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had ruled for four hundred years and had faced fewer plots than had formed
over the two decades since their passing. Was it a sign that the empire was
dying? That it was decaying even while it grew?
She left the bed and, without dressing, sat at her writing desk. She wrote a
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long missive to the King.
She repeated her apologies, telling him he had been a good friend throughput
her exile. As a gesture, she was going to leave her children in Kavelin.
She smiled. Crafty witch. Who do you think you re fooling? He knows you. He
knows Shinsan. He ll realize they ll be less hostages to fortune if they stay
here. He ll know you re trying to shield them from the vicissitudes of
Shinsan s politics.
Aral? Come on. Wake up. It s time.
He sat up, avoided her eye. He had the look of a whipped puppy. He had asked
to go with her, and hadn t understood when she explained why he couldn t.
Up, soldier. Get yourself dressed. She began donning her own clothing. She
decided to gather a new wardrobe first thing. She couldn t stroll the places
of Venerable Huang Tain clad as Chatelaine of Maisak. Her sojourn in the west,
and her having served the western cause during the Great Eastern Wars, would
cause her trouble enough. Here s a letter I want you to take to the King.
Okay?
Aral muttered something she didn t catch. For just a moment she relented. She
kissed him. He tried to pull her into the bed. No. No. Try to understand,
dear. She disentangled herself. At the door, she said, Good-bye, Aral.
It came out sounding more sad than she intended. She wasn t enjoying this
parting.
Varthlokkur cradled his daughter with his right forearm. His left hand lay
folded between his wife s fingers. He stared out the window at silvery cumulus
galleons rushing eastward in ponderous battle array. Looks like rain
tomorrow.
Something wrong? Nepanthe asked. You re pretty remote.
He shifted his attention to the baby s tiny red face. You thought of a name
yet?
Yes. I don t know if you ll like it. What about you?
No. I ve been distracted.
Distracted? You re always distracted. Lately you ve been in another world.
What s wrong?
Trouble.
There s always trouble here. Vorgreberg breeds it the way other cities breed
cockroaches.
This is the King s trouble.
He s always in trouble. How about naming her after your mother?
My mother? Smyrena? That hadn t occurred to him. Smyrena. It wasn t a
lucky name. His mother had been burned at the stake for witchcraft. I don t
know. How much did the King suspect? You couldn t tell a man his wife was
behind half his troubles. He might take a poke at you. And the poke
Varthlokkur dreaded was a comment about Ethrian to Nepanthe.
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And what of Mist? She couldn t ignore the eastern situation . . .
There you go again. If you can t talk to Bragi, tell Derel Prataxis. Bragi
will put up with anything from him.
That might do. But he was thinking of telling Michael Trebilcock. He and
Michael understood one another. And Michael had the power todo
something . . .
What about the name? Nepanthe s eyes were heavy. She wanted an answer
before sleep took her.
Smyrena will be fine. Mother would be pleased. He considered the slow cloud
castles. Smyrena it is. Hello, little Smyrena.
The infant seemed to smile.
13
Year 1016afe
The Fates of Gods and Emperors
SHIH-KA I LIMPED UP the last few steps to the top of Lioantung s wall. Pan ku
remained half a step behind, ready to offer support. He avoided suggesting
that his master might require it.
Lord Ssu-ma smiled as he leaned against the battlements. Pan ku need not have
been concerned. He was, simply, tired and hobbling on an unexpected corn.
The countryside was alive with refugees. The city s civilians were joining
them. The air quivered with panic. Shih-ka i hoped it would not spread to the
legions, yet could not banish its touch himself. The disaster on the Tusghus
had been more than the loss of a line. It had introduced Shih-ka i and his
officers to real doubt about their ability to defeat the Deliverer.
Did I make a wise decision, Pan ku? He stared eastward. Somewhere in those
forests Northern Army was on the attack.
You had no choice, Lord. The men might have lost their confidence.
And if it s another disaster?
Best to find out now. We have to know if it was an isolated incident.
Shih-ka i did not understand what had happened on the Tusghus. That terrible
sound had come thundering from the she-bear, shattering the minds and wills of
his legionnaires . . . He d never heard of anything like it. His secret heart
filled with fear when he thought of facing it again. Armed with that weapon,
the Deliverer was unstoppable.
It had to be the thing in the desert. Had to be.
Lord, Pan ku said softly, Lord Lun-yu.
Shih-ka i watched Tasi-feng labor up the stair. Lord Lun-yu had less energy
than he. Catch your breath.
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Last civilians cleared out, Lord, Tasi-feng reported. May have problems
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