After the Crown

by K. B. Wagers

  “No, Majesty,” Emmory said. “It’s even more important to show respect to you now. You are the rightful Empress of Indrana.”

  “You look awful.”

  Emmory grinned because we both knew he was right and I was only changing the subject because I didn’t have a good argument for him.

  He did look awful though, propped up in the bed with a heavy layer of surgical heal-tape wrapped across his chest. The dark skin under his eyes was bruised to blue-black, and I noticed his left arm was close to his side.

  The sound of Zin’s keening in the cargo bay came back to life in my head and I crossed the room, wrapping my arms around my surprised Ekam.

  “Don’t ever do that to us again, do you hear me?”

  22

  Emmory patted me awkwardly on the back with his right hand. “Yes, Majesty,” he lied.

  I pulled away, wiping the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand. “Did Cas get you all caught up?” I asked once I trusted my voice again.

  “He did, including how cooperative you’ve been.”

  “I think he’s just mad because I didn’t invite him to drink with Hao. We’re headed to Shanghai Port, by the way. I need to meet with Po-Sin.”

  If anyone in the room had reservations about my announcement, they were waiting for Emmory before they expressed them. My Ekam studied me for a long moment and then surprised me with a nod.

  “May I ask why, Majesty?”

  “Hao kind of has to take us there or end up dead,” I said with a grin and a shrug. “Po-Sin put a price on my head when he heard the news about who I was. I was planning on going to him anyway. We need help and he owes me a favor. If you’ve got a better plan I’d love to hear it, because right now this is all I’ve got.” I looked around the room. “I was supposed to meet with a GIS agent who was bringing Canafey’s governor to me. She has the lock codes for the Vajrayana ships. We get those and we stand a fighting chance against whatever Phanin and the Saxons can bring to bear.

  “Alice, Caspel, and Taz are heading up the resistance at home, but they’ll need help. We need Po-Sin’s network and permission to travel in his space. We need Hao’s continued help, which he won’t give without approval from his boss. And right now what we need most is time.”

  “Which we don’t have.” Emmory nodded, grimacing and resting his head back on the pillows.

  “Everyone out,” I ordered, and the others complied without comment. “We’ll manage, Emmory.” I put my hand on his.

  He opened his eyes and smiled. “I trust you, Majesty. You’re in your element. I told Cas to try to roll with the punches out there and not to interfere unless you were in actual danger.”

  I laughed, squeezing his hand. “You get better. I don’t want to have to take my throne back without you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I turned to leave, but Emmory caught my arm before I could go. “Majesty, they say you shot the king.”

  “I did.”

  “Hail.” His rare use of my name was filled with exasperation.

  “He shot you,” I said, waving a hand in the air. “So he’s lucky I didn’t kill him. I only shot him in the knee. He can be grateful I didn’t aim higher.”

  Emmory chuckled, grimaced again at the pain, and let me go so he could press his hand to his chest. “Be careful with Po-Sin, Majesty. Don’t trust him.”

  “I never have.”

  We weren’t more than a few hours from Shanghai Port when we dropped out of the warp bubble back into normal space. I’d used my time on the ship to formulate several plans.

  The first involved meeting Po-Sin at a rather seedy—even for this port—restaurant in H Section. If Po-Sin didn’t agree to my terms, I’d have to move on to plan B.

  Which was really going to piss off my Guards, and probably the enforcers at Shanghai, because the body count for plan B was a little high.

  We disembarked the Pentacost, Dailun having removed the fake registry before we reached the port, with Hao in the lead and Dailun on his heels. Cas was at my side; Zin and Gita followed behind. I’d ordered everyone else to stay on board. Alba was up and moving around, but Fasé was still catatonic and sleep for Emmory was the best thing possible.

  I spotted Nez as soon as I walked into Hotei’s Cup. The runner for Po-Sin was tucked into the back corner watching everything with his beady black eyes.

  I crossed the room in just a few strides, sacrificing stealth for expediency, and grabbed Nez by the upper arm before he could bolt.

  “Don’t run off.” I hooked a chair with my foot, spinning it around. Dropping into it, I jerked him back into his own seat with enough force to rattle the empty glass on the table. “My friends don’t like surprises, Nez. I’d keep both hands on the table and try not to twitch.”

