by Reece Dinn
'I see. That is good news. They act logically, but ultimately foolishly. It is unwise to underestimate the power of the Ragi's Horde.'
They don't even believe dragons are real. These are the kind of people you force me to live with. 'That is correct.'
'You were invited to attend this Closed Council?' the Shadow asked.
'No. I sneaked into the Council Hall and observed it, hidden behind one of the paintings in the hall. It was very uncomfortable.'
The Shadow laughed. 'Behind a painting? What a ludicrous place to hide. Have you forgotten your training? Absurd.'
Are you looking to get stabbed? 'I did what I had to. Did I not acquire pertinent information for you?'
'You did. You did. Behind a painting. That is amusing.'
'Regardless,' Koma continued. 'They are prepared for our invasion of Zanaidu. The lapse in trade is an obvious sign. The war that is being waged between the gangs in the city below is not helping their trade either. Merchants are afraid to enter the city now. The capital suffers for it. I believe they are forced to bring supplies from other cities in by military convoy to compensate. They are ready to fall.'
The Shadow waved his hand dismissively. 'You presume too much. However this is good news. They are distracted. The Ragi will be most pleased by this.'
'You speak with them?' Koma asked, trying to hide the snigger in her voice. The Shadow and the Ragi sitting down over a mug of ale, regaling stories like old friends.
'Of course I do not. The Emperor is the only one who can. My superior reports to the Emperor directly however.'
'Holi?'
'No. Continue your report.'
Koma scowled. 'Their monetary reserves are depleted. I believe the Coinan has made a farce of the country's finances. I confess I ceased listening at that point. They wish to recruit more men into the military, but do not have the money to pay them.'
'I see. What of the Saban?'
'What of her?'
The Shadow huffed. 'What did she say during this Council?'
'She was undecided,' said Koma.
'Undecided?'
'As far as I could gather.'
'What is her mind? Is she to send more troops north?'
'How would I know? We do not sit down and discuss our feelings often.' Like you and the Ragi.
'If you had to make an educated guess?'
'She shall do whatever her beloved Socrae-al suggests.'
'I see.'
Do you? 'The Qotan suggested that the dragons could attack from the east, flying over the mountains, but the Socrae-al dismissed this. So if you have a strategy to attack from there then I believe it will be undefended. The northern Socrae-tu paid heed to the idea however.'
'It is irrelevant.'
So they're not coming from the east then?
'This is all useful. You have done well, Kanisha,' said the Shadow.
'Have you any news from my family?'
The Shadow huffed. 'I visited their home, raped them all, slit their throats, then deposited their bodies in the river.'
Koma scowled again. 'Do not joke with me.'
'I have more important things to attend to than ascertaining the well being of your family. Desist with your enquiries. They are alive and well. That is all I know. That is all I will ever know.'
Koma clenched her fists into tight balls, anger building inside her. Speak to me like that again and I'll rip....
'If that is all, I shall depart,' said the Shadow.
Go, fuck off. 'That is all,' she murmured.
He grunted then disappeared back into the darkness, leaving her alone again. She folded her arms and shivered.
'I heard more rumours that you have taken another lover,' said the Monster as Koma brushed her hair.
This again? 'They're just rumours.'
'They say people have seen you sneaking about the palace at night. Tell me, who are you seeing?' The Monster smiled at her in the mirror, her gaunt face twisting into something truly terrifying. She is unnerving. Perhaps she'll make a fearsome leader after all.
Koma huffed. 'No one. I have no interest in men.'
'No interest in men? How can that be?'
'I just don't.'
'I think you're lying.'
Koma grumbled, brushing the Monster's hair a little too hard, causing her to yelp. 'Sorry.'
'You are lying,' said the Monster, prodding Koma's leg with her good hand.
Koma did everything she could not to cringe from the touch, but she saw her face twitch in the mirror. The Monster didn't notice.
