Chapter 14
Roksana
Two days had passed since, as Irsha called it, the Night of the Viper.
Despite my attempts to silence them, the Blades keep bragging about one of the biggest escapades the Brotherhood pulled in a single night.
We only lost one man that night, in a mansion where security was tighter than expected, but his companion assured me the noble swallowed the pill.
Now it was time for my grand entrance. I took the secret tunnel to Reynard’s private quarters. Its narrow, dark confines, so oppressive the first time I’d used it, no longer held any secrets. I could walk its length blindfolded.
Reynard’s personal guard drew his sword as I entered. I didn’t react. The porcelain assassin’s mask I wore announced my intention to kill, and anyone blocking my path would face the same fate. That was the Brotherhood’s way, and every citizen in Truso knew that.
I’d shattered the porcelain disguise when I left for my new life in Wiosna, but Irsha did an excellent job of repairing it.
The flowers were exquisitely rendered. The delicate purple nightshade was more intimidating than the commonly used demonic designs favoured by the Blades.
And the gold used to repair it glimmered each time I moved, resembling the aether imbued in creation.
I removed it to prove my identity. This man didn’t deserve to pay the price for opposing me. When he lowered his sword and relaxed, I covered my face, pulling the hood up and hiding my features. Next, I ordered him to escort me to the royal council chamber.
A few minutes later, I was facing the curtain covering the entrance.
The hidden door opened with a soft click the moment I pressed the latch.
Those gathered were oblivious to my presence, arguing like a gaggle of geese.
Factions traded almost poetic insults, each accusing the other of treason.
The loudest was Yarran, who grimly insisted the only way to save the kingdom was to beg for military support from Duke Tivala.
Riordan sat in the regent’s chair, quietly massaging his temples. His grim expression and the delicate fluctuation of the aether surrounding him meant he was using his gift to eavesdrop on their thoughts.
As I listened, one thing became obvious: the royal council was teetering on the edge.
If one or two of those supporting Reynard swayed, Tivalaran would have a majority, and they could push Riordan out of the regent’s position, effectively installing Tivala in his place.
I’d bet the news of the marriage contract could sway those few.
The brief tightening in my chest followed the thought before I reminded myself it was a forgery, not the document Rey intended to sign.
I dropped my mental barriers, pushing my thoughts towards Ri. Trouble managing the idiots fighting over scraps? His head instantly turned in my direction, and something akin to relief lit his features.
His hand dropped to the side, giving me a covert gesture to approach.
I sauntered forward. My steps, slow and measured, didn’t draw immediate attention, but as I passed, several nobles stopped talking, turning in my direction.
By the time I was beside Riordan’s chair, the room was silent, with several faces pale and frightened.
‘Who’s that?’ asked a young man at the end of the table.
Riordan lounged back in his chair, the corner of his mouth lifting just as I sent him an image of Yaran on his knees, swallowing my poison.
‘My lords, ladies. Many of you asked for proof our king is still in control.’ He paused for effect, letting his words sink in.
‘It is my pleasure to introduce the king’s shadow. ’
Murmurs swept through the council. The weight of the title, the expectations tied with it, was almost too much, and I was grateful for the mask hiding my expression.
‘Smoke and mirrors. This is the royal council, not a freak show.’ It was the same young lord speaking, rolling his eyes in disdain. ‘Remove your mask, woman, and explain yourself to your betters.’
I recognised Niemir Valenrot from my briefing with Riordan.
The young lord had been thrust into a position of responsibility by the untimely death of his fiercely loyal father, and whilst he was also loyal to Rey, his inexperience made him a target for manipulation.
Add in his estate’s proximity to Tivala’s home, and we had a recipe for disaster.
It was time to teach him that his duty lay in serving the king.
‘Betters, my Lord Niemir? It seems your education in court affairs is sadly lacking if you don’t recognise the significance of my mask. Perhaps one of your more experienced compatriots could enlighten you on the price of seeing a shadow’s face? It could be arranged.’
‘You…’ He gasped, choking on my words, his face turning purple with anger. I dismissed him and turned to the others.
‘What exactly are your concerns?’
