done. Mostly. He hadn’t been the one to strike the spark, but he had been the one in position to take advantage.
The city was supposed to be distracted by the riots. They weren’t supposed to crown a new empress. He hadn’t counted on Lady Nori working so effectively and efficiently in coordination the high augurs, and that was a grave error. It’s her fault, he thought. And mine, for underestimating her. Plastering a smile on his face, he swept into Lady Nori’s chambers, escorted by her family’s guards. “Your Excellence-to-Be.” He bowed.
Lady Nori was seated on a velvet chair so ornate it resembled a throne. Usan was positive that was intentional. Lady Nori knew how to play this game. She’d project an air of competence and sorrow as she claimed power. Oh, she’s good. Make a show of reluctance, of only doing her duty. But his spies had reported conversations between her and the high augurs prior to the arrest of the emperor-to-be. He had no proof, of course, but he had little doubt that she was involved. If only he’d realized the significance of those meetings sooner . . . But he hadn’t. That’s on me. So he swallowed his pride and said grandly, “I offer the congratulations of my king.”
“All is not resolved yet.” Lady Nori gestured with an elegant hand toward the window, where the sounds of chaos in the streets still drifted in. The city guards had called on any available soldiers, the few who were already assigned to the city, to aid with subduing the citizens, but there was still the sound of shouts and screams. He normally would have been pleased about this. Fracturing the city’s defenses was excellent, leaving the city wide open for the Raniran army. “But I will accept your congratulations, as well as your fealty.”
“As ambassador, I cannot swear my allegiance to a foreign—”
“Usan,” Lady Nori purred. “We both know you have been acting far beyond the limits of an ordinary ambassador. I will have your oath, or I will have you arrested for attempting to ignite a war.”
He then saw how disastrous his mistake of timing was. He’d counted on more days between the riots and the crowning of a new emperor. Plenty of time for his king to swoop in and establish rule. As it was, Usan was alone, with the Raniran army too far away to help him. Not only was his plan in jeopardy, but his life was as well.
He dropped to his knees. “All I want is to go home.”
“This will be your home,” Lady Nori said with a smile.
He was to be a prisoner then, forced to divulge whatever Raniran secrets they thought he held. He saw his future stretching out bleakly before him. How had she moved so fast to outmaneuver him? She must have been planning this for some time, perhaps since Emperor Zarin’s death. Or before. He wondered if she’d had a hand in his death as well. At this point, it wouldn’t have surprised him.
There was, as he saw it, only one option left to him. He’d lost his chance to go home, but perhaps he hadn’t yet lost his chance to complete his mission. He could still ensure that Becar was ripe for the plucking when his love arrived within his king’s army.
Bowing his head, he crossed his arms as if intending to swear fealty. Instead he used the movement to draw a small knife from within his tunic.
Rising from her throne-like chair, Lady Nori approached him to receive his oath.
He sprang up and buried the knife in her heart.
Her eyes flew open.
The guards sprang at him, tossing him onto the ground and pinning him down. He heard one of them calling for a healer, who would arrive too late. It’s all about timing, he thought. The healer would be too late, and now his army would be right on time.
The Becarans would never be able to unite to choose a new emperor or empress by sundown.
I win, he thought, as the guards bound his hands, arresting him.
Lady Evara had planned to march directly to the palace when she left the kehok stable, but that proved to be impossible. The rioting had spread beyond the racetrack and through the streets of the city. Fires had broken out in several shops, and she was forced to shelter in an alleyway as a shouting mob stomped by.
“Now how do I reach the palace?” Lady Evara asked herself.