Osyrus turned back to the meeting and considered General Actus for a moment, looking at him with the cold disdain of a snake deciding whether a rat was too large to swallow.
“Anything is possible, Prime Magnate. But since Mercer Domitian had enacted plans to inject a nearly unfathomable amount of dragon oil into the Balarian economy, building a more efficient engine was not my priority. I focused my recent efforts on a more stable placement of the levitation sack—above the entire ship, versus beneath the wing struts. That design improvement is the reason that only a single ship was lost in the incursion, rather than the entire fleet.”
“Mercer Domitian is dead, as are his plans.” Actus leaned forward. “At this rate, those ships will begin falling from the sky halfway through their next operation. A better engine is your priority now.”
“Very well.” Osyrus rubbed his knobby hands. “As it so happens, two of my spies have recently returned from Floodhaven with information that will help me construct a more efficient model.”
Kira cleared her throat. “Floodhaven. Did your spies return with any news about Ashlyn?”
Actus Thorn bristled at the distraction, but Ward’s face softened when he looked at Kira. Vera had noticed that while Osyrus Ward was more than happy to boil the blood of Actus Thorn and his ministers, he had been uncommonly kind and patient with Kira, despite her relatively limited amount of power and influence. The discrepancy bothered Vera.
“They did, Empress. By all accounts, Ashlyn Malgrave was killed in the battle at Floodhaven. There have been no reports to the contrary.” Osyrus bowed his head. “I am sorry, Empress.”
“Pity,” Kira said. She chewed her lip. “Did she really destroy Cedar Wallace’s entire army with demoncraft? That was the rumor at the gala last night.”
“Demoncraft is a crude and unspecific term,” Osyrus Ward said.
“But she did use some new kind of power,” Kira said. “Do you know what it was?”
Osyrus Ward smiled. “I have an idea, yes. And as I said, my informants were able to obtain some of her research. But her work was extremely complicated, and will take time to decipher.” He turned to Thorn. “If my laboratory was returned to me—and new specimens provided—I could move faster.”
“That wasn’t a laboratory,” Thorn said. “It was a horror show. Half of my custodial workers refused to go back in there after the first day of cleanup from the fire. I cannot believe Mercer allowed such things on palace grounds, even if they were in the deepest sublevels.”
“He allowed them because he knew they led to progress. This is the problem with soldiers and bureaucrats. You enjoy the fruits of my work, but turn your nose up when you glimpse the mess that creation requires. If you want a better engine, return my resources and let me work.”
Actus ground his teeth. “Explain to me how the things that you did to those creatures in the darkness will lead to a skyship engine that burns less oil in the sky.”
“They won’t. They will eventually lead to an engine that burns no dragon oil. I am not sure how Ashlyn Malgrave created such a formidable energy source on that battlefield, but it was extremely clean. Almost … pure.”
Osyrus said that last word with an edge of jealousy that surprised Vera. The royal engineer spoke of most people with imperious disdain.
“If it was so formidable, how was she defeated?” Thorn asked.
“Some say the power itself consumed her. Turned her to ash. But the truth is far less fantastic. After she won the battle, Linkon Pommol betrayed and killed her. His wardens have been bragging about it in the streets.”
“All the more reason that we should celebrate the destruction of his fleet,” Lox interrupted, trying very hard to remain relevant in a conversation that was getting away from him.
“But the destruction of that fleet has made an enemy of Almira,” said Kira. “I wonder if such an aggressive move was prudent?”
“Empress, you have no authority to question my decisions,” Actus Thorn said, voice barbed. He leaned forward. “Your husband has imbued me with absolute control of the government and military. I will run operations as I see fit.”
“Of course, Prime Magnate. I wouldn’t deign to question your military acumen and wisdom, I am simply trying to understand things a little better. Perhaps you could enlighten a young and uninformed empress?”
Actus Thorn retained his aggressive posture for a moment, but eventually leaned back in his chair.
