“We want this rebellion crushed once and for all, whatever the cost,” En’shea said, sitting down primly on the edge of the bed. “Do we make ourselves clear?”
“As glass, Your Sovereignty,” Hi’jan said. “My guards will be at the door. Do you require anything more from me?”
“No. Leave.” En’shea’s tone was brusque, and Hi’jan bowed quickly and left. Shi’chen held his breath, listening for any other sounds, but it sounded as though the servants had all departed after Hi’jan as well. It was just them and En’shea, who got up from the bed and paced nervously around the room for several minutes before lying down on the bed again. Shi’chen was more than a little tempted to just stab his sword up through the mattress and be done with it.
He had made a mistake, a terrible one, thinking that A’bbni would be safe with Kella and Zea’dda and Gii’han. For all he knew, they were dead now, too. And that miscalculation had once again put his brother in danger, despite everything he had done to try and protect him. All he wanted to do was scream, but he couldn’t. Lai’s hand resting reassuringly on his arm was the only thing keeping his mind on the task at hand.
He listened to the sounds around them. Every now and then there would be a shuffle of feet outside the main door or a brief conversation exchanged, but otherwise, everything seemed fairly calm. He suspected most of the preparations for the impending riot were happening on the lower levels. His fingers twitched in agony as he wondered what was happening to A’bbni. He was grateful in that moment to have Lai next to him, because if he had been by himself, he would already have given himself away when Hi’jan had first mentioned his brother. He knew that Lai probably was feeling just as frantic about it as he was, but the fact that the half-elf was holding it together and trying to help him do the same was at least a minimal comfort.
En’shea’s breathing seemed more rhythmic now, possibly asleep. Every now and then, the door would open as a guard or servant would check on him, but otherwise, there was no movement in the closed-off room. Shi’chen knew it had to be mid-afternoon by this point, though it felt like they had been lying in wait for a thousand years. The city would be assembling and coming toward the palace; at least, he hoped they would be. If something had gone wrong, they were not going to make it out of The Keep alive.
He could tell when the crowd had actually been spotted, as the commotion outside the door suddenly increased for a short period, and he could hear more movement in the hallways before it quieted down again. It was time, while the guards were distracted by the protest.
He glanced over at Lai, catching the half-elf’s eyes in the dimness. Lai gave him the smallest nod. Shi’chen held up three fingers and took a deep breath, counting them down. Simultaneously they rolled out from under the bed and were on their feet, Lai’s dagger in his hand, Shi’chen drawing his short sword.
En’shea was sleeping on his stomach on the bed, his head on the pillow, his face toward Shi’chen. For just a moment, he looked so young, but that thought vanished as quickly in Shi’chen’s mind as it had come. Lai snatched En’shea up from the bed, wrapping his arm around En’shea’s upper arms to pin them, his dagger pressing to En’shea’s throat. En’shea’s golden eyes flew open, his hands coming up to try to grab Lai’s arm around him as he gasped, and then his eyes met Shi’chen in front of him. He relaxed just a bit in Lai’s grip, a cool smile spreading across his features. “Hello, Cousin.”
Shi’chen glowered at him. “What have you done with my brother?”
En’shea laughed, despite the blade at his throat. “What makes you think we had anything to do with it?”
Shi’chen pressed the point of his short sword to the soft spot under En’shea’s ribcage. “Do not fuck with me, En’shea. I am just looking for an excuse to gut you like a fish.”
En’shea laughed again, seeming unperturbed by Shi’chen’s threat. “You know if you do, your brother dies.”
“That is the only reason you are still breathing,” Shi’chen growled, pushing the point a little harder, enough that he felt it prick En’shea’s skin through his thick robes.
En’shea did not move, just gazed back at him with unblinking, golden eyes. “It is such a shame that you betrayed us, Cousin. You would have made a much better Commander than Captain Hin-Ve’ssa.”
“As if I would serve under a contemptible monster like you,” Shi’chen growled, unable to stop himself from rising to En’shea’s jibe.
“What do you want from us, Cousin?” En’shea asked, suddenly sounding bored.
“You are going to abdicate,” Shi’chen replied.
“Mm, no, we do not think we will,” En’shea said thoughtfully, as if he had given the matter some consideration.
“That was not a suggestion,” Shi’chen snarled.
“What are you going to do, Cousin? Kill us? Have your half-breed whore do it for you? How many pieces do you think Commander Hin-Ve’ssa will cut your brother into if you do?” En’shea’s smile was chilling.
Shi’chen wondered how much of anything En’shea had said in Hanen-vir Lai could understand, but he couldn’t worry about that right now. With a growl, he set down his sword so he could grab a thick piece of silk to wrap around En’shea’s mouth, tying it much tighter than he needed to, then used another piece to bind En’shea’s hands behind him; all the while En’shea stared him down with his unfeeling, reptile eyes.
Shi’chen turned to Lai, who still held his dagger at the ready. If it had just been them and En’shea, there were several options for them to get out of The Keep with the Emperor as a hostage, but as soon as they were no longer in The Keep where A’bbni was, they would lose their leverage against Hi’jan. Lai’s green eyes met Shi’chen’s own, and Shi’chen could see the worry swirling in them, just like in his. But they had a job to do. As long as En’shea was alive, they had a bargaining chip, and he was going to have to rely on Hi’jan feeling the same way about A’bbni. “If we can get out the way we came in, you take him and go. I’m not leaving without my brother.”
Lai glared at him. “You are not going anywhere on your own. Only when he,” he gave En’shea’s throat a tap with the flat of his blade, “is with you do you have anything to negotiate with.”
Even though Lai was right, Shi’chen decided now was not the time to argue about it; they had to find a passage out of there first. It was possible that Ba’shea may have discovered the route that he and Lai took to get in, or that he had known about it to begin with as a trusted member of the Council. If they could get to it, he suspected that would still be the easiest way to get out, as it opened into the city, not within the palace grounds. There were other secret passages out of The Keep if needed, but all the ones he knew about would also be ones Hi’jan would be aware of and would have guards at the exit points, likely assuming he and Lai would be trying to get in one of those passages during the protest. “Either way, we need to go. Ready?”
Lai nodded, his hand moving to hold En’shea’s arm to steer him. “Ready.”
Shi’chen swallowed hard. The last thing he wanted to do was harm any of the palace guards, most of whom he knew by name. Maybe that would work to their advantage. He hurried across the room, Lai following and pulling En’shea along with his dagger still at the Emperor’s throat. En’shea seemed inclined to move, at least, which Shi’chen supposed he should be grateful for, as carrying his unconscious cousin would not make escape any easier or faster. With a last glance back at Lai, he pulled open the door to the hallway.
Three guards stood, seemingly bored at their post, but their faces when they saw the former Captain with the bound Emperor in tow made it clear that they had not been expecting it at all. Shi’chen glowered at them. “Stand down,” he said, sword held up to engage if any of them came at him. They all held spears, so they had the advantage of distance, but he could react quicker than they could.
“Captain Er-Ha’sen?” one of the guards asked in surprise, her gold eyes wide as she took in the prince and the half-elf with a dagger pointed at the Emperor.
“I said, stand down, Lieutenant Hin-De’rra,” Shi’chen said.
