Behind the Throne

by K. B. Wagers

  “You bastard!” I kicked at him, flopping around like a beached dolphin for a few stunned seconds until I got my feet under me. “Bial?” He wasn’t moving and my heart twisted unexpectedly when I spied the streak of blood that tracked our path across the floor.

  Had he just saved me?

  I was reaching to check his pulse when the boot kicked me in the face. Pain burst behind my eyes as I spun through the air and landed in a heap a meter away.

  “Your Majesty.” The mocking voice as hard as diamond plating and colder than space cut through the air, through my confusion. I looked up to see Nal approaching me.

  We were in the back of the throne room, shielded from the firefight by the columns. The sounds of shouting muted by the marble.

  “You’re like a fucking sewer rat, nearly gods-damned impossible to kill.” She didn’t have a gun. I didn’t know why but I was grateful for it. I let her kick me again, trying to steel myself against the pain, but there’s little you can do to prepare yourself for more broken ribs.

  I’d pushed off when Nal’s foot connected, lessening some of the impact, but it still lifted me off the ground and I rolled onto my back gasping in agony.

  A spike of black pearls I’d missed came loose from my hair and dropped to the ground by my ear. I closed my hand over it as Nal locked a hand in my hair and dragged me upright.

  “We had everything set up and you had to go and ruin it by refusing to cooperate.”

  “Ganda should have told you that’s how I am.” It is surprisingly easy to drive something small and thin through human skin, but harder to get it through the tendon and bone. I aimed for Nal’s knee and she howled with pain as the hairpin sliced through flesh and broke off in her knee joint.

  “Bitch!”

  She backhanded me. I used the momentum to roll away and up onto my feet. Pain made me dizzy, but I wasn’t about to show it. “I’m not going to pretend to be shocked over your treachery or my cousin’s. I just want to know why.”

  Fury transformed Nal’s face into something unpleasant. “And you think I’ll tell you just because you ask?”

  “I’m actually hoping you’ll let me beat it out of you.” Then with a grin and a wink I said, “Come get some.”

  I could see the rage crowd out the good sense. Nal rushed in like an AVIer high on the pure stuff.

  I hit her, following the uppercut to her mouth with a kick to the chest that drove her back into the wall. I got in two more good shots before Nal reacted, catching my wrist and spinning me to the side. I twisted my wrist out of her grasp and avoided the worst of the side thrust she aimed my way. Stars exploded in my vision and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from gasping out loud.

  “Your family’s arrogance is sickening,” Nal spit. “Your mother gave up in the war against the Saxons just because she lost her precious husband. I lost my sisters because of your mother’s weakness!

  “She threw away the might of our empire because of a man. And your stupid sister was no better, involving herself with the Upjas, promising them the same rights as the rest of us as if they were somehow equal to us. When we’re finished here, the rest of the universe will think that the Saxons killed you. We’ll be at war and the people will welcome Ganda’s rule. We’ll crush the Saxons and restore the glory of the old days to the empire.”

  “Did I miss something? The Saxons will roll over the fucking top of us if we try to go to war with them.”

  “What do you know, gunrunner?” Nal scoffed. “The Saxon Kingdom isn’t as strong as you—or they—might think. General Prajapati has plans; starting with the news that the Saxons were responsible for the death of your entire family.”

  There was shouting in the background, and the sounds of more gunfire, but I didn’t take my eyes off Nal. I trusted that my BodyGuards were handling the threat. This was my fight.

  “Did you kill Pace?”

  Nal’s smile was vicious. “It’s amazing the things you can do as an Ekam. The trust they give you. It was pitifully easy to infect one of her favorite Guards the same time I was scheduled to be away for a week. We wouldn’t have even bothered with the sniveling brat except they’d have put her on the throne after Cire and her spawn were dead and Ganda felt it was best to start with the unimportant people.”

