“I don’t doubt it,” Mikail says. “I hope you get the chance, truly, because it will mean we’ve won. Now, if you’ll both excuse me, I have to drop in on the ambassador.”
“Don’t kill him,” Euyn says.
Mikail pauses and looks surprised. “Why not?”
He walks out the door before Euyn can answer.
Chapter Ten
Mikail
City of Quu, Khitan
Ambassador Zeolin is a tall, thin man with dignified gray hair who I currently have hanging from his office window.
“It was a rather cold greeting, Zeolin,” I say as I lean on the sill. I’m getting wet, but the cold rain is rather refreshing.
He’s screaming. Well, he’s trying to scream, but he’s gagged. His fingers are constantly slipping on the slick stone. I tighten my grip on his wrist, but only slightly. I don’t want him to feel safe from falling. The picture window of his office is high up on the mountainside. It’s easily a hundred-foot drop to the rocky ground below.
Khitan does love its views.
“Your villa has scenic vistas,” I say. “You can see nearly all of Quu from here, but I find it hard to believe you spotted me arriving at port today. Are you ready to cooperate?”
He tries to speak, but he can’t because of the gag.
“Afraid I’ll need a yes-or-no headshake,” I say.
He vigorously nods yes.
“You’ll tell me everything you know?”
Another enthusiastic nod. He, of course, wound up out the window because he claimed to know nothing and then had the nerve to order me out of his office.
I let his wrist slip. “Are you sure?”
He’s screaming so loud that I can hear it even with the gag. The rain causes my fingers to slide as I go to tighten them on his wrist. He slips out of my grasp.
Fuck.
Diving forward, I reach out and grab his shoulders, then retake his arm.
Stars, I almost dropped the bastard.
But I don’t let the surprise show. I pretend it was another part of this game.
“This is what is going to happen,” I say, my voice even. “I’m going to pull you inside, and if I don’t think you are being fully truthful with every answer, I will skewer you slowly to your desk. You will wish I had let you fall. Do we have a deal?”
More nodding.
Coward.
I’d take my secrets to the grave with me, but I am a different type of man.
With a sigh, I heave him inside. I toss him into his leather chair and take down the gag. Down, not off. The second these men feel safe, they believe they’re in control again.
I stab his fine wood desk with my dagger, then lean against the side of it with my arms folded.
“All right, I’m listening.”
