“Well?” Tallu asked.
“As far as we can tell, they plan to wait until we pass beneath the Blood Mountains, specifically when we stop in Falcon Ridge Province. Lord Helli, who controls it, is sympathetic to Kacha, and plans to alert Kacha once we pass through.” The Kennelmaster spoke evenly. “You knew this was a possibility when you insisted on dragging us across the continent.”
“He’ll kill me there, claim Prince Hallu, and have control ofthe Imperium in one go,” Tallu said. He leaned back, his fingers moving slowly, golden lamplight reflecting off of his rings.
“What would you like us to do, Your Imperial Majesty?” Sagam asked.
Tallu thought, his rings moving sparks of light across the walls of the tent. He glanced at me.
“The smartest move would be to avoid Falcon Ridge Province altogether,” I said. “We can take care of Domusho and his allies at Pine Thorn Province and leave Lord Helli alone. It will make you look smart, eluding a trap.”
“It will still leave Kacha with allies below the Blood Mountains,” Tallu said.
“The lord in charge of Falcon Ridge Province doesn’t have tostayin power,” I said. “But there is a difference between taking him out and risking your own life.”
“You would have me cower away from any possible threat,” Tallu said. He exhaled sharply, and I could smell something on his breath. Blood.
“I would have you live long enough to face your true enemies, rather than tangling with minor inconveniences. A true fisherman saves his hook for a fish that will fill his belly. He doesn’t waste his time on minnows.” I waited for Tallu to look at me and smile.
“Can the Dogs take care of Lord Helli?” Tallu asked. “Before we reach Pine Thorn Province? I would like to make a statement to the court.”
Sagam hesitated, glancing over at the Kennelmaster. He frowned. “We would have to use some of General Saxu’s men.”
“Bring me Lord Helli’s head,” Tallu ordered. “Use whichever men or tools you need in order to accomplish that goal.”
When they left, I crossed the room to him, kneeling in front of Tallu, pressing my hands to his knees and waiting for him to look at me.
“Are you well enough to play this game?” I asked. “We can sneak off, travel to Tavornaiourselves.”
“I have made this mess of the Imperium. My goal was to leave it broken enough that no one man could ever put the puzzle back together. Letting General Kacha keep his allies leaves him that much closer to the imperial throne.” Tallu pulled a smile, and I shook my head. “The black throne should be unable to be claimed when we are done.”
“You just like the drama.” But I let myself smile in return. I only ever saw hints of his weakness, and that reassured me that no one else would see it either.
“Would you have preferred I send you?” Tallu asked, stroking the blade of his finger up my cheek. “Would you bring me the head of my enemy?”
“If you wanted them, I would bring you Kacha’s and Bemishu’s heads. I would bring you the head of Spider. I would bring you anything you wanted,” I said. “What do you want, Tallu?”
Tallu didn’t answer, dipping his head to kiss me deeply, his lips warm and solid against mine. “I want Domusho to pay for thinking to insult you. I want Kacha to know that no matter how much power he acquires, he will never achieve his goals. He hurt you, and I would like to squeeze the life from his throat myself.”
“How is it that the threat of murder sounds so romantic when you phrase it like that?” I teased.
Tallu smiled, but there wasn’t any mirth in it. “We made this mess, we might as well arrange it so that Bemishu and Kacha both find their desires thwarted.”
I nodded, understanding his wish. After all, I had shared it back at the Lakeshore Palace. But now, I wondered if we should just let it be, let fortunes fall how they would. Whichever lords took over the provinces might be strong enough to hold them.
But, no, that was leaving the job half-done, and I hadn’t been trained to slice only half a throat.
Sagamand some of General Saxu’s best trained men disappeared the night Tallu had given the order, returning a few days before we arrived at the Jolushi estate in Pine Thorn Province. Sagam presented Helli’s head to Tallu from inside a wax-coated bag stuffed with pine chips and other preservatives.
Sagam’s expression was blank, as calm as he could make it. Tallu had called a meeting inside his tent, in the section his servants turned into a makeshift sitting room. Our camp was cradled in a small valley, the stream that wound through the center of it settling down after our flurry of activity, once again attracting both buzzing insects and the frogs that wished to eat them.
With the chorus of them in the background and Saxu’s men stationed around the tent, we were as private as anything could be for Tallu. Around the table sat General Saxu, the Kennelmaster, Commander Rede, and Sagam, when he worked up the courage to sit down as though finally seeing himself as their equal.
There were no servants in the tent, so I stood and poured Sagam and Commander Rede glasses of water. From the dried dirt and sweat coating all their visible skin, both men had ridden day and night to make it back to camp. They were dressed in peasant clothing, the fabric rough and poorly sewn, making their bodies shapeless, disguising how lethal they were.
When I glanced up, Asahi’s eyes were fixed on the tent door, nearly ignoring his lover. On the other side of the tent, Iradîo frowned down at the trophy they had presented. Lord Helli’s head had turned blue, losing whatever natural color it had.
“This is him?” Tallu asked. “I do not recall Lord Helli looking quite so round.”
