Page 110 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“Hope is a precious, cruel thing. It keeps us going when all else seems lost. But Meri?”

“Hmm?”

“So does vengeance.”

He chuckled.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“I usually am.”

“Then let us make ourselves presentable and begin plotting.” He kissed her head and continued brushing her hair. His wife really was his perfect, vicious, other half.

“Do you think we’ll be suspected of her murder?” Taisiya asked.

“No. Not in truth, but will Khety spin this to his advantage? Definitely. More likely, one among her own delegation killed her. The ‘why’ is the more important question. If Keftu wished to start a war with Maat by killing Nefertnesu, then they made a poor choice. Khety would never start a war over her. Maybe Keftu’s king wanted to get some concession from Maat. Or, most likely, a rival for Nefertnesu’s position killed her, away from the prying eyes of Keftu’s court.”

“What of our deal?”

“It’s null and void.” He shrugged.

“And her children?”

“Will likely follow her. Without Nefertnesu’s power to protect them, and a new queen likely to take her place, their days are numbered. Keftu’s court is like a pride of lions. When a new power takes over, traces of their rival are erased,” Mereruka answered, his voice grim. Whoever his nieces and nephews were, he hoped they gave as good as they got. He finished adding a few braids to her hair and quickly ran the brush through his own tangled locks.

Taisiya stood and towelled off, retrieving her gown.

“Then we must move quickly,” she said, her expression uncompromising. “Will you help me?”

“You want the children that badly?”

She nodded, a fire in her amethyst eyes.

“I don’t want Keftu’s current court lying in wait for ours to make a single misstep. If their king is anything like Nefertnesu, it will only be a matter of time before they decide they needn’t wait for Maat’s permission to take the waters of the Hapi. They must be eliminated. If we can make vassals of them, it would be ideal, but I would settle for having them as trustworthy allies. The children, with their hearts intact, will be crucial for that to happen.”

Mereruka was inclined to agree with her. With enough well-placed whispers, he could potentially destroy Keftu by fanning the flames of internal division, so rife amongst ambitious, heartless fae. But the children would need to be secured and raised first. A power vacuum was only useful if he had a pawn of his own, ready and waiting to take advantage.

“Then we’d best get our hands on them,” he said, finishing his ablutions.

Mereruka reasserted his glamour, erasing the sight of his tattoos. Taisiya frowned, disappointed. He kissed her head. Strange, wonderful woman.

“Ready?” he asked.

Taisiya took his hand and grinned.

“Always.”

When he pulled her from the pocket realm, Bas and Vasilisa were waiting. Vasilisa looked them up and down, a knowing smirk on her face.

“So, are little ankle-biters forthcoming?”

Taisiya’s scowl was matched by Mereruka’s.

“Fine, fine.” Vasilisa held up her hands in mock surrender. “The king’s messenger has already come and gone.”

“You’ve been summoned to court. You’re the last to have seen Nefertnesu alive,” Bas explained as he proffered the scroll.

Mereruka perused it.

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