“You really have discussed this possibility with Xephan then?”
Arachne’s fists clenched. She looked shame-faced and angry. “Yes.”
Tamara pictured a repeated cycle of human population growth and control, of pogrom and plague and massacre. There was a certain demented logic to it, if you accepted the underlying premise that the whole of Terrarch civilisation was threatened. She could not keep the words from her lips or the scorn from her voice. “Is this what Terrarch civilisation means? Would an Empire that would do such a thing be worth protecting?”
“Xephan said that the weak would say such things. That ruthless decisions were necessary to save our world.”
“And do you agree with him?”
The Empress stood tall for a moment, and Tamara wondered if she had gone too far. She doubted that Arachne was used to being addressed in quite this fashion. The Empress reached out a hand, her fingers curled in threatening claws, and Tamara feared that she was going to try and rip her face, but then the Empress’s hands fell to her side, limp and powerless. Her voice was very soft. “No. I do not agree with him.”
She stood waiting, like a prisoner condemned, and it came to Tamara that perhaps Arachne suspected her of being Xephan’s agent after all, and that she would report this conversation to the sorcerer.
“Then what do you intend to do about it?”
“What can I do?”
“You are the Empress. You could denounce him or sack him.”
“I could end up dead, like my mother.”
“Xephan did not kill your mother. He was not even born when that happened.”
“Someone did. I used to think it was Asea. Now I am not so sure.”
“Who do you think did it?”
“I don’t know. I am simply no longer certain it was her.”
“Why?”
“Let us say I am no longer as naive as I was back then. Now I ask who benefited from splitting the Empire and placing me on the throne. Once I thought it was natural justice that people would want me there.”
Did the Empress really expect her to believe that? From her expression she apparently did. Perhaps it had really been that way, or perhaps it was now simply more convenient for the Empress to believe it was the case. Perhaps it had become necessary for her to rewrite history and forget her old hatreds. There was a long silence and the two of them stared at each other.
“What do you want from me, Majesty?” Tamara said, eventually.
“I want your help against Xephan.”
“You intend to oppose him then?”
“If I can. You must still have some contact with your father’s followers. Some of them will be loyal to you. Some of them might be able to help us against them.”
Once again Tamara felt her scalp prickling and a warning to be careful whispering in her mind. She did not feel at all easy with the way things were developing here. It occurred to her that the Empress and Xephan might be in league, and trying to use her to ferret out any remnants of those who would oppose their plans.
“I do not know who would follow me, Majesty,” said Tamara.
“Then we must seek allies elsewhere.”
“I do not follow you.”
“We must let Asea and my sister know what is happening. Xephan must be stopped.”
Tamara was truly shocked. Arachne appeared completely sincere and reconciled to what she was saying.
“Even if they help it might cost you the Empire, majesty.”
Arachne’s face was bleak. “I have already lost the Empire. The only question remains is whether I will be a figurehead in whose name dreadful evil is worked. Much to my surprise I find that I am not prepared to be.”
“Even if means your death?”
“If the Light wills.” There was silence in the room then the Empress smiled sadly. “Of course, I am hoping for a somewhat different outcome. Do you think it would be possible to have Xephan killed? Your father used to be able to arrange such things.”
“It might be. But Xephan is a powerful sorcerer, and is bound to be well protected.”
“If it could be done subtly, it might be the best solution to our problem. A new treaty could always be made with my sister.”
In her heart Tamara wondered if that was really the case. The Taloreans had armies in Kharadrea now and were unlikely to withdraw them if simply asked. They had made too big a commitment of men and money to simply walk away. “Such a thing might be construed as weakness, Majesty.”
Arachne looked as if she had swallowed something sour, but she said, “You are right. Perhaps it would be best to deal with one problem at a time. First Xephan then the West.”
“Your Majesty is wise.”
“Thank you Tamara, and be assured if you will not find me ungrateful for your aid in these matters.”
Just like my father and Lord Xephan, thought Tamara, but she said, “I live to serve your Majesty. I live to serve.”
“Succeed at this and anything you ask, within reason, will be granted if it’s within my power.”
Tamara liked the way the Empress said within reason. It made her sound as if she meant it.
Chapter Thirteen
Tamara slumped down in the chair in her father’s old study, and let the servants bring her herbal tea. She wondered about what Arachne had told her, and whether she had been wise to agree to aid the Empress against Xephan. For all she knew the two were in league and this was a test that Tamara had failed. Her instincts told her otherwise. She believed that, at least as far as ridding herself of the Prime Minister was concerned, Arachne was sincere.
Tamara picked up Xephan’s letter and opened it, more for something to do with her hands than because she wanted to read it. As she suspected it was a summons, telling her to report to the Prime Minister’s Office tonight. It appeared he was sincere about initiating her into the mysteries of the Black Mirror, and she suspected that this was not for her own good. She very much doubted that she would walk away unchanged from that experience. Just the thought of looking into the Black Mirror and of becoming like Xephan and Rik and her father filled her with dread.
She forced those thoughts aside. There were other things to consider. If Xephan was to be killed she would most likely have to do it herself. The sorcerer would be too well-guarded for any one lacking her special talents to have a chance. If she were desperate she could go to his office as she had today and use a concealed weapon, but that would be an obvious assassination, and the Empress could not shield her from the legal consequences of murdering the Prime Minister, even if she wanted to. Tamara might find herself a convenient scapegoat, and the Empress might rid herself of two troublesome subjects at the same time.
Such a direct assault was the option of last resort anyway. Perhaps she could find a tool who would do the deed, a lover who could be convinced the Prime Minister had grievously wronged her and would act to avenge her honour, or some youth who could be goaded to murder in return for the promise of her favours. She had done such things before, but they took time, and were always uncertain and she seriously doubted that any normal mortal would be able to kill Xephan.
No, she would most definitely have to do this herself, if she was to do it all, and it would have to be done out of the public eye. She could not help but feel that time was running out.
The obvious time would be during the ritual of the Black Mirror. Xephan was not about to advertise his presence at a coven meeting and could hardly take Imperial troops along to act as his bodyguard. The disadvantage of this would be that the coven would be there, and would have enacted their own precautions.
She considered killing them all. There were methods that would work- a bagful of the pollen of the Black Lotus tossed into the ritual chamber might do the job. Then again, there would be people present whose support