‘The Lord Marshal should command the army. The king is needed here, not playing hero on the battlefield.’ The noble who responded shrugged, and I added his face and name to those I needed to visit.
‘It is the king’s duty to safeguard this city and its people.
If he’s unwilling to return, we should appoint a noble to lead. ’
‘And you believe that someone should be Ernesto Tivala?’ I let icy amusement slip into my voice.
‘Your ignorance is truly poetic, my lord.’ I rested my hip against the table between two nobles, allowing the side of my cloak to fall back in a theatrical gesture.
My arsenal of poisons and fang-bladed dagger glinted in the sun’s rays, catching their attention.
‘Let me be very clear. The only ones to oversee these proceedings are the king or the regent he appointed. Not you, not Lord Tivala, not even the thunder god, Perun. Is that clear, my lord, or do you also wish me to remove my mask?’
‘Guards!’ the man called, flinching back in fear. The royal guards looked at Riordan, holding their positions when he shook his head.
‘I don’t want your fear, my lord,’ I said, his eyes darting around when the guards didn’t come to his aid. ‘I want your understanding.’
Now that I had everyone’s attention, I pulled a piece of srebrec from my pouch, rolling it across the table. ‘That’s why your king is on the front lines. This isn’t a simple border squabble with the dwarven kingdom. And it’s not something the Lord Marshal can face alone.’
Several nobles, mostly those from military families, leaned forward, the eldest staring at me like a hawk. ‘What’s going on, and why was the information hidden from us?’ He asked, and I inclined my head.
‘Hidden, my lord?’ I focused on the elder statesman, gauging his reaction.
‘That’s simple. We didn’t know which direction the threat came from, but we can name it now.
’ He nodded for me to continue. ‘Have you heard of an artefact called a void cube? A weapon that freezes everyone who encounters it, siphons the very essence of your being and drains all magic from the area in which it’s deployed? ’
‘What nonsense are you spouting? It’s just srebrec,’ Niemir said, leaning away from the dangerous ore.
‘Let her talk,’ the old noble said, hammering his fist on the table. ‘I want the truth, Shadow. I knew this fucking war wasn’t just a border dispute.’
‘Lord Niemir is right. This sample is a srebrec alloy. A small piece of the artefact that decimated an entire village…’ I walked around the table until I stood across from the old noble.
‘It almost erased the university, and I witnessed the damage it inflicted… until the ice wraiths forced me to flee.’
Riordan used the sudden silence to step in. ‘Bringing in Duke Tivala and his southern army won’t solve your problems. Your only hope is King Reynard and those around him already working on the issue. This matter is of such importance that I need a decision immediately. Shall we vote on it now?’
It was a risky move, but the council’s reactions told me Riordan had carefully calculated the odds. Suddenly, someone coughed at the end of the table, and I recognised a person from the list I’d given the Brotherhood.
‘You can’t… The king… Tangra…’ The man started choking. The spell I’d cast on the poison activated as the noble ignored my warning about speaking against the king.
‘Some people never learn. The gods punish those too stupid to listen,’ I said coldly.
I walked towards him as I wove the sigils of a particularly dramatic illusion.
Chairs scraped against the floor as every noble backed away.
The man trying to speak against the king stared at me with terror-filled eyes.
I waited until his face turned grey before I reached for his hand, yanking his sleeve up and drawing a simple healing rune on his bare skin, siphoning the poison from his blood.
‘You’re a mage!’ Niemir said, and the sour smell of his fear made me wince.
‘I’m the king’s shadow, so think carefully before using his absence to play your little games.’ I turned towards the members of the council, who instinctively pulled away. ‘Now vote, please.’
Yaran’s smile, cold and calculating, sent chills down my spine. He pushed a piece of paper towards the man beside him, who paled, his gaze darting between the marquess and me. I scowled furiously behind the mask, worrying that I’d missed something despite my preparations.
I wasn’t mistaken. Yaran glared at me, silent as the grave, his lips sealed by my spell, but the man next to him was untouched by my poison. His name wasn’t on Riordan’s list, and I frowned as he stood up from the table.
‘Will one woman decide the fate of the country? What if she’s conspiring with the regent? After all, why would the king object to receiving help from a man whose family is already bound to him by marriage?’