case, but honestly, if the man was going to make such a unhelpful suggestion . . . The whole idea behind this conversation was to make his guards feel more personally invested. It was, he thought, a different approach than his brother, but he still thought Zarin would have approved. “Any rooms that my predecessors used that are spy-proof?”
Another guard stepped forward. “Your Excellence, your brother preferred the aviary.”
“I know that. He liked to visit the river hawk that was once our mother . . .” He trailed off. The aviary was, by his brother’s imperial order, kept empty so Zarin could visit their mother in solitude. Clever, Zarin. He felt a pang—his brother was again helping him, even after death. “An excellent idea. I’ll visit her as well. Please lead the sweep to ensure it is empty—courtiers, servants, everyone. If I learn afterward that I’ve been overheard, I will hold you personally responsible.”
The guard bowed. “It will be done.”
Barking at a contingent of guards, she led them marching out of the room. He stood, smiled at the remaining guards, and said, “The races are thrilling, aren’t they? Are you excited for tomorrow’s championship race?”
At that, the guards began to chatter, sharing their thoughts and predictions. Many confessed they’d bet on his racer. It was a pleasant way to spend the minutes while he waited for the aviary to be prepared and his guests to arrive.
When a servant signaled that all was ready, he strolled between his talkative guards out of the throne room and through the halls. Drifting out from where she waited by a pillar, Lady Nori matched pace with him.
He grinned at her. “Sneaky. I didn’t even see you there.”
“It’s impossible to be alone with you these days.”
He waved at his guards. “This is hardly alone.”
“Closer to alone than we are in the stands, watching the races. Besides, if you can’t trust your guards, who can you trust?” But she peeked between them anyway, as if expecting to spot a palace spy, or just one of the court gossips, and then she bowed and said, “Your Excellence, apologies for the interruption.”
Dar smiled at her. “You don’t need to apologize, and you know I’m not excellent.”
“I’m glad to see you looking happy.”
“I’d say ‘hopeful.’ Not happy.” He thought of one thing that would make him happy, but it wouldn’t be fair to Nori to spring that on her. Not when everything was so complicated. He settled on saying, “I’m happier now that you’re here.” Then he winced, because he knew better than to be so honest in court. It was a thing that Zarin was always shaking his head at. You can’t just go saying what you feel, Dar, Zarin used to say. They’ll use it against you, any way they can.
Nori wrinkled her nose in that way he loved. “I wish I’d cornered you with news that would make you happier.” She lowered her voice. “I have heard rumors about the ambassador of Ranir. It’s said he’s been bribing augurs to delay the search for your late brother’s vessel, and it’s said he has the full resources of the king of Ranir’s treasury to draw from. Far beyond a mere ambassador’s typical funds. It’s also said that the movement of Raniran troops on the border is more than mere ‘military exercises.’”
“Augurs are immune to bribes,” Dar said. Their treasury was vast—augurs had no need of personal wealth when they had the vast resources of the temples at their disposal—and they were committed, by both training and temperament, to the purity of their souls. “And I am aware of the troop movements.” His generals kept him updated, as well as voicing their increasing frustration at their inability to do anything substantial about the massing army. Without imperial orders, they could do little but increase their standard patrols. He wondered if it would take an invasion for his generals to agree to break with tradition—and law—and defend Becar. Surely, if the threat grew serious enough, they’d rally, even at risk to themselves. In the meantime, he had a real enemy to find, one already within the palace, not across the desert.
“Dar . . . I think it’s more than merely flexing their muscles. If Ranir believes we’re weak—”
He’d heard Ambassador Usan at the Listening—Ranir was an ever-present threat but not an imminent one. There were many more close-to-home dangers for Dar to worry about, such as unrest within the capital city itself. He didn’t deny that Ranir was a