They went into the yard office through the side door, because the gate was still chained.
The office was a lean-to against the forge’s north wall, with a window onto the yard and a door onto the lane, where Tavin kept the yard’s books and its contracts and a cabinet with a lock. Tavin let them in from the inside, through the lane door. Halvek came in, and two of his guards, and Mara, and Sera, and Eshel. Anwen and Doss stayed outside with the samples and the rack.
The office was small. With seven people in it, there was barely room to stand. Tavin sat down on his own stool behind the desk, because his knee would not let him stand any longer, and Mara stood across the desk from Halvek with the Sable survey and Odren’s receipt between them.
“The meeting,” Halvek said. “Tonight. You’ve agreed to attend.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything yet,” Mara said. “I’m going to tell you my terms.”
Halvek waited.
“Your office publishes the true demand figures,” Mara said. “First. Before the meeting. On the public band, where anyone can read them. The figures themselves, without the Directorate’s summary. What Hearth is actually drawing, district by district, hour by hour, for the last month.” She held his eyes. “Pell’s survey shows the orchard districts drawing first, off the map. Your office has the real numbers. Publish them. Then you take your seat at the meeting, and I take mine.”
