by Lisa Shearin
“Kansbar didn’t tell anyone,” I said. “You know this. Not of his own free will. He was tortured by Khrynsani interrogators, his memories laid bare, filleted like a fish, his mind destroyed.”
“I know this. I saw the contents of the book in your memories. But now that you have come, Karnia says it is a sign that one Nathrach left us, but two have returned—at the same time that the Khrynsani again come searching for us and bring the Sythsaurians to our gates. He believes that you led them here.”
“We followed them, Your Highness.”
“I believe you, but that does not change the facts that once again, there are Nathrachs and Khrynsani in our city. He argues that we must not fail to act this time. We must leave no one to return to tell of us, our city, and the Heart.”
“You must admit, Tamnais, killing us all is a logical and tidy solution,” Malik said. “Were I in his place, I’d do the same.”
“Advisor Karnia is not an evil man,” Maralah said. “Protecting the Heart is his duty, and he will do all that he feels he must to faithfully execute that duty.”
I snorted. “Including coercing you into a marriage you do not want to gain access to the Heart and your mother’s tomb.”
“He and his followers believe that offense is a stronger defense. Karnia advocates judicious use of the Heart to keep anyone from getting close to our mountain.”
“Regardless of how many more monsters it could release into the city or what damage it could do not only to this continent, but the rest of our world.”
“Karnia claims he can control the Heart. I know he is wrong. The two of us have a standoff.”
“That sounds all too familiar, Your Highness,” I told her. “Many ambitious men and women throughout our history thought they could control the Saghred. It didn’t go well for any of them, or the millions of people who died in the wars to secure it, or were sacrificed to feed it. Those already possessing vast power believe that they and they alone can control any power regardless of the magnitude. They have all been wrong, dead wrong. And because of their arrogance, people died. We cannot allow that to happen here.”
“Rest assured, Chancellor Nathrach, I will not.”
“Excellent. I need for you to set up a meeting with your top city engineers and Captain Benares as soon as possible.”
“Consider it done. There are four of them, and they are the younger generation, so while they did not oversee the building of the city themselves, they know every inch of it.” Her lips twitched at the corners. “Unlike some of my people, I think you will find them most agreeable to your plan.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“I thought I’d leave Jash and Elsu with you as intermediaries,” I told Phaelan, as one of Maralah’s trusted courtiers took us down palace back hallways to a quickly arranged and clandestine meeting with the city’s engineers.
“I can be diplomatic.”
“I believe Raine once said that Benares diplomacy means firing cannon shot across a bow rather than through a waterline.”
“Yeah. So? We’re not at sea.”
“These are goblins from over a thousand years ago. If you’re not familiar with ancient elven military history, our peoples were hell-bent on wiping out each other during that period.”
“That’s been true several times, but I do see what you mean.”
“In addition,” Elsu noted, “some of these people may have never even seen an elf before. Especially if they were born here before the … um, Great Gelding.”
Phaelan gave her a flat look. “You had to bring that up, didn’t you?”
“Of course I did.” Elsu’s eyes glittered. “Jash, you were right, teasing Phaelan is a source of endless amusement.”
Jash slapped Phaelan on the shoulder. “And once again, you’re the sole ambassador for your people. Make ’em proud.”
The elf pirate’s eyes went a little wide in realization. “Oh crap.”
I glanced from Elsu to Jash, starting to have serious doubts about my choice of elf chaperones.
That Nidaar’s city engineers were agreeable to our plan was a vast understatement.
“They’re just like you,” Jash told Phaelan in as close to amazement—and concern bordering on fear—as I’d ever seen from him. “I know we want these people to cooperate, but this is scary.”
Yes, these three men and one woman were responsible for the city’s structural upkeep, and were only one or two generations removed from those who had designed and overseen the building of Nidaar. But this city had become their prison, so I really shouldn’t have been surprised that they were unanimous in their desire to blow it up and bury the Heart. In fact, they had been quite industrious over the years in assembling the means to do just that.
Phaelan had made some new friends.
Not only were they playing nicely, they were even sharing their toys.
The engineers had done all the calculations of how much explosive material they’d need to bring the mountain down on top of the city and collapse both to bury the Heart. They had built the devices, and knew exactly where they needed to place the charges. Unfortunately, they told us, they lacked sufficient explosive power to get the job done.
Phaelan just smiled and unpacked his case of cylinders packed with Nebian black powder.
Nebian black powder had been around nearly as long as the Nebians themselves, so the Cha’Nidaar engineers knew precisely what it was and what it could do.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the engineers were giddy with delight, and that they and Phaelan were well on their way to becoming friends for life.
Bane was going to be so disappointed he missed this.
“Princess Maralah said that the Cha’Nidaar could be ready to evacuate in forty minutes,” I said to the chief engineer, whose name was Esha. “And it would take another two hours after that to reach the surface.”
“Sounds about right.” Then the Cha’Nidaar engineer chuckled. “Though they can move faster than that if they’ve got a pack of dakkonan at their heels.”
“Couldn’t we all?” Jash muttered.
