Page 87 of Conspirators' Kingdom

Bas stepped over and tilted his head.

“The heir.Formerheir,” he corrected.

Mereruka stood, careful not to jostle the precious bundle in his arms. Gods, he’d almost lost her. His mind, his heart, the very marrow in his bones rebelled at the thought. Something hot and dark and wrathful pumped through his veins, giving him strength.

They would know her pain and her fear a hundred-fold. He would become the most malevolent being to ever walk the palace halls of Shedet. He would paint the walls in their blood and use their bones to build her a throne. He would reign as king of their suffering, offering up their tortured cries as music to his wife’s ears.

“Grab the blade and the body. When I slaughter Henenu’s entire line, I want everyone to know why.”

Chapter 35

Mererukarefusedtohidein the barge. The manse had better facilities to take care of Taisiya. Bas followed behind him while Vasilisa went ahead to get a pot of boiled water and rags to clean the blood off Taisiya. Guards were roused at the sight of him with Taisiya in his arms, spreading the word amongst his people as to what had happened. Mereruka sent a tendril of magic into his spell-sight tattoo as they neared the bedroom he and Taisiya had retired to. Aside from the expected comfort-related spells, malice coiled under the bed. A sleepwalking curse, meant to trap the dreamer while they followed the malefactor to their doom.

“Under the bed. There’s a sleepwalking curse,” Mereruka told Bas.

Bas shimmied under the bed and retrieved a small drop of amber with a glowing red pinprick in the centre. It was a foul curse indeed, and difficult to procure. How had the nomarch or his heir gotten their hands on it?

“I’ll put it in a vault on the barge, for safekeeping. Should I tell Qar and Nofret what’s happened?” Bas said.

Mereruka nodded and carefully laid Taisiya on the bed. In the light, she looked like a corpse, her breaths shallow while blood streaked her hair and soaked her nightgown. Vasilisa was there a moment later, tending Taisiya with gentle efficiency. Bas ran off to secure the curse and inform his closest aids of the assassination attempt.

“Vasilisa, I’m sorry. None of this was your fault.”

She paused in her ministrations a moment before she continued, never turning her face from her task.

“You’re not the only one who loves her.”

His heart stuttered in his chest. This was just supposed to be a marriage of necessity to someone he knew was as much a schemer as he. But almost from the start, he’d found himself wanting more. He hadn’t expected to love a wife, he’d only hoped he would like and respect the one he eventually married. But that was before her and her copper hair and wicked smiles and intriguing blushes. That was before she’d become his partner in conspiracy and ambition. Yes, he supposed he did love Taisiya. The realisation was both a blessing and a curse. An unexpected joy and a terrifying weakness his enemies were certain to exploit. He shook himself. There would be time for this later.

“She’s my… tether. My reason to leave the void,” Vasilisa continued.

“You need a reason to leave it?” he asked Vasilisa as he sat by Taisiya’s head, coiling a copper tendril around his finger.

Vasilisa nodded, wringing bright red liquid from the rag and dipping it back into the bowl of clean water.

“Every darkness mage does. In the void, only part of me is a woman, the other is… not. There, I don’t have to feel the way I do here. It’s… easier. Simpler. Peaceful.”

“Aside from the hungry things, you mean?”

Vasilisa smirked.

“Never known a place without pests.”

Mereruka sighed. Neither had he. They shared a wan smile.

He was ashamed of how he’d treated Vasilisa. His own fear and misplaced anger were no excuse. Maybe he would find something the darkness mage liked and gift it to her. Taisiya would no doubt aid him. After all the thorniness of their relationship thus far, it was a relief to have made a truce with Vasilisa, however tenuous it was. He began to relax.

Then Vasilisa gasped.

“What…?” She stared at the place where Taisiya had been stabbed.

Mereruka’s eyes latched onto the same horrifying sight. Where the skin had been rejoined—a blue-black oozing lump, like a caterpillar from the deepest hell. Dark, forking veins spread out, reaching towards her heart. Denial came first, crushed swiftly by terror.

“The blade! Get the blade!” Mereruka ordered.

Vasilisa disappeared and reappeared in a minute, blade in hand. Mereruka inspected it closely with his spell-sight. His blood turned to ice.

“It’s been cursed with corruption.” He choked on the words.

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