'Fine, keep your sordid tales to yourself. They're probably not interesting anyway,' said the Monster.
Koma ran the brush through the Monster's thin hair, frayed strands catching on it.
'What is sex like?' the Monster asked after a time, breaking the enjoyable silence.
'What?' Koma replied, trying not to scowl.
'Sex. What is it like? Mother has been talking about me marrying someone insistently. I think it will happen soon. But I've never had sex. I hear the first couple of times are painful for a woman. Is that true?'
'I've never had sex, Sabu.' Wouldn't want to either. Such a disgusting act, having a man enter you. Makes me want to vomit just thinking about it. Gods, how could anyone enjoy it?
'You've never had sex?' the Monster shouted. 'But you're what, twenty?'
'Twenty one.'
'How have you not had sex? I see how men look at you.'
Gods, why did I not just lie? I'll have to gag her now to shut her up. 'My people don't allow sex before marriage.'
'Oh. That would make sense.'
Good. Now shut up.
The Monster swivelled around to face her. 'So you're telling the truth about not having a lover then?'
'Yes.'
The Monster frowned, which was more attractive than her smiling. Just. 'So what are you doing sneaking around the palace at night then?'
'I like to walk when I can't sleep.'
'Why can't you sleep?'
None of your business. 'I just can't. I have dreams.'
'What kind of dreams?'
'Bad ones.'
'Is that why you were sick the other month?'
The brush became entangled in the Monster's hair, forcing Koma to tug on it until it came loose. 'Yes,' she said, when it was freed.
'We'll stop by the market when we next visit Barren at the temple and find you some kind of potion that'll help you sleep.'
'There's no need, Sabu.'
'It is the least I can do, after all you've done for me recently.'
Koma put the brush down on the Monster's night stand. No amount of brushing will make this hair look nice.
'I've never asked you where you're from,' said the Monster, twisting back around.
'Far away from here,' Koma replied with a sigh.
The smell of food made Koma's mouth water. The kitchen servants brought plate after plate into the dining room and set it down on the long wooden table. Lerama, the Monster, and the Socrae-al sat quietly as they brought it all in, not that they'd spoken much before then.
Koma stood at the back of the room with Lerama's handmaiden's, Penama, Elema, and Ilima. Thankfully they weren't giggling with one another like they usually did. Koma eyed a steaming rack of trobaam ribs, the meat still pink in the middle. She licked her lips. These bastards. It's like they love to make me suffer. When the last of the food was brought into the dining room the Socrae-al began to serve it up. He cut off some ribs and put them on a plate for the Monster, but when he handed them to her she shook her head.
'I'm not hungry,' she said.
'Eat something, girl,' said Lerama. 'How are you to find a husband if you look like a skeleton?'
'I'll be fine, mother.'
The Socrae-al placed some greens on the plate with the ribs, as well as chunks of bread soaked in a creamy sauce. He placed the plate in front of the Monster and flashed her a smile.
'Just in case you get hungry,' he said in a fathe
rly tone. He and Lerama then began to tuck into the food themselves, piling their plates with so much food it looked as if neither had ever eaten before.
'How is your search for a husband?' the Socrae-al asked the Monster. 'Your mother tells me that you have rebuffed the offers of two men now. Did you not like them?'
The Monster didn't respond.
'Saima, don't be rude,' snapped Lerama.
'No, I didn't like them,' said the Monster through gritted teeth.
'Why?' the Socrae-al asked, ignoring her tone.
'I just didn't. Gods, I'm not going to marry a man just because you think he's good for me. I want a man to sweep me off my feet. Meeting men to discuss potential engagements just feels wrong. It's not romantic.'
Lerama laughed. 'You are a Sabu. You're going to have to accept that you won't get to marry for love. You must marry the person who will assist you best and support your reign. If you're lucky you may fall in love with that man.'
'But you were allowed to marry for love.'
