Ninth moon, first year of the reign of King Corvus
Red Gods’ temple, temple district, First Circle, Rilporin, Wheat Lands
‘You have heard the latest in his list of failures, I presume?’ Lanta demanded as soon as Valan walked in. ‘You have heard how he jeopardises our country and all our plans with his incompetence?’
Valan twitched at that, but then he nodded. ‘Yes, Blessed One. That he missed his opportunity at the South Forts—’
‘Missed his opportunity?’ she demanded, incredulous, and then bit off the words to gesture him to a seat at her side. ‘The South Forts were found abandoned and emptied of all provision. No clear sign of where they went or how many they numbered, even. Apparently they just vanished. There is an enemy on the loose in Rilpor, Valan, and we have no idea of his strength or where he will strike next. And it is Corvus’s doing.’
‘I advised him to attack the South Forts, Blessed One,’ he said. ‘Said the time was right, that we needed to end the threat. He refused.’
‘And he told me he had many demands on his time. That I shouldn’t bother him.’ Her upper lip drew back from her teeth. ‘What those demands were, who can say. They certainly didn’t include securing the country against our enemies.’
‘Enemies that are now at large, unwatched, able to strike at us where and when they please,’ Valan agreed. The tension in the room wound a little tighter.
Lanta clicked her tongue. ‘Perhaps the time has come,’ she said. She let her calf rest against his; his lashes flicked shadows on his cheeks as he glanced at her and away. He didn’t move his leg.
Valan ran his hands through his hair and then down over his face; he was worried, uncertain. ‘Now that we are here, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t uncomfortable at the thought of your – our – plan. Corvus is my friend.’
Lanta licked dry lips. ‘And that, of course, is why you are a faithful son of the gods,’ she said smoothly and took his hand. Her thumb traced small circles on the back of his wrist and she noted the faint flush in his cheeks. ‘That you can make this sacrifice for Them, that you can regret the loss of a friend for the greater good, shows your strength of character. He is your friend, but he is not fit to be king. War chief, yes, that he excelled at, but not this. Not governing. He must be replaced.’
‘And that replacement will need to be Mireces,’ Valan said.
Lanta blinked. ‘Valan, you are King’s Second. We both know what that means. Besides, I would not discuss such things with you if I had not intended for you to replace Corvus.’
‘Whereas, I had thought to suggest you take the throne, Blessed One,’ he murmured and Lanta froze. The seed of her queenship that she’d planted among her priesthood had died with them, or so she had thought. Now it seemed it had found fertile soil after all.
He seized her hands. ‘As queen you would rule us more wisely than Corvus ever has. As Blessed One you already guide us through the world and safely to the shore of the Afterworld. To do both would be a heavy burden, but I would support you, Blessed One. I would be your strong right arm, your executioner. None would rise against you and live, I swear.’
‘Valan, dear Valan,’ she murmured. ‘We need a king. You are King’s Second. This is all so unexpected, a possibility that I had never considered. But, perhaps, if it is your wish, I could stand at your side and help you rule.’
He blinked, swallowed hard, swallowed again. ‘It would be my honour,’ he managed, his voice hoarse.
Her hand rose to the side of his face. ‘It is you who honour me and, as always, the gods,’ she breathed, and leant in to kiss his forehead. ‘And worry not. I know you mourn Neela; I will not ask of you … There will be no need if you do not want …’
Pain and anger flashed in quick succession across his features, both emotions part of the reason he had chosen her over Corvus, Corvus who had made the decision to leave the women and children behind and unprotected. And dead. His eyes flicked to her mouth and then away.
‘You were a good match, good parents to the girls …’ She searched her memory. ‘Kit and Eve?’
‘Ede.’ His hand twitched in hers.
‘Ede, yes. Forgive me.’
He bit his lip; the golden flags of firelight danced across the planes of his cheeks. So young. ‘I know they are happy in the Afterworld, Blessed One. I know they are content and they are waiting for me, that if they knew of my actions here they would be so proud. But …’
‘But you miss them.’ His head jerked in a graceless affirmative. ‘As you should. We are put on Gilgoras for twin purposes – to serve the gods, and find happiness. You did that. And while we will rule together to the gods’ glory, I do not expect you to, ah, to love me. You gave Neela your heart; I would not ask for the same.’
It wasn’t all an act; Lanta felt uncommonly anxious. Despite the rumours both she and Liris had allowed to spread, she had never shared the old king’s bed. Though she blushed to acknowledge it, Lanta had never shared anyone’s bed. Her body and mind were tools of the gods, sacrosanct. The only love she’d ever known was Holy Gosfath’s, brutal and uncaring of her needs. Perhaps it would be better if Valan didn’t want her, though as she studied his face a warmth grew in her belly that had nothing to do with wine.
