Chapter 97 Genos' Mistress
"Of course," Varys said, his voice as smooth as silk, "we would never use such a thing to wrongly accuse a good officer who has served His Majesty faithfully. However, the person who brought this letter also said something of great importance."
"And what was that?" Genos asked, a knot of confusion tightening in his stomach.
"The truth about the battle at the Stranger's Sept two days ago."
"I do not quite understand."
"You and your fellow smugglers were in conflict," Varys elaborated, his hands tucked neatly into his sleeves. "You intended to eliminate them and seize a very important prize for yourself, so you ordered your cronies to lead a team to ambush the other party at your meeting point." He paused, letting the words sink in before adding, "If my information is correct, the captain of the Gold Cloaks in Flea Bottom is your mistress's brother, is he not?"
The color drained from Genos's face. What Varys said about him sending men to the Stranger's Sept was a complete fabrication; he had given no such order.
But the rest… the rest was true. He had been cooperating with smugglers in King's Landing for years. It was a secret known only to his most trusted associates, which was why his 'business' had never suffered any mishaps.
For someone to suddenly bring the incident at the Stranger's Sept to his doorstep meant only one thing: there was a traitor in his inner circle.
"This is a purely false accusation! I demand to confront this person face to face!" Genos said, forcing a brave front.
"The man was merely a drunken sellsword," Varys said with a slight shake of his head. "He later admitted the letter was given to him by a man in a hood, and that this man told him what to say."
*A clumsy trick!* Genos thought. *Just let me find him!*
"It would appear so," Varys agreed pleasantly. "Which is why, after receiving this news, we immediately interrogated the survivors from the Gold Cloak garrison in Flea Bottom. As it happens, we found some evidence that is… most unfavorable to you."
Genos remained silent, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Every Gold Cloak who participated in the operation that night received a substantial reward," Varys continued. "According to their testimony, their enemies made off with the bulk of the wealth at the scene. Even so, they still managed to recover several hundred gold dragons from the bodies of those they killed."
"Fuck!" Genos cursed instinctively. "That little bastard dares to make a fortune behind my back? Ah, ah, no, I mean…" He caught himself too late, realizing his disastrous slip.
"Believe me, I didn't get a single coin from this. Well, no, that's not—I never participated in their actions! Not from beginning to end!" Genos was furious, stumbling over his words as he tried to repair the damage.
"Call him here!" he said angrily. "I want to confront this grandson face to face!"
"If nothing untoward has occurred, he has likely perished in the tunnels beneath the Dragonpit," Varys said calmly. "He and most of his men, buried by the wildfire that consumed the catacombs."
In an instant, the hot rage that had consumed Genos was extinguished, replaced by a chill that ran down his spine.
Rebecca's brother was dead? His entire company was dead?
The mastermind behind this plot had not only exposed his schemes—selling offices and colluding with smugglers—but had also killed his mistress's brother and eliminated his most loyal men.
This wasn't an investigation. It was an execution. And he was next.
*Escape!*
The thought screamed through his mind. It was his only reaction, his only hope.
Lord Arryn had tried to impeach him before His Majesty not long ago. He had only survived by acting quickly, by dealing with the two witnesses Lord Arryn had found.
But King Robert must already know what sort of man he was. Worse, the king was now riding north to Winterfell to ask Lord Stark to serve as Hand. All of Westeros knew that old Eddard Stark valued his honor above his life—save for that one time his passions got the better of him.
Once Stark arrived in King's Landing and ordered a thorough investigation, Genos knew his fate was sealed. He would either lose his head or be forced to take the black.
"I will investigate this matter thoroughly," Genos stammered, already turning to leave the Red Keep. "I will get to the bottom of this."
"You should stay here until the matter *is* investigated," Petyr Baelish said, shaking his head. "Sir Jacelyn Bywater will be taking your place in the interim."
Of course, Littlefinger thought, Sir Jacelyn was far from the ideal candidate. He had originally planned to use this affair to threaten Janos, to make him one of his own puppets. But then the eunuch and Lord Renly had somehow received the same information at the same time.
This forced the Royal Council's hand, compelling them to deal with Genos strictly. They had jointly elected the incorruptible Sir Jacelyn, a man acceptable to all factions, as the new Commander of the City Watch.
*No matter*, he mused. *Once Genos is overthrown, many of his captains will surely be implicated. It will create opportunities for everyone on the council to insert their own people into the Gold Cloaks.*
"You don't have this power!" Genos roared, his face purple with rage. "I am the Commander of the City Watch!"
"Of course we have this power. This is the unanimous decision of the Royal Council." Littlefinger held up the order, the ink still fresh with the signature of Renly Baratheon, Master of Laws. He gave a slight wave, and the Red Keep guards moved to take Genos into custody.
***
"The Commander has been arrested?" The Gold Cloak captain of River Row stared at his boss's alluring mistress, swallowing hard.
"Genos had a bad feeling before he was summoned," Rebecca said, her voice trembling with manufactured fear. "He told me that if anything happened to him, I was to come to you."
"How are you so certain something has happened?"
"Baratheon household guards and men loyal to Jacelyn Bywater raided Genos's home. I heard it from a maid they threw into the street—Jacelyn is the new Commander of the City Watch! They are tearing the place apart, searching for the money Genos acquired through… his dealings over the years."
A wave of panic washed over the captain. He was the one who had handled most of those dealings!
"Alright, I understand," the Gold Cloak said, trying to regain his composure. He had to get this woman away from him. "You go back and wait for news."
"You mean to escape, don't you?" Rebecca asked, her voice dropping to a low whisper.
"You…?" The captain's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword. Murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
But her next words made his heart stop.
"I know where Genos has hidden his money all these years," she said, her voice a seductive promise. "I can help you get it. But you have to promise to take me with you when you flee." Rebecca pressed herself against him, hugging his arm and crushing her half-exposed, plump breasts against his side. "Genos is finished. I need a new protector."
With the beautiful woman in his arms and the promise of a fortune filling his head, the captain's blood ran hot. How could any man refuse an offer of both wealth and woman?
What he did not know, what he could not see from his angle, was the flash of cold contempt and cunning that gleamed in Rebecca's eyes.
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