A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan, #2)

by Robert Jackson Bennett

“You know, you are not a stupid person, Din.” “Thank you, ma’am,” I said, pleased. “Or, rather, not an unusually stupid person.” “Thank you, ma’am,” I said, far less pleased.

And he asked the guard about the man’s wedding, you say? Despite being an axiom?” “Yes. I thought that very odd, too.” “Being as axioms are usually as socially cognizant as a wet fucking brick, yes,” she said.

“I see…But there are two things I can’t make sense of in all you said.” “Good!” she said. “I appreciate it when you throw rocks at my ideas, Din. Keeps me from going too far up my own ass. Proceed.”

Just keep an eye out for the fellow with testicles large enough to cause back deformities, and we shall have our culprit!”

“You…wish to wait for this killer to kill again?” “Well, I don’t want to, Din. I’d prefer it if I could just toss a stone out my window and strike this fucker in the head!

“But we’re not optimistic—are we, ma’am?” “No,” she conceded. “I rather doubt if you can just go about knocking on doors and stumble upon some squirrelly fucker with a big trunk of costumes and wigs.

“There is no need for this talk, ma’am!” I hissed. “Oh, don’t bother with discretion now!” she said. “You’ve all the prudence of an inebriated cow! I’m half surprised people don’t gossip that you are a whore for hire, and I your pimp!

I suspect you shall come to realize what many Iudexii eventually learn—that though the Legion defends our Empire, it falls to us to keep an Empire worth defending.”

Thelenai regarded Ana like she was a clump of turd waiting to be scraped off her boot. “If you must.”

“Oh,” sighed Ana, and she rubbed her face. “Well, for one thing, it would help if I got a full briefing from my investigator in an environment with a little less pressure! I’ve hardly had any time to question poor Din on what he saw. It’s all been panicked whispering in your little meeting room here, like a lord and his maid attempting to arrange a furtive fuck.”

“Then I thank you, Dinios Kol,” she said quietly. “I hope I shall be an instrument of service to you, just as much as you are to me. And…I can hardly think of a better watchman than you. I shall keep you close—for though you and I are small, together we shall forge grand things indeed.”