus obtained some information from the archives.” She frowned. “I am not entirely certain how he broke the ciphers, but my assumption is that Janus was involved. His knowledge of such techniques is... extensive. In any event, Marcus became aware both that Ellie was alive and that the Concordat agent called the Gray Rose was responsible for the deaths of his parents.”

“And you volunteered to help him find out?” Winter said. “Out of the kindness of your heart?”

“No kindness was involved,” Sothe said. “I was the Gray Rose.”

“You?” Winter stared. “You mean... you...”

“I did not strike the match. But I was responsible. The operation was under my command.” Sothe looked at the floor. “In those days I did not... question my orders.”

Winter found her throat too thick to speak. It’s not every day someone tells you that your parents were murdered and in the next breath confesses to being the murderer.

“When Marcus discovered the truth, I gave him the opportunity to kill me,” Sothe said. “It seemed just.”

“He wouldn’t do it,” Winter managed. “Not Marcus.”

“No. Denied that route, I decided that I would find his missing sister, if she was still alive. When the army went south, I remained in Murnsk, visiting old Concordat safehouses.”

“And killing Duke Orlanko.”

“Indeed. It was not long after I found the records that Janus contacted me through Ennika. That was when I realized that, while I had been seeking the truth for Marcus, I could not in good conscience inform him without telling you first.”

“Thank God for the conscience of assassins,” Winter said.

Sothe flinched slightly. “I admit that mine is, perhaps... rusty. But I am doing my best to come to terms with it.”

“So, now what?” Winter said. “I’m supposed to tell him? ‘Surprise, I’m your sister. Oh, and by the way, I’m a woman.’” Just thinking about it made her stomach turn.

“It’s a possibility.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s insane.”

“Why?”

“Because...” Winter wasn’t quite able to articulate what she meant. “Can you imagine what he’d do?”

“I think I can. What, exactly, are you afraid of?”

“He’s... the head of the army, for one thing. He could...”

“Expel you?” Sothe cocked her head. “Does that seem likely?”

It didn’t. The truth was, Winter had no idea what Marcus would do. She couldn’t picture how he’d take the news, because he seemed so determined to avoid it. He was practically the only one who hadn’t figured out her secret, one way or another, because he didn’t want to see it.

“Saints and fucking martyrs,” Winter said. “I need to think about this.”

“I know,” Sothe said, still infuriatingly calm. “That’s one reason I didn’t allow myself to delay too long. There is some time yet before we reach Vordan City. If you wish, you can tell no one. Or I can tell Marcus the truth myself, although... that might entail some difficulties.”

“Difficulties?”