Lerama hesitated. 'I didn't, Saima. I loved your father because he was my brother. But I married him out of duty. As he did me. It wasn't romantic love, it was duty to our family, to the country.'
'You didn't love my father?' the Monster snapped, her pale face reddening.
'I did, but not romanticly.'
She thrust a finger towards the Socrae-al. 'Do you love him romantically?'
Lerama and the Socrae-al looked at each other a moment and Koma saw the answer was yes. Lerama's handmaidens whispered to one another, seemingly in agreement.
'Paulu is my dearest friend,' said Lerama, placing her hand on his. 'Right now we cannot. But in the future, we might.'
The Monster screamed, threw back her chair and ran out of the dining room, tears streaming down her face.
What do I do? Follow her? Gods, why me?
'You better follow her,' whispered Elema.
'You think I don't know that?' said Koma with a huff. Before Elema could respond Koma ran off after the Monster, grumbling to herself as she went. She found the Monster in her room, face buried in a pillow, sobbing her heart out.
'You okay?' Koma asked, closing the bedroom door behind her.
'It's true,' she cried, the pillow muffling her. 'It's true. All of it. I knew it.'
'You already knew they were,' How do I put this? 'romantically linked.'
'You heard her. She didn't love my father. She hated him and killed him so she could be with that bastard.'
That really isn't what your mother said at all.
'They killed him,' the Monster squealed. 'And now she's going to marry him. Flaunt their crime in front of everyone.'
Again. That really isn't what happened.
The Monster beat the pillow with her withered hand. 'I'll make them pay.'
'Sabu, it probably wasn't wise running from them like that,' said Koma.
'WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO? EAT WITH THEM?'
The bedroom door burst open and Lerama marched in. 'Koma, get out,' she snapped.
'Yes, Saban,' said Koma, heart skipping a beat at the tone of her voice. She hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Do I listen in? I should. But if she catches me she'll kill me. Literally. She ducked into the cupboard beside the Monster's room and quietly shuffled to the spot in the wall with the small hole that was perfect for listening from.
'...have no right to speak to me like that. How dare you,' cried Lerama.
'How dare I? HOW DARE I? The Monster screamed back. 'You think I'm just going to accept that you betrayed my father with that man? Sit there and eat with the man who stole you from father?'
'What in the name of the gods are you talking about?'
'The whole city knows you were sleeping with him behind my father's back. That you're still sleeping with him.'
A pause.
'They are just rumours, Saima,' Lerama said after a moment, in a calmer tone.
'Don't lie to me. Stop it,' the Monster cried.
Slap. The Monster screeched, then whimpered.
'I did not betray your father,' shouted Lerama.
The Monster continued to cry.
'Very well. I'll speak the truth. I know this is hard for you to understand, Saima. But you're old enough now to be able to. Me and your father were husband and wife in name only. We were brother and sister. We didn't love each other romantically. The only time we made love was when we made you. There was no betrayal. He had his lovers, and I had mine.'
'What?'
'Your father had lovers. More than me, and before I began mine. He knew. He approved of it, as I did his. We tried to be discreet, but evidently we failed. For that I'm sorry.'
'He did not know,' the Monster squealed. 'Couldn't. He would never approve of you sleeping with another man, you lying whore.'
Slap. The Monster cried out.
'Speak to me like that again and I'll throw you from the palace roof, you little bitch. You hear me?' Lerama snarled.
The Monster cried, and that was the only sound for a couple of minutes before Lerama spoke again.
'Whether you wish to believe it or not, it is the truth. You are right however. No sense denying it now. I have been seeing Paulu romantically. The rumours are true. But until I step down as Saban that is all they can be.'
'So it's true. You killed him so you could be with him?' the Monster squeaked.
'What? Killed who?'
The Monster sobs became muffled. She must have her face buried in that pillow again.
'Killed who?' Lerama hissed.
'My father,' the Monster murmured.
