Page 46 of Storm Front

Nadia crossed her arms in front of her chest, and Nyx nodded to Else.

Lamont clicked his tongue. “Come now, General. Show a little respect for the mother of the future emperor.”

Nyx stiffened. “Andor—”

“Oh, yes. Andor. Of course.” Lamont waved a hand.

Nyx bowed to Else, who wouldn’t look up from her feet, and turned to Lamont. “Well?”

“No ‘Hello, Brother, how are you?’I’m wounded. And here we’ve always been so close. The fucking hill people are at my heels again, Nyx. They’re saying they want to vote for their village headwomen or something.”

“I thought that was allowed,” Nyx said. He glanced at Nadia, who grimaced.

“Why should we accede to their backward practices?” Lamont examined a stack of papers in his lap. “We’re the empire, and they’re on imperial lands. They should act like it. So I want you to go in and kill the head wife of every household. If there are two wives, kill both of them.”

Nyx clasped his hands behind his back. The people from the hills were largely matriarchal. If Lamont wanted a revolt, killing their women would be the best way to achieve it. “And what do your advisors say?”

“I needn’t care what they say. I’m the emperor, and you’re my general. Have you forgotten?”

Nyx thought fast. He could fake it, perhaps. Have a trusted soldier lead the women away and say they’d been killed, then let them return to their villages. But rumors traveled quickly in camp. He’d have to make it convincing. “I have not forgotten.”

“Good. When you’ve routed their armies, you know what to do. Oh, and one last thing.” Lamont gestured to Nadia. “Take the girl with you.”

Nadia raised her chin. “Excuse me, husband?”

“Nadia is no more a girl than you are a boy,” Nyx said.

Lamont shot him a glare. “Oh, yes, you’re always so quick to defend her. I didn’t mean her. Half the country would wet themselves if it was her. I mean the brat. Kelta. I approved her request to join your army as a page—”

“No.” Nyx stepped forward, and Lamont sat up, brows raised. “She’s a child.”

“You were her age when your parents sent you to the army,” Lamont said. “Why shouldn’t the brat follow her favorite uncle? And pages don’t see battle for years. She’ll be quite safe. She’ll break down the moment she has to lift a sword or carry something heavier than a doll, and then we’ll be done with her incessant begging.”

“You did not discuss this with me,” Nadia said.

“Do you question my brother’s ability to keep her safe?” Lamont’s expression shifted to one of mock surprise. “Because she will be your responsibility, General. If something happens to her, it will be on your head.”

Nyx and Nadia exchanged a look. Without a doubt, Lamont intended something to happen to Kelta. The fact that he thought she still liked dolls was proof enough that he knew nothing about his own daughter, but Nyx would have hoped he’d draw the line at sending her off to die.

Keeping her close had its advantages, though. He could even arrange for her to head to the shore—there was just the matter of ensuring Andor would follow her there. “I’ll keep the princess safe,” he said at last, bowing again.

“Of course.” Lamont waved a hand. “Go. And send the brat up here—I may as well get all my unpleasant tasks out of the way.”

“She’s your daughter,” Nadia snapped. Nyx felt the dominance in her tone, cutting and sharp. Lamont must have felt it, too, because he stood, fury twisting his face.

“I told you never to use that on me,” he barked. “Get out. Both of you, get out!” Else rose from her stool, and he turned on her. “Not you.”

Nyx wanted to take the poor woman with them anyway—she clearly didn’t want to be there—but Nadia was already ushering him out the door, looking almost as furious as Lamont.

Nadia marched down the stairs at Nyx’s side, passing giggling courtiers and wide-eyed courtesans in utter silence. When she reached a drawing room that was empty save for two women holding hands on a sofa, she stepped in and pointed to the exit. They scrambled to leave, and Nadia grabbed at her hair as Nyx carefully shut the door after them.

“Nadia,” he said softly.

Nadia whirled to face him. “You have to keep her safe, Nyx. Do you understand me? I won’t be able to stop her from going, but if anyone touches her—if he sends one of his people to hurt her—”

“She’ll be safe.” Nyx reached for her, and Nadia threw herself into a tight embrace, her fingers digging into his tunic. “You need to leave. You all need to. You, Andor, Kelta. Mislia would take you, if we sent you there.”

“I made a promise,” Nadia whispered. “When I decided to become empress. I swore I’dchangethings here.”

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