“The attack was necessary for two reasons. One. Almira needed to be punished for their assassination of Mercer Domitian. Pommol might not have ordered the killing himself, but his new fleet paid the cost of Ashlyn’s aggression. Two. The skyships required a low-risk combat test before deployment in Lysteria.”
Everyone had been talking about the Lysterian rebellion, which had broken out as soon as word of Emperor Mercer’s death reached the north. Seven garrisons had been sacked and an entire Balarian legion was missing. It had most likely been annihilated, just like Linkon’s fleet.
“That’s a very succinct explanation, Prime Magnate Thorn,” Kira said, ignoring his demeaning tone. “Thank you. Your actions make much more sense now. When will the skyships head to Lysteria?”
“That depends.” Thorn turned to Osyrus. “When will the new uniforms be complete?”
“I am still perfecting the cold-weather insulation that is required for the skyship crews to operate in the high-altitude temperatures of a Lysterian winter,” Osyrus said. “The intricacies take time and precision and—”
“Just get it done,” Thorn snapped. “I want to crush this rebellion as soon as the skyships return from Almira.”
“There are still skyships in Almira?” Kira asked.
“Yes. There is a little more work to be done in your homeland, Empress. You are aware of the food shortages, yes?”
“I spoke with a minister at the gala last night who mentioned something about a wheat blight in Ghalamar,” Kira said, pronouncing the last few words slowly, as if she was unfamiliar with their meaning.
“The problem extends far beyond poor wheat yields,” said Agriculture Minister Cornelius.
Vera liked Minister Cornelius because, unlike General Actus and Minister Lox, he’d never held a weapon more dangerous than a dinner knife in his life. That being said, if he did make a move on the empress, Vera was standing at the perfect angle and distance to throw a dagger into the main artery of his neck.
“How much farther?” Kira asked.
The minister cleared his throat before speaking.
“The eighth and ninth merchant districts of Burz-al-dun are supplied with grain rations from the Portsmouth Province of Ghalamar. However, that province had an especially hard time with the famines this year. Their annual shipment came up significantly short of their quota.” Cornelius licked his lips. He spoke with much more authority now that the conversation had moved away from war and toward crop quotas. “They’ve delivered enough to last a month. Maybe.”
“One moon’s turn?” Kira said, slipping into her native Almiran tongue for a moment. “Did Mercer not know about this?”
“The late Emperor Mercer Domitian was aware of the issue. And I informed Emperor Ganon as soon as he was coronated. But, um. Well. He didn’t…”
Cornelius trailed off. Glanced at Kira, then at Vera. She knew that her presence made the bureaucrats of Balaria nervous. She liked it. Intimidation was better protection than a suit of armor if it was used properly.
“Cornelius, you can relax.” Kira gave him a warm smile. It was the same smile she’d used at countless feasts and celebrations in Almira to befriend half the court, and it melted Cornelius as if he was a stick of dragon fat dropped in a burning hearth. “We can all be honest about the situation. My husband is not interested in being the emperor of Balaria. That is why he is not here today. And that is why he appointed Actus Thorn as the prime magnate to rule as his proxy. But I am interested. We must find food for our people. Perhaps we can divert rations coming in fr
om one of the other Ghalamarian provinces?”
Cornelius cleared his throat again. “Empress, I’m afraid the situation is the same—and in some cases worse—across all of Ghalamar.”
“What about Lysteria?”
“Even if Lysteria wasn’t in open rebellion, I’m afraid we would find no food there, either.”
“That is why they have rebelled to begin with,” Actus said, impatient. “The truth is, there is simply no place left in our empire from which we can source adequate rations for all of our people.”
“No place left in our empire,” Kira repeated. “I see. So there was a third reason for sending the skyships to Almira. You’re going to raid the Clear Sky harvests.”
“Correct,” Actus said. “Now that the skies of Almira are temporarily devoid of lizards for the Great Migration, the muddy farmers of your homeland will produce a crop yield that is ten times the size of a normal season. I have ordered the armada to collect those yields by force. Commandeering Almira’s harvest isn’t a permanent solution, but it should get us through the year.”
