Heaven Hath No Rage - Book Two

The Path Forward Taken

"In an effort to let me enjoy my time away, are you retiring from a thousand spies trained on me to only four or five?"

"I'm sending Arnelo, Viv, and a dozen guards to keep an eye on you. The spies in my employ will be sent where they will be more valuable."

She didn't believe it. She still had to take extreme caution. She needed to function under the assumption that there were always ten trained eyes on her. Instead of more empty assurances, she changed the subject.

"I have a request. It is not going to be easy to say yes to. But I think I have deserved this much."

His mouth turned into a frown, not because he was upset but because he didn't know what it would be and he didn't seem keen on the unknown. He broke his usual stiff posture and crossed his arms, "I will likely say no."

"You mentioned a while ago that you had heard that Theo was still on Niveal. Do you know if that is true?"

"You will not be allowed to see her."

"No," Ava shook her head, "no, that is not my request. If she is still there, may I let Oceane off the ship and join Theo again?"

He was silent and she was tapping her foot under her dress, anticipating his answer.

"Oceane knows nothing about anything. The most she knows is that I am working for you but the whole of Baethos knows now too... The worst she could tell Theo is about what she sees in the kitchens or the estate layout but anyone could tell you that with a hired spy. She doesn't even know I'm asking this of you. I just know that she misses where she comes from and I want her to have the option to leave."

"What benefit is it to you? Are you trying to get a message out to your old Captain?"

"If I ever saw Theo again, I would kill her," Ava inhaled sharply and shook her head with a frown, "she is too dangerous to be left alive. The revolution will be banging on her door soon enough."

"You will be near," he pointed out, "you haven't suggested an assassination plot. If you are so worried, why is that?"

"It would be suggesting a murder attempt in a place crawling with mercenaries and noble haters," Ava was quick on her feet and she might not have known strategy or rebellion or war but she knew how to lie and how do it quickly, "you don't murder Captain Theo and get off Niveal alive. The whole island would be after you in hopes of the potential reward."

He nodded and it seemed like she had said the right thing.

"Oceane's father is dead, her brother and sister are probably looking for her. She deserves to return home. She has had no role in this request, I have asked before if she wanted me to advocate for her to go home but she has rejected it every time."

"Why would that be?"

"She is mad at Theo. She betrayed Oceane's trust and she would rather stay here to be with me."

"So, she wants to stay but you do not want her here," he raised an eyebrow.

"I do, I need her for my own sanity but I would make a sacrifice to let her go if she wanted to. I don't want her stuck in the crossfire, which she would always be if she stayed here," Ava widened her eyes, communicating her desperation for him to say yes through her pleading look.

"I will allow it. I will have Vivexa question her to make sure she knows nothing."

"Thank you. Really, I mean it. Thank you so much."

"This is all pending a conversation with Vivexa, she will have gleaned if this is part of a ploy," he nodded, "I will have her deliver my verdict. I must be going now."