Valan snapped out of his reverie. His hand shifted beneath hers, turning so that their fingers slotted together. He raised it to his lips and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist and her stomach fluttered. ‘Believe me, Blessed One …’ he began and paused. ‘Lanta. Believe me, Lanta, it will be the easiest thing in the world to love you, once the pain of Neela’s loss has faded.’ And then, as if he’d read her mind: ‘Though I do not know how I can ever compare to the love of a god.’
She found a gentle smile for him, one so lacking in artifice or arrogance or power that it sat strange and light upon her lips. ‘Do not worry about such things,’ she managed, nervous anticipation thrilling through her. ‘We will learn each other. All else will come from that.’
‘You … do not mind about Neela?’ he asked.
‘You would not be the man all Gilgoras needs as its supreme ruler if your heart was dead,’ she promised in her turn. ‘Grieve as long as you must. I will be here when you are done, and so will the world.’
She sat back, breaking physical contact with intense regret and ending the moment, beginning another. ‘Now, Second, I am afraid we must to business. The … transfer of power needs to be accomplished and Corvus removed. What are your suggestions?’
He adapted to the change in topic with something like relief, though whether thoughts of Neela or thoughts of kingship worried him, she couldn’t tell.
‘There’s the Krikite, Pesh. He mopes around the temple and the palace like a ghost, expecting some reward, some acknowledgment of his actions in bringing Rillirin here. His sister was supposed to have joined him and has not; he grows increasingly worried. It would be easy enough to manoeuvre him into making the attempt. And he is expendable.’
‘Hmm, perhaps. Though he is an unknown quantity. We do not know him, his loyalties, whether he will betray us rather than aid us. I cannot trust him. As you said, he is expendable – deal with it.’
‘Your will. I would not recommend we bring another Mireces into our confidence. I can do it myself, of course, whether in a formal challenge or something more circumspect. Poison, perhaps.’
Lanta dismissed both ideas. ‘We must be clean of this, and poison is beneath us and not guaranteed.’
‘Then a more unusual option, Blessed One, but one I think will work. My slave, Tara. She can kill Corvus.’
‘Explain,’ Lanta snapped, and all intimacy fled. She reared back on the seat and folded her arms, donning the Blessed One’s guise like the armour it was. ‘I said someone we can trust.’
Valan nodded. ‘I do trust her, despite that she is Rilporian. The day I returned from Pine Lock after killing the Evendoom brothers, I went to Fost to retrieve her. He told me she was in the kitchens. I was hungry anyway, so I followed her. I could hear a fight so I approached with caution, stood in the shadows and watched. There were three of them trying to rape her. She killed two.’
Lanta’s mouth fell open; she snapped it shut, gestured for him to continue.
‘She’s more than just a fighter, Blessed One. We’ve all seen women fight off drunken advances – gods, Neela was no stranger to it. This wasn’t that. The way she moved, the way she weighed up her attackers, how she flowed between them not giving them time to regroup or rush her or come at her from behind. Even when they had her on the floor they couldn’t best her. She’s highly skilled – and she’s never used that against me or anyone, not until she absolutely had to. As a slave, she can get close to him and it will look – it will be – a simple revenge killing that he didn’t see coming.’
‘She’s your slave and you’re named as second,’ Lanta pointed out, but more from curiosity as to how he would overcome it, not to curtail his plan. It had a simple elegance that kept her name far removed from the whiff of suspicion.
Valan spread his hands. ‘I won’t be in the city,’ he said. ‘When we are ready to act, you will send me away on business. When that happens, I will lend Tara to Corvus and I will leave a knife lying in my quarters before she goes. I saw the look in her eye when she was fighting those men: savagery, yes, but joy too. She’s a killer and I don’t think she’ll waste the opportunity.’
He paused for her reaction. Lanta stared into the fire, thinking it through. ‘You cannot guarantee she’ll take the risk, though,’ she said eventually. ‘You said yourself she only fought because she had no choice. If she didn’t make an attempt on Corvus then, why would she this time?’
‘Tara’s husband is an officer in the Rank; he’s a prisoner in the south barracks and she’ll do anything to keep him safe. So we—’
‘Make her a willing accomplice,’ Lanta interrupted. ‘We tell her she has to kill the king and if she doesn’t we’ll kill her husband.’
‘Or we promise them both their freedom,’ Valan said. ‘Whichever one we think is more likely to make her comply. We give her motive and we give her opportunity and then we sit back and mourn the tragedy.’
A slow smile spread across Lanta’s face. ‘I like it,’ she said. ‘Where is she now?’
‘In the south barracks with her husband. I had … anticipated that our conversation this evening might turn in this direction. I thought an early reward for her could make her more amenable. It’ll be the last time they ever see each other, after all.’
Lanta laughed low in her throat and patted his knee, letting her fingers linger for a moment. Sentimental as well as ruthless, she thought approvingly. I like it.
‘All right, prime her for the act. The sooner it is done, the better.’
Valan bowed his head. ‘Your will, Blessed One.’