“Now that you have sufficient explosives,” I continued, “how long will it take to assemble and place the bombs throughout the city?”
“All we need to do is add the Nebian black powder,” Esha said. “Will Captain Benares be staying with us?”
“He will, and so will Jash and Elsu.”
Esha nodded in approval. “Good. There will be six bombs. It will take two of us to place each one. We can work quickly, but with Nebian powder, we wouldn’t want to work too quickly. A mistake would be bad.”
“So, with each team placing two bombs, from the time I walk out that door until the bombs are in place, and you’re all safely away and ready to detonate, how long?” I asked.
“Without any unexpected delays …” Esha did some calculations in his head. “We could be on the surface when the rest of our people are. Possibly before.”
I did some math of my own and frowned. “That doesn’t add up.”
Esha grinned impishly. “That’s because our way out is faster. Only one can go at a time, but when we go, we go fast.” The engineer winked. “Another invention we have prepared for when this day came.”
Phaelan’s answering grin was fierce and oh so happy. “Blowing up a city and getting the hell out faster than anyone else. I love this plan!”
The courtier escorted me back to our quarters, where I collected Agata, Dasant, Malik, and Talon with Indigo, and together we were escorted to the throne room. Since we weren’t sure if we’d be coming back, we had our packs with us. Our weapons had never left us.
I brought them up to speed on the plan and its timeline.
Agata walked by my side. “It’s about three hours from when Maralah orders the evacuation to when the bombs can be detonated.” She paused. “That is, if she can convince them to go. That leaves out one very important variable.”
“Yeah, I know. The unknown is how long will it take for us to fre
e and awaken Baeseria.”
“The lady doesn’t have to be awake,” Malik noted. “Break her out of that coffin now, worry about her being conscious later.”
Agata and I exchanged a glance. Our overriding worry was that the Heart would try to stop us from freeing Baeseria, and bring the mountain down on all of us, no explosives needed.
The courtier showed us to an anteroom. Maralah was waiting for us.
Her Highness was not amused.
“Karnia has requested to speak with you before I address my people,” she said. “I refused. I do not see the purpose in it. He spews hatred and will do naught but blame you for that which was not of your doing. It is a waste of time, time we do not have.”
“I take it you told him our plan and he didn’t like it.” I didn’t phrase it as a question. I didn’t need to.
“Not in the least. Especially when I told him that as the ruler of our people, the final decision is mine and mine alone. He then questioned my authority and said that I’m clearly under your black magic influence and thus compromised, am no longer fit to rule.”
“Black magic? Could he have been listening to us after you ordered him out of the throne room earlier?”
“That would be impossible. When the doors are closed in this room, it is completely soundproof. And the only others in the room with us were my four personal guards. They have my complete trust.”
“Information can be acquired from the mind of another without that person being aware.”
Maralah just looked at me, rather like Malik in that respect. “My guards have my trust, but I require more than trust. I mind-gazed them after Karnia made his accusation. They remain as they have ever been. Utterly loyal.”
I gave the princess a slow smile. “You are most definitely a goblin, Your Highness. With your guards’ loyalty intact, there is only one other way Karnia could have known that I once practiced black magic.”
“Dear Sandrina has had a visitor,” Malik said smoothly.
Maralah scowled. “I ordered that no one see the prisoners.”
“It seems Karnia doesn’t believe your orders pertain to him,” I said. “With your permission, Your Highness, I would like very much to speak with Advisor Karnia.”
“As you wish. The people are gathered outside of the throne room. I met with Karnia there, and I want you to speak with him there as well.”
Malik smiled slightly. “A reminder of who sits on the throne. A wise and prudent move, Your Highness.”
Maralah inclined her head at the compliment. “I arranged for Karnia to be brought to me alone. My guards are in the throne room with him now. If necessary, he can be taken into custody and removed before the people are allowed in. I will not have him making trouble. The safety and lives of my people depend on it. Would you wait here for a few more minutes? I would like to have a few more words with our esteemed advisor.”
I bowed. “Of course, Your Highness.”
She left the door ever so slightly ajar.
“If that’s not an invitation to listen,” I murmured to Malik, “then I don’t know what is.”
“Great goblin minds, thinking alike and all that.”
“Das, would you stay with Talon and Agata?” I asked. “We don’t want a crowd at the door.”
“Of course.”
Talon let out an exasperated sigh. “I never get to have any fun.”
“Your time’s coming,” I told him.
Malik and I went to the door with a silence born of years in the goblin court, where moving without being heard or seen was a matter of survival—political and literal.
I’ve always preferred to get a look at an adversary before taking them on.
Malik took a look for himself, chuckled silently, and shook his head. He stepped back, gesturing me forward with a flourish.
I looked out into the throne room and my lips twitched in a smile.
Advisor Karnia was exactly as I had seen him the last time we were both here. Severe robes, posture, and expression. I knew that Malik had drawn the same conclusion as I had when I’d first seen the Cha’Nidaar official. We’d dealt with his like many times in the goblin court, and if we survived to return home, we’d be dealing with it again.
