Page 5 of The Empty Throne

Sobeki used the pot of hot water a servanthad wisely included on the tray to brew a cup of the herbaltea.

"Start at the beginning and tell meeverything," Kite said. "What's your name?"

"Shana," the man replied. "Your Highness. Wemade it to the destination without incident, and in excellent time.We were a day into our return, on a route different from the one wetook going, just as planned. We made it about half a mile intoBlackgate when we were ambushed at the fork. At least twentysoldiers, several of them mages, elemental from what I saw. Knewwhat they were doing, experienced soldiers or mercenaries. Took outthe caribous first, then went after the soldiers. I climbed up highenough to see what I could, but there was just no way I'd have beenable to reach His Grace before they cut me down for good. I'msorry."

"Did you see what direction they went?"

"North, deeper into Terek. That's nothelpful, I know, but it's all I saw."

"Doesn't matter," Sobeki said. "From therethey could have easily broken east, west, or south, confusing theirown route in case of pursuers. Given Cohea's knowledge, though,I'll wager my entire library he was taken by either Fazekas orMekdel." He pushed at his spectacles, something he always did whenhis mind was going. "That's good for us, to a degree, as it meanshe may convince the other lairds to hold off starting a fight justyet."

"It would be even better for us if it starteda bunch of in-fighting," Kite replied, "but I'm not holding outhope we'll be that lucky." He was vastly more concerned with howquiet Everage and Boltane were being. Terek and their usualaggressiveness he could handle, though the handling would beneither easy nor bloodless.

Their neighbors to the south were far moreinsidious.

"You're free to go," Kite said. "We'll summonyou if we have more questions. Get some rest, please, and thank youfor working so hard to reach us."

When the door had closed behind Shana, Kitelet out a loud, forceful, "Damn it! What the fuck else is going togo wrong?" He sat in his desk chair and leaned his elbows on thedesk, resting his head in his hands. "Oskia went missing two weeksago, Bittersea has managed to evade every single attempt to keepeyes on him, the entire fucking royal family is dead, and now theone person who could solve this mess has been captured."

"We'll figure it out," Sobeki said. "Wealways do. You were appointed Regent for a reason, and right nowthe last thing anyone needs is our last good leader crumbling. Youcan do this, Kite, and I'll be here with you every step of the way.I'm frustrated about Oskia, I admit, but she's neither stupid norcareless."

Kite laughed. "Not careless? Do we know thesame Oskia, Bek? She's worse than careless: she's reckless. Butyou're right in that she's not stupid. I just wish she'd botheredto talk to us before vanishing to gods alone know where." He satback in his chair, resting his chin in one hand. "I'm going to killher myself when she returns, I don't care how much you pout atme."

"I can't say I blame you," Sobekireplied.

"I'm more concerned Bittersea has dropped offthe edge of the world. That slimeball—"

"Don't get worked up over it. He'll come outfrom under his rock eventually. Right now we have to focus onCohea. He's the only one who can end this before it turns to fullout war. I wish he'd just told His Majesty to piss off for once inhis life."

"Agreed," Kite muttered. "I still hold faithhe had good reason, but this is exactly what we feared wouldhappen—and now on top of everything else, we have to root out atraitor, because only five people knew where he was going. Even hisescort wouldn't have known until they were practically there."

Sobeki leaned against the desk and folded hisarms across his chest. "That does speak to it being someone in hisescort, why they captured him on the return rather than the journeyout. We'll have to see that the only survivor is heavilyinvestigated. A pity, he seems sincere."

"Yeah, well, so did—"

"Enough. Let's not get ourselves worked upall over again. The matter is closed; brooding won't helpanything."

"Fine," Kite said bitterly. He wanted nothingmore than to go to bed, especially since he could hear the clocktolling the magic hour, but there was simply too much work to do,especially now Cohea had gone and gotten himself captured.Damnit.

Pushing to his feet, he went to the doors andspoke to the guards stationed there. "Have someone send for theSpymaster."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Ugh. Kite couldn't wait for this so-calledsecret heir to be found, so he could be rid of this job and neverhave to be addressed as 'your highness' ever again. He went to thetable and tea tray, and helped himself to what little was left.Nearby, Sobeki was staring out windows again while sipping a glassof pale, honey-gold Cremisio whiskey, famed for being made with thewaters of the dead sea, about the only thing that stretch of oceanwas good for, given it was literally dead, destroyed by horrificmagic that had gone wildly out of control of the stupid mages who'dused it. According to the experts, the dead sea would not be aliving sea for hundreds of years, if it ever recovered.

He yawned between bites of a cold chickensandwich, the tiny, delicate kind always served at meetings likethis, not nearly as filling as the good, big thick ones you couldbuy on the streets for a single mil. He was starting to forget howthey tasted, he'd been stuck inside the palace for so long. Untilthe heir was firmly established, and he wasn't at constant risk ofassassination himself, he wasn't going anywhere.

At least his prison was as nice as a prisoncould be.

He'd just finished the last of the littlesandwiches, stomach still growling for more, when a knock came atthe door. He called for them to enter and rose as Spymaster Quentastepped into the room. She was a tall, imposing woman, withsilver-threaded auburn hair pulled back in a braid, a simple blackgown, the sides slit up to the hips to display a gold underskirt,her only jewelry some gold hoops and the ring on her finger thatmarked her station and authority.

"Your Highness, you summoned me?"

"Yes, Quenta, I'm sorry to bother you solate. We've just received word that Cohea was captured in Terek, onhis journey home. We don't have more details than that, I'm afraid,though Sobeki has written everything down for you."

"I'll get to work at once," Quenta said, hergray eyes going hard. Given her acumen, she was likely well aheadof them on the matter of the traitor who'd sold them out. "It'sjust as well you summoned me; I was going to come see you anywaywith my latest report."

Kite bit back a groan. "What's gone wrongnow?"

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