“I don’t understand why we don’t just conquer Almira now,” Cornelius said absently.
“That is because you don’t understand war, you moron,” Thorn snapped. “Almirans might be muddy-haired savages, but their wardens are the best soldiers in Terra. You ever tried to kill a man who’s spent his whole life learning the best ways to kill you, instead?”
“No,” Cornelius said softly.
“Well, I have,” Thorn said. “Thirty years ago, in the Almiran Incursion, I saw a warden with half his guts dropped out his stomach defend a hill for hours. Most Balarian grunts would have curled up and begged for their mothers, then died uselessly in a heap of their own crap. That bastard kept cutting down Balarian soldiers like they were made of chaff. Every single valley and hill and castle will be full of killers like that. Do you feel like now—with no food and an open rebellion in the north—is a good time to attack those men’s homes?”
Cornelius’s face turned blood red with embarrassment. He didn’t respond.
“We will conquer Almira,” Thorn continued. “But we will do it when the time is right. For now, we procure the food, and leave one skyship to guard the western coast against a naval landing by the Papyrians.”
“Do you truly think that Okinu will throw her hand into the war so overtly?” Lox asked.
“Given the ties she’s built in Almira over the years, it’s a possibility. And if she does want to enter this war, the western coast of Almira is the door that she will use. I prefer to keep it closed.” He turned to Osyrus. “If this new engine of yours is more efficient, it will be a valuable tool for this purpose.”
“I agree,” Osyrus replied.
Kira cleared her throat. “General Thorn, I am the rightful heir to Almira. Couldn’t all of this be accomplished with diplomacy?”
“Diplomacy is a wise course of action. So wise, in fact, that Emperor Mercer Domitian already tried it. He risked life and limb to access Almira’s rich natural resources through a trade agreement with Ashlyn Malgrave. And then you and Ganon began your little love affair, an action which had the equivalent effect of taking a wet shit overtop the entire thing.”
Vera took one step forward. Moved her hands to her daggers on instinct. The Horellian guards behind Actus did the same.
“Mind your tongue, Thorn.”
“Spare me, widow. If you draw one of those little blades in anger, you and the empress will both go for the long swim directly afterward.” He motioned to the Horellians behind him, then turned back to Kira. “The less involved you are with important matters, the more likely they are to succeed. I will get the harvest from Almira, and then I will deal with Lysteria. You can go back to your feasts and your moon orgies. Leave this work to the people who know what they’re doing.”
“Well, Actus, I admit that elements of your plan have merit,” Kira said, her tone changing. Turning serious and cold. “However, you still have a problem. Assuming you’re able to steal the Almiran harvest, half of it must go to the soldiers you’re sending to Lysteria. And the remnants won’t feed all the mouths in Burz-al-dun. Not nearly. You’ll naturally prioritize the merchant and government districts with rations, but you’ll have to deprive the slums.”
Actus Thorn didn’t respond, but the guilty looks exchanged by the other ministers made it clear that Kira was correct. The empress saw it, too.
“I wonder how long the slum districts will put up with empty bellies before they start to riot in the streets?” Kira continued. “Order in Burz-al-dun has always been predicated on three hot meals a day for every citizen. What happens when the food runs out? We will quash the Lysterian rebellion only to find a fresh one boiling up behind the walls of Burz-al-dun.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Have you come here today simply to suggest hypothetical problems and dangle them across our eyes?” Thorn asked.
“No, I have come to prevent them from becoming a reality.”
“And how are you going to do that?”
“You don’t want me in these meetings, stumbling over military strategy. That’s fine. It is not my strong suit. A woman like me is far better suited to more domestic and ceremonial tasks. I can keep the people of Burz-al-dun happy, despite the wars and famines and growing hunger in their bellies. And I only need one thing from you to do it.”
“Which is?”
“A skyship of my own.”
Actus Thorn grunted. “You’re joking. There is no way I’m giving you a war frigate.”
