Page 71 of Lhora
Duren keptthe smile pasted on his face as he watched his father’s reaction and listened to the man’s lies. He’d been down this path countless times in the past. He’d learned, sometimes painfully, when he could push the man. Challenge him. Correct him. And that was when he had proof. Solid and undeniable proof.
“I have a better idea. Let’s open communications with the Tra’Mell and ask them about your arrangement with them. I’d like to hear the details.” He checked the faces of the men standing around him. “Wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you like to hear about it directly from the Tra’Mell?”
“I would!” one man announced.
“Same here!” another cried out.
“Count me in!”
One by one each crew member made their voices heard, and he knew why. At some time during their commissions, they’d all been treated unfairly by the Sarpi. Or deceived. Or deliberately lied to, and threatened if they dared to disobey. Duren knew his father ruled by fear and not from loyalty.
These men were taking a great risk siding with their Sarpen, but they trusted him much more than they trusted the Sarpi. Duren had promised them there would be no repercussions, whatever they chose to do. Those who preferred to remain with the Sarpi would not be punished by him. Those who sided with him were guaranteed safety.
Sov faced down his only child. “This is treason.”
“Treason?” Duren lowered his sword. “How? Because I want to openly ask the enemy what transpired between them and you? Don’t you think that as the Sarpen I’m entitled to know? If it affects Coltross, it affects me.”
His father stared at him, his chest heaving as he tried to rein in his temper. “I did it for you and the future of our country,” he eventually admitted in a dark voice. “I did it for our people! We can finally take control of this entire planet! We can ruleallof it!”
“At what cost, Father?You still haven’t told me what we’re going to have to pay, or give up, or trade to the Tra’Mell for their generous assistance!” Duren shook his head, unable to believe this man would be so narrowly focused on a single goal that he’d completely miss or overlook the ramifications.
Or maybe he’s overlooking them on purpose.
“Don’t you see what they’re doing? They’re playing with you. They’re making you do their dirty work for them!”
Sov snorted. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I don’t? Well, how about you think about this? Instead of them coming in and having to battle both the Beinight and Coltrosstian fleets, they sit back and offer their grand and glorious help to the person they feel is the weakest.”
As he expected, the Sarpi took offence with his comment, but Duren pressed on.
“They knew the Esstika would never agree to any collaboration with them. That’s why they came to you. They expect you to take on the Beinights and defeat them, with as little assistance from them as they can manage. If somehow you do manage to come out the winner, your flotilla will be decimated to the point where, when the Tra’Mell turn on you, they’ll wipe us off the planet with ease.”
A familiar expression crossed his father’s face. He was thinking. Deciding whether or not to believe what he was being told, and how to react to it. Duren wished Lhora was with him so she could read the man.
Slowly, the Sarpi panned the deck and all the faces glowering at him. Focusing back on his son, Sov shook his head. “It’s now clear to me that you will never be ready to become the Sarpi. You haven’t the nerve or the grit to take on this position. And you’re weak. Weak when it comes to leading and to delegating. And weak in ways that makes me saddened to admit that you’re my son.”
Unclipping his sword, he slammed it point-down into the decking at his feet. “In front of these witnesses, I hereby renounce you as my son and heir. You are no longer the Sarpen. I remove you from any inheritance you gained at your birth, and declare you as an enemy of Coltross.”
Duren sensed everyone’s shock at the declaration. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Father. The same way I’m sorry that you aren’t aware of the fact that it was the Tra’Mell who tried to blow you out of the skies just now. If it hadn’t been for my ship attaching itself to yours with the boarding tubes and slowing your descent, you would have disintegrated the instant you crashed into the seas.”
Sov stared at him in clear disbelief. “You lie,” he flatly announced.
Duren gave him a sad smile. “Am I? Ask your other ships what they witnessed.”
“I can’t. Our communications links were fried.”
“Then ask them once you get it fixed. They’ll tell you the same thing.” He pointed above them. “Your fleet right now is slowly being surrounded by the Tra’Mell. You’ve given them the perfect opportunity they’d never expected.”
“That being?”
“You’ve brought the majority of the Coltrosstian fleet to this part of the world, and who knows how many Beinight ships. They’re surrounding us, and they can wipe us out now with very little trouble.”
Sov’s face went gray as it sank in. Duren knew his father realized his mistake. But the Sarpi also believed it was too late and virtually impossible to fight their way out without heavy casualties. They had no idea what kind of firepower the Tra’Mell carried, and they were about to find out.
“They won’t do that. They agreed to let me…”
Duren jumped on the misstep. “To let you what?”
