The Garden of Stones - By Mark T. Barnes Page 0,38

of you, not for the good of our people as you’d have us believe.”

“If you opened your eyes, you’d see they’re one and the same,” Yashamin said quietly. “When your father finds what he’s after, then the price will have been worth it. I’m worried at your attitude, Mariam. Perhaps you should leave the service of the Asrahn sooner rather than later? You could start a military company of your own, like Belamandris’s Anlūki.”

“There would be hundreds of high-caste warriors knocking on your door for the chance to serve with you, Mari,” Belamandris agreed.

“I’d serve,” Armal offered with a smile.

“No doubt,” Farouk muttered. “Though the service you—”

“Mariam is useful to me where she is. For now.” Corajidin patted Mari’s hand. He was about to continue when Wolfram limped in. The witch smelled of rotting mulch and carrion. The hems of his robe, as well as his old cracked boots, were caked with filth. “Wolfram? Where in Erebus’s name have you been?”

Wolfram turned the shaggy silhouette of his head toward Corajidin. “Elsewhere, doing what was necessary. I’m here now, great rahn.”

They congregated around a wide round table. Maps were unrolled along with scrolls inked with neat rows of names. Numbers and dates, promises and threats.

The sayfs—the leaders—of the Hundred Families were ambitious. Most were neither wealthy enough nor influential enough to rise in rank without the support of their fellows or the patronage of a Great House. Those who could see the lay of the land had been bribed. However, there were still those Families who remained loyal to the Great Houses that sponsored them. As far as Yashamin could calculate, there would not be enough of them to be a threat. Corajidin felt a small thrill when he looked at the long list of names that had been lured to support his bid for ascendency.

Corajidin refilled his wine bowl. He had drunk more wine than was good for him. A slight breeze stirred the air, a tiny spoon in a too-large pot of soup. He stood beneath the fan, the silk panel painted with peacocks and colorful flowers. It was a relief to feel the air move. If only the storm would come.

Of them all it was Yashamin who had surprised him the most. Corajidin knew the House of Pearl trained their nemhoureh well. Their companions were skilled in history, music, art, philosophy, and literature, and many other skills beyond seduction and the lover’s arts. Yet Yashamin had shown a keen insight, a gift, for strategy. Indeed, Corajidin sometimes needed to remind himself where her ideas ended and his began.

Corajidin had given Yashamin the duties of house chamberlain and seneschal when she had become his contracted concubine. She had demonstrated insightful skills of organization, more so than his wives. As a result, the Erebus treasuries had grown prodigiously under her care. Yashamin had also invested wisely in buying the favor of a goodly number of the Families, as well as many senior officials of the Mercantile Guild and several veteran nahdi companies. All of them would be turned to fruitful purposes.

Once Corajidin was Asrahn, Yashamin explained, they would have greater freedom to convince the Teshri and the people of the wisdom of reformation. The weapons and wisdom they expected to claim from the Rōmarq, as well as the possibility of a Torque Spindle army, would give the Erebus an advantage no other House had enjoyed since the early years of the Awakened Empire. Corajidin would unite the leadership of Shrīan in declaring a Second Awakened Empire on the five hundredth anniversary of the Shrīanese Federation. Shrīan needed to be seen as too hard a target for the Humans’ Iron League, or the neutral nations, to aim at. It would be the beginning of the long reign of a new imperial Erebus Dynasty.

“Tanis is governed by Avān nobles, though they’re not Awakened,” Belamandris said. “They could use our help in the Conflicted Cities. That would buy their support as the first kingdom to be added to the new empire.”

“In due time.” Corajidin nodded. “They seem to be holding their own with the support of various companies of nahdi. If their situation changes, we will step in to help. Until then, we need to get our own nation in order. We’ll need to subjugate Pashrea and remove the Empress-in-Shadows from power before we look farther afield.”

“Easier said than done,” Belamandris muttered.

Corajidin saw movement from the corner of his eye. The flash of white robes. A glimpse of purple and gold. Soldiers scrambled