Page 25 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“Don’t be stingy, Your Tranquility. Grant a mage of your choosing a wish instead. Maybe our generous hosts, or the lovely mage who put this event together? If, of course, it pleases the emperor and empress.” Djadty bowed.

“It pleases us,” the empress called down with a grin.

“How could I refuse?” Mereruka smiled at the hopeful look coming from Chloe.

It seemed Djadty was vying for the top spot on his list of troublesome people to do away with. So be it. If this were all he had planned for the day, then Mereruka simply needed to prevent the soldier from winning that boon.

Chapter 14

Maybethewitcheswereright. Men were violent, stupid creatures. Taisiya glanced over at Domina Chloe Emerald, preening from the cooing and congratulations on the exhibition she’d arranged. Perhaps a number of women were as well. Then again, Taisiya often found herself in the minority opinion when it came to making a spectacle of violence and bloodshed. Violence was sometimes necessary, but it should never be celebrated. It hadn’t bothered her so much a few years ago, but after having to identify Dimitri amongst the gory remnants… she found the prospect of unnecessary carnage repellent.

Milena sat herself beside Taisiya and stared at the fae who had sprouted four arms.

“I bet getting a tailored tunic would be a nightmare with four arms.”

Taisiya coughed to cover her spluttering laugh. Milena smiled, brighter than she had in many years. It was good to see her so happy.

“Where is your fiancé?”

“Doing big, swinging dick things.” She pointed to Zephyros, who stood in the ring, sword in hand and joking with the strategos. “So, Vasilisa told me you made a deal with the prince. A wife for exclusive trade. Smart. Except you’ll owe him big if you fail. Why didn’t you tell us?”

Damn. She’d told Vasilisa to keep that part to herself.

“Don’t get angry. Vasilisa is just being a good friend,” Milena said.

“Does it look like I’ll fail in that regard?” Taisiya nodded to Chloe. “Besides, I’m working on a list of alternatives.” Alternatives that kept skipping out of scheduled meetings. Was Chloe or her father behind it? Vasilisa’s spying hadn’t turned up anything yet.

Milena raised a brow and whistled.

“So it’s as good as done, then. Word is, whatever Chloe wants, daddy makes sure she gets. Suppose he needed to put all that fierce doting somewhere after he decided having a healer for a daughter was beyond the pale. Piece of shit move, if you ask me.”

Magistra Zoe Jade had been thoroughly cut off from Magister Emerald, her father, after Zoe let it be known she was a healer looking for a skilled mentor. Such was blind devotion to elementalism among the elites of Lethe. It had left Taisiya and her family further isolated. Social pariahs like Magistra Jade rarely held popular parties or made good connections on behalf of their wards, especially when those wards were the disgraced daughters of a traitor.

“The problems of being a former favourite child,” Taisiya shrugged. “I’m sure the mountain of gold the Jade Province brings in helps cushion the blow.”

“She can wipe her tears with a new silk dress every day and never run out.”

They watched the sparring for a moment, an uncomfortable silence between them. The matches were fast, brutal and decided in moments. The strategos advanced while Zephyros was eliminated. Taisiya released a pent-up breath. The admiral had escaped with only scrapes. If he were to be family soon, that meant he needed to be ruthlessly protected. Even if it had meant shoving a bolt of lightning into anyone whose blade might do real damage.

“What will you owe him if you fail?” Milena asked as she fisted the material of her dress, turning to face Taisiya.

“I don’t know.” Taisiya couldn’t meet her stare, eyes locked on her own fistfuls of cloth.

Milena clicked her tongue.

“That was poorly done. It’ll be hard to plan countermeasures without knowing that.”

“I know, I know.” Taisiya sighed. “But when he teleported in all that treasure, in full view of the court, I knew someone would propose the same deal if I hesitated. Nobilissimus Procopius, for one.”

“Fucking rat,” Milena cursed. “What if he asks for something horrible? Like your firstborn? Or your eyes? Or your life?”

“Those are just stories,” Taisiya hedged, convincing no one.

Milena placed her hand on Taisiya’s, forcing her to look up.

“I think we have to plan for those stories to be true. If it comes to it, we can always kill him. The trade is a good opportunity but not a necessary one.” Milena looked Taisiya up and down, noting the foreign fashions she sported as well as the imitations in the crowd. “I think you should seriously consider that you, or part of you, will be what he demands, and have a steel blade handy if he does.”

Be my lover, Taisiya.

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