sincerity didn’t sound forced, unlike their well-dressed counterparts’. I hoped Imala had some trusted agents in the crowd noting who was dressed up and who looked like they’d been languishing in a dungeon. That knowledge would come in handy for culling the wheat from the chaff later. For now, the army officers and some newly handpicked loyal soldiers had established a heavily armed perimeter around their new monarchs and were allowing the nobles to get only marginally close and only one at a time. From time to time, as a particularly well-dressed noble was allowed to approach and bow, Mirabai would whisper in her soon-to-be husband’s ear. In response, Chigaru would scowl at the now-shaking supplicant.
Oh yeah, those two were going to clean house.
Goblin politics was a fluid thing, and goblin courtiers were, shall we say, flexible in their loyalties. Loyalty seemed to pass easily from Sathrik to Sarad Nukpana to Chigaru. I didn’t think they could help themselves. If a goblin aristocrat was breathing, they were plotting. And if they were plotting, they were happy.
They weren’t the only ones—who were happy, that is.
I had my arms around the waist of a certain Guardian paladin, and he had one arm tightly around me. The hand of his other arm still had a tight grip on that curved goblin sword, his sharp blue eyes taking in every threat within fifty feet in every direction. Seeing that we were surrounded by scheming goblin courtiers, regardless of how well behaved, I wholeheartedly approved of how Mychael was dividing his attentions.
Words couldn’t describe how wonderful it was not to have a target on my forehead or anywhere else. The Saghred was dust, and Sarad Nukpana was in whatever circle of the Lower Hells had been prepared especially for him.
No one would gain anything by killing me anymore.
At least for now.
Mychael was warm, he was holding me, and both of us were alive and breathing. Life was good. I nuzzled Mychael’s neck, then stood on tiptoe and nibbled his earlobe.
The sword promptly lost Mychael’s attention. Take that, piece of metal.
“Mmm,” Mychael murmured. Then I was on the receiving end of some nuzzles and nibbles of my own.
I suddenly sensed a pair of entirely too watchful eyes. I tried to turn and see who it was, but that wasn’t easy with Mychael still holding on. Kesyn Badru was standing a few feet away.
“You were listening,” I accused.
“Yep.” The old mage smiled, exposing his chipped fang. “And watching. When you get to be my age, you take your thrills anywhere and way you can find ’em.” He nodded with approval and his dark eyes gleamed. “You did good; I’m proud of you.”
“And thank
Kesyn laughed. “Never try to be anything you’re not.” He lowered his voice. “Any sign of your magic?”
“Not yet.” I concentrated for a moment, probing around a little in my head. “At least I don’t think so.”
“Give it some time; it’ll come back.”
I nodded, surprised at the sudden realization that I really wouldn’t mind all that much if it didn’t come back. I’d done pretty well over the past few days without it.
“Sir,” Piaras called to Tam. He pointed at a figure on the palace’s garden wall.
The figure whooped.
I squinted through the smoke still coming from the now-extinguished crater. Hmm, a crater made by an exploding wagon—much like a certain exploding goblin army latrine. That explosion had been followed by a mooning from a certain goblin teenager running amuck.
We weren’t being mooned—we were getting the full frontal treatment. Well, navinem did lower your inhibitions. Too bad Talon didn’t have any of those to begin with.
Piaras got a good look at his friend and cracked up.
Talon was whooping up a storm, swinging what looked to be his trousers in victory circles over his head. I said they were probably his trousers because he wasn’t wearing any—or anything else, for that matter.
Lord Talon Nathrach, son of the chancellor to the king, heir and scion of the noble House of Nathrach, was standing above Execution Square, in front of hundreds of goblin aristocrats, buck naked, and loving it. From what I could tell, the kid had nothing to be ashamed of, and many of the ladies of the court shared my opinion.
“That your boy?” Kesyn asked.
Tam sighed. “I’m afraid so, sir.”
The old mage grinned. “Well, I think that takes care of his introduction to the court.”
Tam desperately wanted to be somewhere else as Talon leapt down from the wall and took a victory lap around the square.
“He’s all yours,” Tam told his teacher.
“Oh joy.”
The old mage’s words said one thing; the gleam in his eyes told anyone watching him something else.
Kesyn Badru lived for a challenge.
Talon was taking the last half of his victory lap. Kesyn for a teacher. I almost felt sorry for Talon. I grinned slowly. Almost.
The new goblin queen had to be the happiest-looking new orphan I’d ever seen.
It was a beautiful wedding. The throne room was lit by what had to be hundreds of candles with not a blue lightglobe in sight, filling the room with a warm, golden glow. The room was far from being full. The only courtiers in attendance were those whom the new king trusted not to put a knife in his back. Though I bet the kitchen staff loved it; less people to feed at the reception.
At the end of the ceremony, when the priest had told the king that he could kiss his bride, he probably didn’t think he’d have to ask him to stop.
The marriage of the new goblin king and queen was off to a good start.
Though one person in attendance was a little on edge. King Chigaru had named Tam as his heir until such time as he and Queen Mirabai had a child.
Tam was standing off to the side, wearing full court robes, having what I’d counted as his third glass of wine. I noticed that Tam’s simple circlet had been replaced by an only slightly less ornate version of the crown Chigaru was wearing.
“Fancy headgear,” I noted, determined to keep a straight face. “Nice.”
Tam grunted. It wasn’t a particularly enthusiastic one. “I’ve never wanted anyone to survive this badly.”
“Maybe your new king thinks that after what you pulled off in the temple, no assassin would be suicidal enough to come after him with you around.”
Without changing expression, Tam brushed the tip of his nose with his finger. “That and one more level for an assassin to go through.”
“Gee, wasn’t that nice of him?”
“For once, His Majesty is right. However, one shrewd move deserves another.” Tam inclined his head toward where a black-garbed mage stood guard over the royal couple. I spotted more, strategically placed throughout the reception room watching king, queen, and guests. These guys looked familiar.
I smiled. “Your dark mage hit squad buddies from Mid?”
Tam grinned with satisfaction and no small level of relief. “That’s them.”
“So you don’t want to be king?”
“You’ve seen the job. Would you want it?”
“Can’t say that I would.”
I glanced over to where Talon was essentially holding court and basking in the grateful glow of a bevy of beautiful young noblewomen. I wondered how many of those noble ladies had seen the kid naked? Heck, probably all of them. And if any of them hadn’t seen, they’d heard.
“I see what you mean,” I said. “You as king would make Talon a prince. That’s an ego boost the kid doesn’t need.”
Chigaru had maneuvered Mirabai to a cozy corner where they were engaged in some serious smooching.