“No, certainly not. But Osyrus Ward has recently completed the plans for a new design. One that is more suitable to my needs.”
“Are your ears too packed with mud to hear what’s been said? We’ve got no fucking dragon oil to spare. Whatever oil the skyships don’t require must be earmarked for the Kor Cog. There is barely enough oil to keep the thing running for the next year. Do you know what happens if that cog stops? The checkpoints lock down and this city turns into a nightmare. Even the few days it was down over the summer were catastrophic. It took a month to quell the riots in District Eleven.”
“I don’t need an engine,” Kira responded. “Just the ship.”
“What?”
“I don’t need my skyship to fly,” Kira said. “So, no engine. No fuel.”
“What value is a ship that cannot fly?”
“Anticipation is a powerful tool, Prime Magnate. The grand unveiling of my royal ship gives the people something to look forward to. A wedding would be better, but my marriage was sadly rushed due to circumstances outside of our control. Still, the skyship will work nicely. The military frigates were built in secret, and they’re intimidating, not inspiring. But if we were to show them a different kind of ship—one that is beautiful and sleek, outfitted in vibrant and soft colors instead of cold, military black and gray—we can capture their imaginations, and their hearts.”
“Empress, I do not think that the people of the slum districts will forget about their food simply because you show them a colorful skyship,” said Minister Lox.
Kira turned to him. Smiled. “That is because you lack vision, Minister.” She paused. “Even if the distraction doesn’t work, the project would keep me quite busy. I would be forced to stop intruding on meetings like this one.”
Actus chewed on this. Eventually, he turned to Osyrus.
“You can guarantee the materials for this ship of hers will not deprive the fleet of resources?”
“Yes. I have built the Balarian armada of skyships in the image of dragons. The empress’s ship will be a sparrow in comparison.”
“Fine.” Actus dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “Have your ship. But once it is complete, if you come asking me for an engine and dragon oil, I will light the useless thing on fire.” Actus stood. “We’re done here.”
Osyrus cleared his throat. “Actually, Prime Magnate, there is still the matter of my laboratory, and my request for specimens.”
Actus took a lo
ng look at Osyrus Ward. “Your personal projects are disgusting and foul. I have no reason to tolerate them. Build me a better skyship engine with the resources that you do have, and then we’ll see. Fail me, and I’ll have you beaten from the city.”
Osyrus held Actus Thorn’s gaze for a long time, but eventually conceded defeat with a small nod. “At the very least, I need more parchment. Most of my notes were destroyed in last summer’s fire and I cannot work without a way to record my progress.”
“Paper? Fine. But nothing else until I have my engine.”
Actus departed the room with the urgency of a battlefield commander returning to the front lines, the Horellian guards close on his heels. The ministers followed behind, giving sheepish bows.
The doors closed. Only Osyrus Ward remained in the room.
“What a deeply unpleasant man,” Ward said cheerfully.
Kira started laughing.
“Right?” She turned to Vera. “You told me to be careful around Thorn, then you practically threatened to kill him!” she squealed, then scrunched her face into an artificial frown. “Vera, Vera, Vera. I’m very disappointed in your lack of self-control.”
“He should not have spoken to you that way,” Vera said, still gripping her daggers and glaring at the door through which Actus Thorn had departed.
“Maybe not, but if we get caught up in petty insults and poor manners, we’ll never get anywhere. This was a good first step.”
“First step to what? Why do you want a skyship so badly? This unveiling is likely to do more harm than good—hungry people don’t want to hear about the lavish toys of their rulers.”
“Of course they don’t,” Kira said. “I’m not a moron. I asked for the ship because the unveiling preparations will give me an excuse to take more meetings with important members of the government. I cannot challenge Actus Thorn’s authority yet, but I can start building my own influence, one step at a time. Everyone wants something, Vera. Often, the things that they want don’t even need to be given to them, just dangled in front of their eyes, slightly out of reach.”
She paused. Looked out the window at the Kor Cog.
Sorcery of a Queen Page 5
