Page 149 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“And if he doesn’t know we survived?”

Now that they had his brothers’ oaths, Mereruka wanted nothing more than to wash his hands of his brothers so that he could hold Taisiya in his arms without reserve, and then immediately find his son and do the same. However, Taisiya’s rather bold plan needed to be worked out before he could let his detestable siblings out of his sight. Oaths or not, he trusted them very little. While she argued over logistics with Radjedef and Serfka, Vasilisa returned with the waters of the Hapi. The darkness mage passed the bucket of water to Mereruka first, her grey, predatory eyes watching his brothers with open distrust.

“Are they really more useful alive?”

“Only time will tell,” Mereruka replied, sighing with relief as the water healed the burns and blisters covering his arms, upper torso, face and neck. He would need his tattoos re-inked yet again.

“Qar and Nofret returned not long after we went to get Bas. They’re with him now.”

His eyes met hers, and yet his voice was trapped. She’d briefly said that he was whole and alive, but that didn’t mean his son was well by any stretch. A shapeshifter could recover from injuries between forms, but for those who had yet to reach maturity, the task was not so easily done. Guilt and shame and dread stopped him from asking her. Thankfully, she saw right through him.

“I didn’t leave Bas’ side until I’d seen that he was going to be okay. Qar helped him. But my delay almost cost Taisiya her life.”

Mereruka shook his head.

“You got my son to safety,andyou saved Taisiya’s life. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

The only one here who needed to feel shame was him. No matter what he did, the people he loved were hurt. Powerless wretch that he was, Mereruka hadn’t been able to do anything. One day he would have everything he needed to keep them safe. All that was left was this final gambit before he could take Khety’s head and have what he needed.

Vasilisa eye’s slid to Taisiya, her posture stiff with undisguised guilt, eyes swimming with concern.

“If you touch her, be careful of her neck. She tried to hide her panic, and I don’t want either of those bastards to see her flinch,” she whispered.

Mereruka nodded, subduing the hot flare of guilt in his gut by sheer will. He reached out his hand to touch Vasilisa’s.

“Thank you for saving her.”

Vasilisa shook her head, her expression grim.

“You never have to thank me for that.”

“Yes, I do. I’m blessed to have you as part of my family, Vasilisa.”

Vasilisa blinked back tears and bit her lip before she hid her reaction behind a characteristic smirk.

“You have it backwards, Mereruka. You’ve been blessed to be a part ofmyfamily.”

Mereruka chuckled.

“So I am. If Bas has recovered, bring Nofret here and tell Qar to stand guard until I return.”

Vasilisa stepped into a shadow as he again dipped his iron-burned hands into the waters of the Hapi, grateful for the relief. He scooped up handfuls and let the water heal the last of the burns and blisters along his arms, neck, chest and face. Fully rid of the iron’s taint, his magic was at his command once more. Reasserting his glamour, he joined Taisiya in her argument with his brothers.

“You really expect me to abandon my duties for this ill-considered prank?” Serfka groused.

“If they think I’m dead, Khety’s men in my ranks will scheme their way into my position!” Radjedef argued.

Mereruka clapped Serfka and Radjedef on the back and grinned with a touch of menace. These assholes were preventing him from holding his wife and son. That wouldn’t do.

“Neither of you is looking at this as the opportunity it is. Think of it as a way to discover who among your ranks is untrustworthy in your absence.” Mereruka looked to Serfka first. “The administrators you’ve trained can handle Maat for a few days, else you would never have allowed them to remain in their positions. Were I you, I would concern myself with how best to steal Betrest away unnoticed.” He then turned his gaze to Radjedef. “And if Khety’s men concern you, then let them make themselves known and be rid of them. Cut the rot from Maat’s military forces as you see fit. You’ll not hear a word of complaint from me. But only after we’ve dealt with Khety.”

While not ecstatic, Radjedef seemed at least mollified. Serfka, however, was adamant in his distaste.

“Pretending to be dead is a foolish idea. He’ll be suspicious when he finds Itet dead but fails to find our bodies. After that, you’ll have no hope of ever getting near him. No, I won’t go along with this.”

Mereruka could see a vein in Taisiya’s neck throbbing with her barely suppressed anger. She quirked a copper brow at Serfka.

“What if all he finds is rubble? If he is to assume we were all crushed beneath it? I already destroyed the room I fought Itet in.”

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