“Yes, Minister?”
Hazan’s voice all but shook with fury as he spoke. “It has only just occurred to me, sire, that I require your immediate guidance on a matter of great importance. Might I convince you to meet me outside so that we might discuss this crucial business at once?”
At that, the fight left Kamran’s body.
It was no fun to fight a horde of idiots when Hazan suffered an apoplectic fit as a result. He tilted his head at his old friend. “As you wish, Minister.”
The remaining officials exploded with outrage in their wake.
Hazan said nothing until he’d all but bullied the prince up to his chambers, where, only once the rooms had been cleared of servants, did he close the door.
Were Kamran in a different frame of mind, he might’velaughed at the demented look in Hazan’s eyes.
The young man had gone nearly purple.
“What the devil is the matter with you?” Hazan said with dangerous calm. “You ordered these men to leave their posts—for some, dozens of miles away—on awhimfor what you deemed an essential meeting—and then you all but rip their throats out? Are you mad? You will lose their respect before you’ve even claimed the throne, which y—”
“You don’t mind if I ring for tea, do you? I’m quite parched.” Kamran pulled the bell without waiting for a response, and his minister sputtered at the impertinence.
“You ring for tea? Now?” Hazan had gone rigid with anger. “I’m of a mind to snap your neck, sire.”
“You lack the heart to snap my neck, Hazan. Do not pretend otherwise.”
“You underestimate me, then.”
“No, Minister. I only know that, deep down, you thoroughly enjoy your position, and I daresay you can’t imagine your life without me.”
“You are deluded, Your Highness. I imagine my life without you all the time.”
Kamran raised his eyebrows. “But you do not deny that you enjoy your position.”
There was a brief, taut silence before Hazan sighed, reluctantly. The sound severed the tension between them, but was chased quickly by an epithet.
“Come now, Hazan,” the prince was saying. “Surely you can see the logic in my arguments. Those men are idiots. Tulan will come for all our throats soon enough, and thenthey will see, too late, how blind they’ve been.”
Hazan shook his head. “Theseidiots, as you call them, make up the necessary framework of your empire. They’ve been loyal to Ardunia since before you were born. They know more about your own history than you do, and they deserve your basic respect—”
There was a sharp knock at the door, and Hazan halted his speech to answer it, intercepting the tea tray before the servant could enter the room. He kicked the door shut, placed the tray down on a nearby table, poured them both a cup, and said—
“Go on, then. I believe I was in the middle of making an excellent point, and you were just about to interrupt me.”
Kamran laughed, took a quick sip of tea, and promptly swore out loud. “Why is this tea so hot?”
“Apologies, sire. I’d always hoped that one day your tongue might be irreparably damaged. I see now that my prayers were answered.”
“Good God, Hazan, you should be shot.” The prince shook his head as he placed the teacup on a low table. “Pray tell me,” he said, turning to face his minister. “Tell me why—whyam I considered the fool when I am in fact the sole voice of reason?”
“You are a fool, sire, because you act like a fool,” Hazan said impassively. “You know better than to insult your peers and subordinates in the pursuit of progress. Even if you make a good point, this is not how it’s done. Nor is this the time to court enemies in your own house.”
“Yes, but is there ever a time for that? Later, perhaps?Tomorrow? Would you make the appointment?”
Hazan threw back the last of his tea. “You are acting the part of a ridiculous, spoiled prince. I cannot countenance your recklessness.”
“Oh, leave me be.”
“How can I? I expect more from you, sire.”
“No doubt that was your first mistake.”
