We walked by two more cells, both empty, before we passed through a heavy door and out into the main area of the mercenaries’ warehouse. The space was lined with gear cabinets. Two large electronic conference tables dominated the center of the room. The tabletop displays were covered in satellite maps, bounty information, and notes. My picture and bounty notice were prominently displayed on the closer of the two tables.
The far table was surrounded by six armed men who were trying hard to pretend they weren’t watching us closely. Rob, the only mercenary whose name I knew, approached Ian.
“Where are Lady von Hasenberg’s things?” Ian demanded, his voice ice cold.
Rob waved and a young boy appeared carrying a small bag and my cloak. “Give them to the lady,” Rob directed.
Ian intercepted the boy, took the bag, and looked inside. The boy held out the cloak. I took it and shrugged it on. Ian handed me the bag with the rest of my stuff.
The bag held everything I’d been carrying, including the correct number of credit chips, but it remained to be seen if they still held their credits. I took out my main com and unlocked it with my identity chip and a quietly whispered phrase. I held the first credit chip up to the com and waited for the chip reader to register it.
Rob started to look nervous. I raised an eyebrow at him when the credit chip had fewer than half of the credits that were on it when I was captured. The other chips were the same, leaving me almost ten thousand credits short. “Did you not believe me?” I asked.
“I hoped you were bluffing,” he said with a sigh. “What does a House daughter care about a few credits?”
“I will have them returned nonetheless. Do you need me to give you the total?”
“You are not what I expected, Lady von Hasenberg,” he said. He produced a credit chip from his pocket and held it out. “I checked the total myself.”
I moved across the room and plucked the chip from his fingers. I didn’t need to look at Ian to know he was scowling at me again, I could practically feel the heat of it. I checked the chip and found the total matched exactly what was missing. “Thank you,” I said.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay, now that your House knows you’re safe?” Rob asked with a charming grin. “I could use someone good with numbers. Especially someone as pretty—and rich—as you.”
I’d been deflecting empty compliments since I could walk, but Rob’s pleasant sincerity was a refreshing change of pace.
“Lady von Hasenberg will be returning to the safety of House von Hasenberg,” Ian growled.
I would be returning to the House but not quite yet. Still, I had to fight one battle at a time. “I would say it’s been fun, Rob, but that would be a lie. Spend the bounty wisely.”
Chapter 10
Ian clasped my elbow and led me outside to a waiting transport. When I stopped before stepping inside, Ian demanded, “Get in.”
“I will, on one condition,” I said.
“No.”
I planted my feet and drew myself up to my full height. These boots weren’t as tall as I would have preferred and Ian towered over me. “Do you think I came to Brava on a whim?” I asked. “Stupid Lady Bianca, wandering into danger for no good reason?”
“I’ve never said you were stupid,” he gritted out.
“You didn’t need to,” I said quietly. “Actions speak louder than words, and your actions tell me exactly what you think of me.”
Something stark flashed across Ian’s face before he smoothed his expression.
“I came here because my best chance of finding Ferdinand is here,” I whispered fiercely, aware we were still in public. But the wind and rain would muffle my voice, and I was not leaving without a fight. “Tell me you’ve found him and I will return home without a peep. Tell me you have a solid lead—and what it is—and I will get in the transport. But if you can’t do that, then promise me that you’ll accompany me to my hotel to pick up the rest of my things and then you’ll hear me out.”
“You’re staying in a hotel,” Ian ground out, “in Brava. Are you insane?”
“It’s in the flower district,” I protested. “And don’t try to change the subject.”
“It’s in Brava,” he snarled.
“Do you have a lead on my brother or not? Because I do.”
“Get in the transport.”
“Your word, first.”
“I will accompany you to your hotel to gather your things,” Ian said.
I’d pushed him as far as he was willing to go for now, so I climbed into the transport without protest. I set the destination before Ian could change his mind. I pulled out my secondary com and prayed for a message from Guskov.
My prayers went unanswered.
It was midevening. There were still plenty of hours left in the day, so I didn’t give up hope yet, but Ian would be far less likely to care about the possibility of a meeting than an actual meeting.
“What were you thinking?” Ian asked.
His tone, a combination of incredulity, impatience, and anger, immediately put me on the defensive. I took a deep breath instead of responding. If I didn’t have myself under control, then once I started, I wasn’t sure I could stop before I said something I would regret.
“I have explained myself. Repeatedly. But I will tell you again: my singular focus is finding my brother.”
Ian ran a hand down his face as if he, too, searched for patience. “Have I ever given you a reason to doubt my loyalty to House von Hasenberg?” When I shook my head, he continued, “Then why do you think I won’t do my job and find your brother?”
I blinked in surprise. “I don’t think that at all. You’re one of the best trackers I know.”
“Then why do you keep insisting on throwing yourself into trouble and splitting my attention?”
I let the spike of anger at his phrasing roll over me like a wave, leaving behind calmer waters. “Just because you are good doesn’t mean you wouldn’t benefit from some help. All of my siblings are searching for Ferdinand in their own way, despite the fact that I’m the best at finding information. I don’t begrudge them the help; I’m happy to have assistance. I told you to let me run. It was your decision to get involved.”
“Unfortunately for you, you are not in charge of House von Hasenberg and therefore are not my boss. When Albrecht tells me to retrieve you, I have to listen, even if it takes me away from my search for Ferdinand.”
“I refuse to be returned to a pretty cage,” I said flatly. “Try it and next time I will do more than sneak out quietly.”
“I’ve already patched the security hole you used to get access to the cameras. There will be no more sneaking out.”
My smile was sharp enough to cut. “You just found the one hole, then? Not holes, plural?”
“Enough, Bianca!”
I stared out at the dark city flowing past the transport’s window. If I couldn’t win Ian to my side, I wasn’t sure what my next move would be. I could shoot him. Rob had returned the blaster with the rest of my gear, but I didn’t have a stun pistol, so I would be inflicting true, lasting damage. Did I want to become that kind of person?