to match your
counterparts in other Kingdoms." Bradford grinned at her expression of
disbelief. "I don't joke about His Majesty, Joan. Or about a
prospective member of the Royal Household, who'll outrank mere members
of the King's Own if she accepts the job, and might take offense."

Cortin swallowed, hard. How could she refuse such an offer, whether
she believed it justified or not? She looked at Odeon, almost
desperately, but saw no help there; he looked both smug and as pleased
as she thought she ought to be, so she turned her attention back to
Bradford. Worse, this fit in with what she'd experienced--and
preferred not to think about--while she'd been under Sis' drugs. "The
catch?"

"We're hoping you don't think there is one--or at least not one bad
enough to stop you from accepting the position. As I said, there'll be
less field work, but to balance that, you'll be able to flag any topic
you want information on, and you'll be able to requisition any prisoner
you want to question yourself. You'll also be asked to carry out the
most difficult interrogations as well, and executions of the worst
criminals. What do you say?"

"That it all sounds much too good to be true," Cortin replied. Jumping
from Captain to Colonel, the highest Enforcement rank, plus joining the
Royal Household, access to any information or prisoners she wanted
. . . it was hard to believe she could be offered all that, even with the
reputation she now took pride in. And the vision, or hallucination, or
whatever it had been that said this was going to happen. She sipped at
her drink, a freshly-pressed cider. She did have to admit it was hard
to refuse, though. "What else?"

"The clincher, I hope," Bradford said. "A commander who can resist
personal threats or promises is often vulnerable to the same pressures
on his--or her, of course--people. So a reminder: your team will
remain with you. If you're part of the Household, that means they'll
be attached to it--members of the King's Own, reporting to you. Not as
prestigious as being Household members, and it doesn't carry automatic
promotion, but they'll also live near the Palace compound--in your
Lodge, if they don't mind living in a building that also houses the
High King's Inquisitor and a state-of-the-art interrogation suite."

Not as overwhelming an offer as the one to herself, but Cortin nodded.
"You're right, Brad, that is the clincher. Even though you might not
have n