  Cas cleared his throat. I took my eyes—but not my hand—off Nez, glancing up and around the bar.

  “Mind your own business,” I snapped, and everyone went back to what they were doing. I didn’t miss the way the bartender’s hand slid under the bar. “Zin, keep an eye on the door. We’ll have company soon.”

  Nez had recovered from his shock some and beamed a smile at me through the greasy strands of black hair hanging in his thin face. “Cressen Stone, it’s so great to see you!”

  I tightened my hand on his arm until he winced in pain. “Drop the cheer, Nez. The whole fucking universe knows who I am by now. You’re an idiot with poor personal hygiene, but you’re not that stupid. I need to talk to Po-Sin.”

  I saw Hao tense out of the corner of my eye, and then the voice echoed through the bar.

  “You could have just called, my dear.”

  Po-Sin stood silhouetted in the doorway—a tiny man flanked by his guards, two Amazon-sized women who were taller than Emmory. I let Nez go and he scrambled for the dubious safety of his boss.

  I rose slowly to my feet, folded my hands together, and bowed while keeping my eyes locked on this powerful Cheng lord. “Forgive me for not allowing you enough time to plan a proper party, Grandfather. You look very well.”

  Po-Sin laughed, the sound surprisingly hearty for a man of his age. “You look even better. Being empress obviously agrees with you.”

  “I’ve come to collect a bounty.”

  Po-Sin raised one eyebrow and shook his head. “Sit down, Your Majesty. Tell your dogs to relax a bit, and we will talk.”

  “Back atcha,” I countered, but I sank back into my chair and shot Cas a look.

  He nodded imperceptibly and moved until he was at my right shoulder. Zin and Gita took their cue from him, keeping their hands well away from their weapons.

  Po-Sin sat in the chair Nez had vacated, taking a moment to shake out his intricately embroidered robe so that it fell in graceful folds around his ankles. “Tea, Lily.”

  I swallowed back my laughter as one of the gigantic women headed for the bar. Po-Sin had a strange habit of renaming his bodyguards for flowers.

  “What happened to Rose?” I asked.

  “Killed by a clumsy assassin Fang sent after me.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  A smile quivered beneath Po-Sin’s long beard. “You broke her nose once because she looked at you for too long.”

  “True.” I wiggled a hand. “Fang’s a waste of air though, and no one deserves to die from a clumsy attempt.”

  “Better her than me,” Po-Sin replied, effortlessly reminding me that even though he looked like someone’s gentle grandfather, he was a stone-cold killer.

  Which meant I needed to cut to the chase. We were running out of time.

  “You owe me a favor,” I said.

  “I owed a gunrunner named Cressen Stone a favor. I don’t do business with governments.”

  I’d expected the reply; still a surge of disappointment filled me. Nothing about this was apparently going to be easy.

  “Bugger me.” My gun cleared its holster before I finished my sigh. Cas was a split second behind me on the draw, moving with a speed that woul
d make Emmory proud.

  There was a crash of porcelain on the floor as Lily dropped the tea and scrambled for her own weapon. Her counterpart had already drawn, as had several others in the bar.

  Hao just dropped his head into his hand.

  The rest of the patrons headed for the exit as if the room were filled with Hefistan Plague.

  “Twice I’ve had your life in my hands. I gave it back to you once,” I said. “Give me a reason to do it a second time.”

  Po-Sin wouldn’t be the most feared Cheng gangster if the sight of a pissed-off woman with a gun could bring him to tears. He smiled at me, a slow, deadly thing that would have scared me if I’d had anything left to lose.

  “Ah, there she is. My deepest apologies, Cressen. I did not recognize you at first. Of course I will honor my debt to you. What is it you need?”

  “Permission to move through your territories unhindered. Allow Hao to take us from Shanghai to Guizhou and to continue with us if he so chooses. Protection from any Saxon Shock Corps or other mercenaries who may be hunting us. Medical care for my people free of charge and a promise of no less than ten of your best fighting vessels should I ask for them. Pay Hao for the bounty on my head and consider it done. And finally, no hard feelings for this little incident here.”

