Page 40 of A Dance of Shadows

His jaw tenses just for a second. “All necessary so we can pursue the regaining of the western half of the continent, of course.”

We haven’t come across any local soldiers other than a few scattered guardhouses so far. But then, we’re still more than half the country away from the channel that divides the continent—and the current empire from the territories it lost a century ago.

I hesitate, thinking of my own experiences in Accasy, and phrase my question as diplomatically as possible. “I suppose quite a few of the native Coteans join the military efforts.”

Another flex of Bastien’s jaw makes me want to squeeze his hand in sympathy. Citizens from our conquered kingdoms generally “join” the periodic assaults on the other half of the continent when involuntarily conscripted to the war effort. I doubt most if any actually want to help their tyrants regain their former domain.

“The local commanders keep a balance between Darium soldiers and Cotean,” the prince says. So the newly-armed Coteans don’t have the numbers to revolt, I would guess. “Since most of the local recruits have less training, they often fill the front lines.”

Where they’re cut down so much more quickly than the experienced Darium officers who get to hang back and shout orders. Bastien keeps his voice typically even, but I can sense how much the situation rankles him.

Of course he hates the imposition—and the toll it takes on his people. My own teeth set on edge for a moment before I call on my inner calm.

Marc speaks up before I can, breaking any illusion that he isn’t following our conversation. “I’m sure we could find more for your citizenry to do if a larger number of them proved fully cooperative. Cotea is renowned for innovative ideas and technology, and yet from what I hear, there’s been quite a lot of reluctance to apply those strengths to our military efforts.”

Bastien appears to gather his composure. “Cotea developed that reputation thanks to our vast borders that connect us to so many other nations—and their ideas. But many of those neighbors are no longer part of the empire. Since that change, they’ve been much more reluctant to allow any information useful in warfare to cross the channel.”

My husband waves off the explanation. “You have spies, don’t you? Diplomats who see more than what’s directly shown to them? All I hear are excuses. If Cotea wants more prominence in the ongoing war, they need to earn it.”

“Naturally, Your Imperial Majesty.” Bastien pushes his mouth into a tight smile.

I doubt the Coteans want a better role in the war so much as they want out of it entirely, but we both know they aren’t going to get that while this man is on the throne.

We’re certainly not going to be able to have a remotely productive conversation with Marc directing it based on his priorities.

I make an eager sound and touch my husband’s arm. “The empire can draw on ideas from the many countries we still rule.One of the most difficult aspects of the conflict is the channel itself, isn’t it? Rione is a master of watercraft. Perhaps we should put our princes of Cotea and Rione together and see if they can dream up an approach that could enhance our efforts.”

“As much as Prince Lorenzo can convey anything at all,” Marc says in a derisive tone that sparks a flare of anger in me, but he’s also nodding. “All the same, it’s not a bad idea.”

Bastien gives the impression he’s suppressed a grimace. “Military technology is hardly my area of expertise?— ”

“No matter. Sometimes excellent ideas can come when you aren’t bogged down by assumptions about what’s possible.”

I smile winningly at my husband. “I’d like to know more about your own ideas for approaching the conflict with the western territories. It has been such a long-standing problem, but now you’re in a position to tackle it head-on.”

“Hmm. Perhaps that is better discussed just the two of us. But now we have an alternate mission for our prince here as well.”

Marc gestures out the window, and the convoy stops. One of the soldiers guides Bastien over to the carriage Lorenzo is riding in.

Watching him go sends a wobble of loss through my gut, but I can’t regret the gambit. I’ve removed him as a potential target of the emperor’s ire and gotten the chance to further my personal cause with my husband.

As the carriage rolls forward again, I turn toward Marc. I half expect him to shift to the opposite bench, but he stays there next to me, his knee resting against my skirts.

That’s a sign of some progress in itself.

I don’t push the physical closeness any farther—I’d rather not spur on a more intimate encounter than I can easily control in a carriage. Instead, I cock my head and widen my eyeswith not entirely feigned interest. “Do you have new plans for reclaiming the rest of the empire then, husband?”

He leans back against the side of the carriage. “Not exactly new plans but continuing a strategy I discussed with my father many times. We’ve been attacking the border countries on multiple fronts, forcing them to focus on their individual defenses rather than combining manpower. It’s given us a sense of what to expect from each battleground and where our opponents are weakest. But it’s also spread our own forces somewhat thin.”

Only somewhat because of the unwilling locals they keep throwing into the fray.

I summon as avid a tone as I can. “And you have a solution to that problem?”

“I believe so. I need to tour the battlefronts personally—not now, naturally, but perhaps in a year or two. My gift will give us an additional edge. We’ll determine the most vulnerable area and consolidate all our forces there to drive straight through. Our opponents won’t be expecting it. Once we have a foothold on the other side of the channel again, the rest will be much simpler.”

My stomach knots. With what I do know of military history, his approach sounds shrewd. He might succeed in bringing even more countries under the empire’s sway.

Only if I can’t end him and his twin first.

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