Dangerous and determined to carry out his agenda, but shrewd and subtle while he did it.
Karnia took it one step further.
He truly believed in what he did. He was the fanatic, the zealot, who saw himself as the hero of his people, the only one who truly understood the danger they were in, and was convinced that he and he alone could save them, from outsiders or themselves.
I had no doubt that fanaticism had been growing and festering for years, perhaps centuries, to the detriment of his sanity.
I stepped back to where Malik waited.
“That one needs to go away,” he whispered without moving his lips. Another skill that came in handy in the goblin court.
“Yes,” I agreed, “but no.”
That stopped my friend; I knew it would. I bit back a smile.
“He’s trouble of the very worst kind,” Malik insisted.
“I know.”
“We’ll be killing him now or later, either way he’s just as dead. By doing it now, we make sure he’s out of our way.”
“Many of the Cha’Nidaar believe him to be their protector, mistaken though they are. And some of those are soldiers. We need their cooperation and help to get these people out of here.”
“But we—”
“Mal, how much help will we get if I knife him and say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, but I did this for your own good. Your beloved advisor is a fanatic and quite insane.’”
Footsteps approached the door, heavy and obvious. Someone wanted us to know they were coming.
Malik snickered as he and I quickly stepped back.
It was a young palace guardsman. “Her Highness is ready for you now, Chancellor Nathrach.”
“Such a considerate young man,” Malik murmured. “I’ll be here waiting,” he told me. “And watching and listening.”
“Always.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
I walked out onto the throne dais, stopped and bowed deeply to Maralah. “At your service, Your Highness. You wished to see me?”
“I do indeed. May I again present Advisor Karnia, who has requested to speak briefly with you about the dire circumstances in which we find ourselves.”
I inclined my head. “Advisor Karnia.”
Karnia was standing at the foot of the ten steps leading up to the throne, flanked by two of Maralah’s guards. The other two were standing at attention on either side of her throne. There was no one else in the room.
I took one step down from the throne dais, which positioned me below Maralah, but far above Karnia. When I’d first been brought before the Cha’Nidaar princess, I’d been standing on the floor with Karnia one step below Maralah’s throne.
Our positions were now reversed.
I saw no reason to avoid the slight. He already hated me, and goblin court etiquette did not require handshakes. Handshakes were traditionally exchanged to indicate that one wasn’t armed. And at the goblin court, daggers inside of sleeves, and a fondness for skin-transferable poisons, encouraged courtiers to keep their distance from one another. While I doubted Maralah had allowed her advisor to keep any weapons, I was absolutely bristling with steel. I didn’t want to lie by implying that I wasn’t armed.
I had no intention of lying. Brutal honesty was called for here.
As Maralah said, we didn’t have the time for anything else.
Karnia may not have been armed, but if looks could kill, I would have died the instant I stepped through that door.
Malik was right. A dagger between Karnia’s ribs would save us all a lot of trouble.
My hand had been casually resting on the hilt of the dagger at my waist. Of its own accord, my fingers had tightened on the grip.
I reluctantly relaxed them.
Old habits died hard.
&nbs
p; Maralah smiled down on her advisor. “Karnia, the last time we were all here together, I don’t believe you and our guest were properly introduced. This is Chancellor Tamnais Nathrach, a duke of the imperial goblin court in Regor, and chancellor and chief mage to the goblin king.”
I smiled and sighed with exaggerated regret. “Your Highness, as I have sworn to keep no secrets from you, I also have the misfortune to be King Chigaru and Queen Mirabai Mal’Salin’s heir until they produce one of their own.”
“How trying for you.”
“Yes, Your Highness, it is.”
“I sincerely hope Chigaru and Mirabai will be blessed soon.”
“As do I.” I turned my attention back to Karnia. “I understand you wanted to speak with me.”
“Yes, I do. Her Highness tells me you have come to destroy the Heart of Nidaar, and having learned that it cannot be destroyed, you propose to destroy our city instead, bringing down the mountain on top of us, to bury the Heart. I’m sure you understand my concern at such drastic measures.”
“I assure you, Advisor Karnia, I did not sail halfway around the world merely to inconvenience you. Nor did I come with the intent of rendering the Cha’Nidaar homeless. You may have noticed the arrival of the Khrynsani forces to your land along with their newest allies, the Sythsaurians. I understand that your people have encountered the Sythsaurians before. You know what they both want, yet you scorn our offer of assistance in—”
“Assistance in destroying our very civilization? We did not—”
“I would not call less than a hundred survivors a civilization. What the Cha’Nidaar have built here is nothing short of miraculous, but your people are dying, Karnia. At their own hands. They have given up hope. What I offer is hope, a way your people can leave this place without failing in the sacred duty they have taken upon themselves. You’ve heard of the Saghred, correct?”
“We have. It is a great evil.”
“Yes, it was a great evil. Was. It’s been destroyed. I am told that’s not possible with the Heart, that to destroy it would crack the world, killing us all. The only solution is to bury it, entomb it as it has done to your people. The Khrynsani know of this place, as do the Sythsaurians. Your secret is out.”