  White-hot fury poured into me and I gave Nal a look that would have sent even the most hardened gunrunner in the universe screaming for cover. She was too stupid to realize what it meant. Nal wasn’t as good as Emmory, or me for that matter, but my ribs were hurting me and the pain slowed me down. She blocked my first punch and threw out a sweep I easily avoided, but my timing was off and she followed up with a strike that clipped my eyebrow as I pivoted out of the way.

  More stars exploded behind my left eye, but I didn’t slow.

  Stepping into her, I slammed my elbow into the side of her head and brought it back once again with equal force. She staggered backward, stunned, and I moved with her. I jammed my palm up into her ribs, ducked under her swing, and swept her leg out from under her.

  The blood dripping into my left eye blinded me, and I didn’t see Nal’s hand snake out and wrap around my forearm. She jerked me to the ground. I landed on my knees, straddling her waist, and twisted my arm out of her grip.

  Nal whipped her arms up to protect her head from my elbow strikes, rolling to her side in an attempt to get away from me.

  It was a mistake.

  I let her roll underneath me, sliding the other direction so I was behind her. I snaked my arm around her throat, my elbow up under her chin, and locked my other arm behind her head as I slid across her back. Wrapping my legs around her waist, and ignoring the screaming pain in my ribs, I cranked back, cutting off her air.

  Nal fought, but couldn’t free herself. She went limp in my arms when she passed out. I released her, and slumped backward with a groan.

  “Majesty!” It was Cas, not Emmory, who rushed to me. He shoved Nal to the side. “Are you hurt?”

  I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling and concentrating on my breathing until I was sure I wasn’t going to pass out.

  “Yes. Bugger me. I’m going to sleep for a week. Help me up,” I groaned, holding a hand up to Cas.

  “Sergeant Terass is headed over, Majesty, just hang on.”

  “I can stand on my own, Cas. Get her tied up.” I poked at Nal’s unconscious form with my foot. What I really wanted was to take Cas’s sidearm from him and put a hole through the woman’s head, but the bitter realization that she was worth more to us alive kept me from doing it.

  “Majesty?” Emmory’s voice echoed over my smati just as Zin and Fasé arrived, weapons in hand and concern splashed over their faces.

  “I’m fine, and you’ll be pleased to know I was a grown-up and didn’t kill Nal.” I waved a hand at Zin and touched my temple to let him know I was talking as I mouthed “Emmory” at him.

  “It’s clear out here,” Emmory replied. “Your cousin is in custody.”

  “Great, I want to talk to her.” I turned a little too fast and would have slid to the floor if Zin hadn’t caught me.

  “Easy, Majesty. Let’s have Fasé take a look at you first.”

  “I’m fine. She just got in a few lucky shots is all. Plus Bial—” The spot where he’d been lying was empty and I muttered a curse.

  “You are not fine,” Zin hissed in my ear. “Your ribs are even worse now and you’ve been beat to shit. Let Fasé heal you or I’m going to hold you down while she does it.”

  I swallowed back the automatic challenge that rose in my throat. I couldn’t breathe with my ribs like this, my head was pounding, and at this point it was more foolish pride than good sense to limp around half-conscious. Nodding sharply, I held out my hand to Fasé.

  Relief was immediate and made me light-headed enough that Zin had to tighten his grip to keep me on my feet. In turn I locked my hands around Fasé’s wrists when her eyes rolled back in her head, and I lowered her to the floor. “Cas, stay with her.�
�

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I reached back and patted Zin’s shoulder to get him to let me go. As I turned, he dropped to a knee and lowered his head.

  “My apologies, Your Majesty. That was forward.”

  I leaned in. “Nothing’s changed except my title,” I whispered in his ear, suddenly understanding the weight that had settled on Mother’s shoulders that instant in the corridor when she’d made the same promise to me.

  Everything had changed, whether I wanted it to or not.

  “Up, Zin.” I dragged him to his feet. “I trust you to know when challenging me is appropriate and when it isn’t.” I grinned. “And that your feelings won’t be hurt if I step on you when you forget. Come on, we shouldn’t keep my cousin waiting.”