She screamed as Lerama unleashed slap after slap. Even though she couldn't see through the wall Koma could imagine Lerama beating her daughter. Eventually the slapping and screeching ceased, and only the Monster's sobs remained.
'Don't you ever say that again, EVER. Paulu was devoted to your father. They were best friends. Your father was my brother. How could you even think that we are capable of such a thing? Paulu is devastated over the death of your father. I've had to console him more than he has me. Without each other nether of us would have coped.'
The Monster continued to cry.
'I can't believe this is happening,' said Lerama. 'My own daughter thinking I'm capable of such a heinous act.'
There was a scraping along the floor.
'This is unacceptable, Saima. You're behaving like a deluded little girl. You're to be a Saban. How can I, in good conscience, step down and allow you to take charge of this family, of this country, when you demonstrate that you are too immature to do so?'
Not step down? This could be bad.
'What do you mean?' the Monster sobbed.
'I mean I have much to think about. About you.'
I need to go. If she comes out and finds me here... Koma hurriedly crept back through the cupboard and carefully pushed the door open.
The hallway was empty. No Guards. Thank the gods. Carefully, she closed the door behind her, then hurried away down the hall before Lerama could walk out and see her. Lerama not stepping down as Saban. Would that be a good thing for us? Bad? Does it really matter? It's the wise move no doubt on her part, I'm surprised she hasn't realised it sooner.
Two Guards clinked around the corner at the end of the hall. Koma slowed and looked down at the ground. They walked past her without comment, heading to the Monster's bedroom. Koma breathed a sigh of relief.
I can't believe she actually accused her mother of murdering her father. That crazy bitch. She smirked to herself, for the first time feeling something akin to fondness for the Monster she loathed so much.
Chapter Forty One
Cutters' hideout was only half as full of guys as it'd been just months before. The gang war was taking its toll. They'd taken heavy losses during the Konar's ambush. Those that'd been on the ground with Cutter had been hit hardest. Cutter's right hand guy, Yamaten, had been killed, as had that little shit Oaten, scar-faced Scoten too. Awon wasn't particu
larly bothered by their deaths, in fact he was almost pleased.
They'd lost more men in several fights with the Drowners since. More importantly though, they'd lost Nuchai District, leaving them with only Suchai and Domestic Districts, and with Suchai being the smallest district that didn't count for much. Every fight had become arduous and with the Konar supporting the Drowners it was only a matter of time before the Drowners won. Everyone knew it, even the pickpockets. Very few of them came to the warehouse now, most seeing the risk of going it alone on the streets a safer venture than being associated with the Cutters.
Still, the losses did present an opportunity for Awon. With Yamaten gone it meant that Red was now Cutter's right hand. One less step up the ladder he'd need to take to become head of the Cutters, or the Cleavers as he intended to rename them. And less guys around meant that he was now relied upon more. He'd already been given a new rifle. Batterox had been against it, but the Brebuu had given him one anyway. They only had four left so it was a big deal.
Awon came back into the kitchen and returned to the slab of trobaam meat he'd been carving up, while Farma steamed the greens beside him. She'd grown overly fond of him since the night they'd spent together. He didn't like it one bit, but he was determined to make use of her if she insisted on hanging around him. He sliced off another cut of meat.
'It's a bit thin that one,' said Farma.
'It's fine. It can be yers,' said Awon.
'Did yer cook it right? It's still pink.'
'It's how yer meant ter cook it, yer tit. Not know how ter cook?'
She shrugged. 'Meant to? How's not cookin' it cookin' it?'
'Shut up an' keep steamin' those greens.'
'Not much to it. The water's doin' all the work.'
'Then jus' shut up.'
'Yer moody today. S'what happens when yer don't want any in the night. Frustratin'.'
Awon rubbed his head, then began to carve off another slice of meat. 'I told yer we ain't doin' it again. Go find sumone else.'
'Could, but they ain't as fiery as you. No passion in 'em. Not like you.'
