***
Hadiv watched as Migo, the Ashjagar, tore his way through the cavern to fulfill his destiny. The emperor had been a fool. He’d underestimated how many waheshi they had, but Hadiv had predicted the incoming enigmatic battle and had kept their numbers a secret for that very purpose.
Even with her advanced seership ability, she hadn’t been able to see the details of the battle, not until they’d been experiencing it firsthand, that is. Only when she saw Migo charging towards them did she fully understand. The reason for the blurry vision was Migo himself. He made it so the outcome was indeterminable. And the arrival of Nagesh moments before the battle with a young drakotah tooth was too convenient. None of those details had been revealed to her, which meant the emperor was clueless as well.
She bent down to Nagesh, feeling for a pulse, but none came. She doubted Alishara had intended to fully kill Nagesh. Little had Nagesh known that Hadiv also acquired some of his blood a few years ago while he’d slept in his home in Jehubal. She sent an earthmelder to his home who’d been able to bypass his enchantments.
It was a security measure.
As soon as Alishara started to press Nagesh, Hadiv used her own spell to make sure Nagesh died. Who knew what secrets he would reveal to the traitorous witch? She couldn’t have Nagesh around as a liability.
She double checked the pot in which the potion had been mixed. They’d used all their finest ingredients, some things that had taken years to collect from across the entire Ring. A potion that powerful hadn’t been mixed for hundreds of years. She could only imagine the torture Migo must have experienced from drinking it. His strength was truly remarkable. Nagesh hadn’t been wrong about that.
If she hadn’t seen Migo survive it with her own eyes, she would never have believed someone could survive the potion. It was a myth. A legend. Until now.
Even still, his chances of defeating Ranaz Malrabia were slim to none, but if he’d survived the potion, perhaps there was still hope. But what would happen if Migo was successful? What then would become of the Ashjagar?
The pot was empty. Even its metal edges had deteriorated from mixing the potion. She was hoping for a remnant of Migo’s blood, but none remained.
Pity.
Now all that was left to do was hide and hope that the Ashjagar and the emperor didn’t destroy the entire world.
Chapter six
The Plan
Shanon ducked under the crumbling rafter, entering the decrepit building. She and Kyel had made it look that way on purpose, with the intent of deterring others from trying to investigate or occupy the space. They’d lived there for years together, ever since their parents had died. It had been a safe haven for so long. She didn’t even know how old she was. 24? 25?
But now, without Kyel, she’d decided to open the door to others. It might no longer be a safe haven for Kyel, but it could be for somebody else. The lost and discarded. Those who maintained loyalty to Hatan and Migo.
Waiting in the dark room beyond were Emil, Rivar, Falshon, and Briondi. Falshon held his wife’s hand as they frowned at each other, and Rivar paced the room, while Emil flipped through one of his small poetry books, muttering words silently to himself.
Rivar was the first to notice Shanon. “Have you slain that odorous excuse of a father, then?”
“No,” Shanon said, dropping her gaze as she pulled down her veil. “Only broke his nose. He said that if I kill him, he’d kill Hatan. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Falshon nodded. “No, of course not. You did the right thing. We’re stuck. As long as Hatan is their prisoner, there’s not much we can do.”
“There is one thing,” Shanon said, stepping aside to allow someone to enter behind her. She hadn’t come alone. Over the last few cycles, she’d been paying visits to other nobles, sneaking in and spying. No threats, just learning about them to determine their loyalties.
So far, she’d vetted only a couple. This was one of them.
The woman who entered the room behind Shanon wore a simple tan robe, face veiled to conceal her identity, but she ventured to remove it as Shanon had suggested. All those in this room needed to trust each other.
“Sinteya,” Rivar growled, pulling out his longsword.
Emil tucked his book away and rose to his feet.
“Shanon,” Briondi said, her calm voice cutting through the tension. “Elaborate.”
Shanon gestured to Sinteya, “I’ll allow Sinteya to explain herself.”
Sinteya flashed a quick smile to Shanon before speaking. “You must understand, I had no intention of being involved in some kind of trap for Hatan. The Kestens—your father—must have seen an opportunity to take advantage of the regent’s… honor. I could do nothing to warn him of the situation and even tried to help him escape, but,” her eyes dropped, “he’d already been injured at that point.”
“So are you here to offer some kind of help,” Rivar said, “or just to acquit yourself?”
“Rivar,” Emil said in an undertone.
Sinteya smiled. “It’s alright. It’s good to be straightforward. I’m no warrior, but I do have another strategy in mind. One that doesn’t involve killing.”
“You might be talking to the wrong crowd,” Rivar said. “There’s a lot of blood to answer for.”
“Hear her out,” Shanon said. She wouldn’t have brought her here if she didn’t think she had a viable option.
Rivar sheathed his sword and folded his arms.
Sinteya took that as permission to continue. “We have to make sure the council is aware that another option for the leadership of Jehubal is viable. Somebody besides Avidazj.”
“But King Rikaydian is still the rightful ruler,” Emil said.
“Yet he is not here to defend his title,” Sinteya said. “And the legitimacy of his crown is still in question. A soldier who survived His Majesty’s massacre attested to the king’s betrayal.”
“Betrayal?” Falshon said. Briondi squeezed his hand, silencing him from saying more.
“Betrayal to the queen, yes,” Sinteya said. “According to law. He did the right thing, but you have to understand. It is the duty of the nobility to ensure the laws are enforced. Though we all here can attest to the need for the law to change, as it stands, it has not.”
“So who do you propose as a viable alternative?” Briondi said. “Certainly not yourself.”