  I slipped between the columns and scanned the room, taking in the row of prisoners lined up against the wall facedown against the marble. The dead still lay where they’d fallen, and even though I didn’t recognize any of the bodies, I wasn’t naïve enough to believe we’d made it through unscathed.

  But I spied Iza and Willimet guarding the doors and Indula gave me a nod as I crossed the line of jagged black obsidian. Some of my people had survived to die another day.

  Ganda was on her knees at the base of the dais, her face tearstained. The shock when she spotted me spread faster than a palace rumor, and I felt a small tug of satisfaction curl my lip.

  “You’re alive!”

  “Poor Ganda, you need to keep up.” I spread my hands wide. “You didn’t think this through. You really should have killed me first. Leaving me to the end…” I tsked and shook my head. “Obviously that wasn’t a wise decision.” In two steps I closed the gap between us and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her away from the throne. “This throne will never be yours and you would have been a pale, pale substitute for my sister.” I threw her to the floor. She landed on all fours, crying out as the obsidian shards pierced one of her hands. Blood flowed, staining the white marble.

  “Ganda Naidu. For betraying the people of Indrana, you will die. For your part in the conspiracy to murder my sisters and my empress-mother, you will die. If I could, I would just kill you now. But don’t think this is a weakness on my part. I want you to know…” I dropped to a knee beside her and jerked her head up so her eyes met mine. “That death here would have been a mercy compared to what you will face in the days to come. Because I will know every detail of your plans and every conspirator involved in this treachery before death finds you.”

  Great tears appeared in Ganda’s blue eyes and her sobbing followed me when I climbed the steps to the throne. I eyed the golden monstrosity with distaste for just a second, then sank down onto the thick cushion embroidered with gold thread and crossed one leg over the other.

  “Emmory, broadcast?”

  “Yes, Majesty.”

  I sat up straighter when my Ekam turned his dark eyes toward me and started counting down from three with his fingers. At one, I knew my smoke- and bloodstained face was being shown throughout not only the palace but the whole empire.

  “Citizens of Indrana, heed our words. Our empress-mother is gone to temple on this most holy of days. As you can see, we have not followed her despite the most recent of attempts. Traitors to the throne detonated a bomb that claimed the lives of too many innocent Indranans today. These same conspirators now assault this palace and the homes of your matriarchs.

  “Those who thought to support my cousin and others in their attempt to take the crown, we call upon you to lay down your arms and surrender! This is your only chance for mercy. Surrender and be subject to the laws that govern our empire.

  “Loyal citizens, we have not had long to get to know one another. However, I am my mother’s daughter, and I will not desert this empire in its time of need. I am your empress until the Dark Mother calls me home. I swear this to you all on our most holy of days. May the light of Indrana be stronger than the darkness.”

  I touched my hands to my heart, lips, and head, never taking my eyes off Emmory.

  He nodded at me. “You’re off broadcast, Majesty.”

  “Contact Admiral Hassan. Tell her the insurgents have one chance to surrender their arms and remit themselves into custody. If they won’t…” I stopped and exhaled. “Kill them.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I heard from Kisah: Your rooms are secure and Stasia is safe.”

  I cut off the sob with a hand over my mouth. The rush of relief was so strong, it made me shake. “I’m glad to hear it. Find Alba, please.”

  “I’ll send someone to retrieve her. Admiral Hassan says ITS is on the way. Still no word from General Vandi. I’d like to get you back to your rooms, Majesty.”

  Pushing out of my throne was harder than I’d expected. Even though Fasé had healed me, the adrenaline had left me and I found my knees only slightly cooperative.

  “Sir, we’ve got incoming.”

  “They’re loyal, Will, let them in,” he replied.

  “If they’re loyal, Emmy, why are you standing in front of me?”

  “I don’t trust to luck?” He smiled over his shoulder.

  “Given the circumstances, I’ll humor you. I want Captain Gill to take Ganda and Nal into custody. I’d rather the pair of them not end up mysteriously dead before we have a chance to get some information.”

  Emmory didn’t look away from the troops filing into the throne room but I saw him smile. “I had the same thought myself, ma’am.”