  Po-Sin studied me. “You ask a lot.”

  I bowed in my seat, keeping my eyes on his and my gun where it was. “Your life is worth much, Grandfather.”

  His mouth twitched and I knew I had him. Po-Sin should have known better than to negotiate with me out in the open like this where anyone could hear. If he refused, he rejected the honor I’d done by naming a price equal to his stature.

  “All right, Your Majesty,” Po-Sin agreed. “I will give you all you ask for. Any damage to my ships and crew will be paid for by you, and I will only provide free medical care for any injuries received thus far. Safe passage is guaranteed. There are no hard feelings and Hao gets the bounty. Does that satisfy my debt to you?”

  “It does.”

  “Good.” Po-Sin’s eyes were black stones in his weathered face. “Then I will suggest that the next time you point a gun at me, my dear, you pull the fucking trigger.”

  “Duly noted.” I put my gun away with a smile.

  “Now we’ll eat something.”

  I didn’t look back at Cas as a growl issued from behind me. “That would be lovely. Forgive my BodyGuards though, they’re not accustomed to protocols out here. My Dve will mean no insult when he asks to scan my food.”

  “Perhaps you should explain it to him.” Po-Sin was back to his grandfatherly smile. “Then he won’t have to.”

  It wasn’t a request, but this also wasn’t a conversation I wanted Po-Sin overhearing. I gave him a little nod, got up out of my seat, and dragged Cas a few feet away.

  “This is unwise.”

  “It’s a test,” I replied in an equally low voice. “He wouldn’t dare poison me after publicly declaring us even. If I don’t eat, or if you so much as shift a hand in the direction of the food, he’ll take it as sign I don’t trust him. All deals will be off. You hear me? Even our safe passage.”

  “I can’t let you do this. Emmory would—”

  “Want you to trust me. He said as much, didn’t he? I know what I’m doing. I did business with these people for years and I know the rules that hold sway here. Damn it, Cas. Emmory trusts me, why can’t you?”

  It was a slap, petty and uncalled-for. I knew it as soon as the words left my mouth, but it was too late to call them back. Cas’s face went blank.

  “Fine, Majesty. Whatever you think is best.”

  It was the words I wanted, delivered in a tone that ripped my heart to shreds. I opened my mouth to say something, anything that might back us away from this, but no words came. So I closed my mouth, nodded, and headed back to the table.

  Po-Sin watched us with a speculative gleam in his eyes, but I ignored him and grabbed the chopsticks from the hand of the server who approached the table.

  It was obvious someone else’s order had been co-opted for our dining pleasure. There was no other way the table could have been filled in the short time I was away.

  We ate in silence. The food was delicious. And I’d learned a long time ago to enjoy a meal whenever I could.

  “I used to regret my nephew stole you and that you’d never agree to work for me directly,” Po-Sin said, patting at his mouth with a napkin. “Now I think it might have been for the best, my dear. Such trouble it would have caused.”

  I stood when he did, straightened my shoulders, and met Po-Sin’s smile with one of my own. “You have no idea, Grandfather.”

  “May this agreement be profitable for us both. You have a hard fight ahead of you, Your Majesty. I hope you win.” He smiled at me and gave a little bow I barely remembered to return before he headed for the door.

  Dailun bowed low to Po-Sin and spoke a few hurried words that made both Hao and Po-Sin look back at me.

  “Majesty, what did you do?” Zin muttered.

  “Nothing.” I hadn’t said a single word to the pretty, cold-eyed pilot the whole time we were on board.

  Whatever it was that they decided seemed to please Dailun at least, though Hao looked annoyed and Po-Sin actually seemed concerned. He glanced my way once more, nodded, and left the restaurant.

  “That went better than I expected.”

  Hao grunted. “Go back to the ship. I need to get some supplies. We’ll be on our way in an hour.”

  23

  Guizhou was too close to waste energy on a warp bubble, even if it did mean a ninety-five-hour trip through space. It gave Emmory more time to heal, and at night while Zin was sleeping I helped Emmory walk around the ship.

