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‘Maybe,’ said Voreese, ‘but I’m also hearing talk about some kind of recent coup that has everyone on edge.’

At that information, Roman stopped walking and sized up the central tower in front of him one more time. ‘Coup? What kind of coup? And where did it happen?’

‘The extremely bloody kind of coup. And apparently, it happened in Acacero.’

‘And how far away is that?’

‘Pretty far. In the Higher West layer. It’s a good two days’ ride by train from here.’

‘Hmm.’ He entered the tower and started making his way up the eastern staircase.

‘It’s fairly close to Capaporo, though. Which is where the hole to Warrenhold is, as you may recall.’

‘Oh. Excellent.’ Roman arrived at the second floor and stopped as a thought struck him. ‘Wait a minute. Did you say you were wandering around town? You’re supposed to be watching the guy I kidnapped.’

‘I am.’

Roman waited.

‘...More or less.’

‘Voreese.’

‘I’m keeping a good view of the shed he’s in. Besides, the fuck am I supposed to do if he escapes, anyway?’

‘Uh, tell me so that I can go recapture him, maybe?’

‘You can’t just drop everything and leave Lava Base now that you’re inside. Sai-hee’s people would be suspicious as fuck.’

Roman wasn’t so sure they would, but that was beside the point. ‘If he gets loose, then this mission should be aborted.’

‘Eh, it’ll be fine. You used my godlike knot-tying techniques, remember?’

Roman could already tell that this was going to devolve into an argument of attrition, so he decided to just forego it entirely. ‘Alright, shut up for a minute. I need to listen for conversations.’

‘Don’t tell me to shut up. I’ll talk as much as I please.’

‘I’m trying to not get killed here, Voreese.’

‘Maybe you should try to not be such a rude prick, while you’re at it.’

Mercifully, however, she did in fact go silent after that, and Roman began listening for voices beyond the wall on his right.