  “Nal incriminated General Prajapati. Find her and Matriarch Khatri.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Cas is with Nal.” Zin approached us. “I already had him touch base with the captain to get someone over to help Fasé. And a medical team for her.” He waved a hand in Ganda’s direction.

  “Good. Go round up the others. Tell Iza to stay here with Captain Gill’s team for the moment. As soon as I get done running a background check, though, I suspect she’ll be changing careers.”

  Zin nodded, holstered his gun, and took off.

  “Tresk!”

  Emmory stiffened and then all the tension drained out of his shoulders. A pair of unfamiliar Trackers crossed the marble floor. The man was light-skinned, shorter than Emmory but with shoulders almost a meter across. The pale blond woman at his side was tiny by comparison, but the muscles in her arms and shoulders said she could take care of herself just fine.

  They stopped on the far side of the obsidian line and dropped to a knee, both of them dipping their heads with a murmured “Your Imperial Majesty.”

  “Friends of yours?” I asked.

  “Yes, Majesty. Allow me to introduce Trackers Peche and Winston.” Emmory gestured at the pair.

  “Up.”

  “Your loyal servants, Your Majesty. I am Raj Peche.” The man’s voice was like a bell. “This is my partner, Tu Winston.”

  “Majesty.” Tu had navy blue eyes and a dimple in her left cheek.

  “Tanish said it had been quiet at the empress’s quarters for a while, but clear the hallway for us, would you?” Emmory watched them go and handed me his Hessian45. “Give them a moment and we’ll follow, ma’am.”

  “I think Bial saved my life, Emmory,” I said, staring across the throne room at the smear of blood still decorating the marble. “At first I’d thought he was trying to keep me from killing Ganda, but someone took a shot at me that hit him.”

  “It certainly seemed that way.” He shrugged.

  “He’s a puzzle. I want you to find him.”

  “That may be more difficult than you think, Majesty. He’s one of us.”

  “One of—he’s a Tracker? Bugger all, why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

  Emmory shrugged again and tilted his head toward the door. “We can move now. He’s not officially a Tracker. Not trained anyway, but he was tested and paired. His sister died in an accident less than a month after the pairing.”

  I snapped my mouth shut to keep from blurting something profane.

  “Bial was in
the accident also. The coma the doctors put him in probably kept him from losing it. His scores were nearly as good as mine, Majesty. He’s got the talent for it.”

  “So we have an expert-level Tracker with BodyGuard training who wants me dead on the loose?” I stopped outside my rooms and exchanged a quick nod with the Trackers waiting there.

  “I’m not entirely sure he wants you dead, Majesty. I saw the whole thing. If he’d wanted you dead, he could have achieved that by not throwing himself in front of Nal’s shot.”

  “Point.” After Emmory popped the door, Raj and Tu slipped inside and I followed them. “I want to talk to him, though. Put your best on him. Whatever it takes.”

  “I could find him.” He shrugged.

  “But that means leaving me alone.” I grinned over my shoulder at him as I crossed the room to Stasia.

  My maid dropped into a deep curtsy. I snorted at her and scooped her into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re safe,” I murmured.

  “Likewise, Majesty. I am sorry about your empress-mother.”

  Her quiet condolence lit a fire of panic in my gut. I was going to mess this up. Trip over my own feet and my sharp tongue so much until I started a damn war, or mortally offend everyone until I was all alone.

  Please, you idiot. The drill sergeant voice in my head snapped at me in aggravation. Mother’s tongue was sharper than yours and she didn’t alienate everyone. You survived the initiation into Po-Sin’s gang at the age of nineteen, Hail. You commanded a crew of mercurial misfits and are a gods-damned legend in the gunrunning world. I think you can handle this if you stop whimpering for a few minutes and just follow your gut.

  “Right.”

  Okay, I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. My BodyGuards all stopped their rapid-fire discussion to look at me. I forced out a smile and let Stasia go.

  “I want Bial,” I said. “And this damned mystery man. Find them, Emmory.”

  “Yes, Majesty.”