  Dailun watched from his seat as one night Emmory struggled up the stairs to the bridge. Hao’s pilot had short, spiky hair that was dyed a brilliant pink. It shouldn’t have worked, but somehow on him it did. If nothing else it said more clearly than words that he was a mean snake; otherwise he’d have ended up as some gangster’s boy toy a long time ago.

  “Do you mind if I use the com?” I asked after getting Emmory settled in a nearby chair.

  “Go ahead.” He hadn’t said anything to me since that strange moment at Shanghai.

  “You can stay.” I waved him back down when he pushed out of his seat. Taking the chair next to him, I sent a message to Caspel.

  “It’s good to see your face, ma’am.”

  “Yours, too. The patch suits you. You found a Farian?”

  Caspel’s laugh was rusty. “Bina Neem is with the ITS. My eye was too badly damaged to save, but she fixed the rest of it up quite nicely. I spoke with Admiral Hassan, ma’am. I’ll send you encrypted contact information so you can speak with her directly.”

  “How are you all holding up?”

  Caspel’s smile was brief. “We’re holding, ma’am. The generals have rallied what troops they can in your name. It’ll be enough to take back the capital once we have air support.”

  “We’re doing what we can.” I nodded. “Have you heard from your operative? Were they on Red Cliff?”

  “I haven’t, ma’am.” He frowned. “I don’t know where they are.”

  That wasn’t the news I wanted to hear. “We need to find them, Caspel.”

  “I know, Majesty. We’ll work on it.” Caspel rubbed his stubbled chin. “The 2nd Fleet arrived yesterday, ma’am. Phanin somehow secured the three Vajrayana ships, and Admiral Hassan ordered Home Fleet to abandon their posts when the initial attack happened and rendezvous with her. We thought it was better to regroup and come at them once we are at full strength.”

  I nodded. As much as I disliked the idea of leaving Pashati in the hands of Admiral Shul and Phanin, Caspel and Admiral Hassan were right. Every ship lost was one we wouldn’t have in the end. And as powerful as those Vajrayana ships were, Phanin could easily handle anything we threw at him unless we got the other ships from Canafey.

  “Majesty, where are you headed ne
xt?”

  “We’ll meet up with Admiral Hassan shortly,” I replied, deliberately not answering the question. “We’ll speak again soon.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I disconnected and shared a look with Emmory before turning to Dailun. “So, is someone going to fill me in on that conversation in the restaurant?”

  It was risky asking that question with only Emmory here. But Cas was nearby if I needed him, and Gita was keeping Hao busy so I could have this uninterrupted time with Dailun.

  The young man hesitated. “It was something personal.”

  I crossed my arms, leaned back in my chair, and waited.

  Dailun tried to outlast me, but up to this point only Emmory had ever managed it. The muttered curse in Cheng from the pilot made me grin.

  “You are a patient one.”

  “When it suits me.”

  “I was not prepared to speak with you about this yet, but I also cannot lie to you. I asked my great-grandfather and Hao for permission to leave the clan.”

  I managed, barely, to keep my eyebrow from going any higher. Po-Sin had allowed one of his great-grandchildren to ride with Hao at such a young age?

  Emmory hadn’t moved and was still stretched out in the navigator’s seat along the opposite wall. I knew he’d heard Dailun’s comment. Moreover, he’d understood it since his Cheng was at least as good as mine was.

  Dailun turned in his chair, pushed up the sleeves of his black shirt, and extended his arms toward me in a graceful, almost feminine gesture. The two lines of black calligraphy flared with light.

  Now I could see, clear as day, the marks of Po-Sin’s clan. But there was more than that.

  “Svatir,” I breathed. That explained why Po-Sin had allowed someone so young to ride with Hao. Dailun carried with him the knowledge of his race. Chronologically he was barely out of his teens, but he had lifetimes stored in his skull.

  Emmory was up and out of his seat in an instant. I surged to my feet and caught him by the upper arm before he fell.

  “First off, you’re not in any shape to be moving like that. Second, just watch.”

  The light grew brighter, silver coating the black until Dailun’s arms glowed. The air around us crackled with electricity. I could taste the ozone on my tongue.