“I know,” he said. “But I should be able to handle this. I’m sitting on a stuffed chair, half-drunk, making arbitrary decisions. This isn’t hard. I can do it.”
“You’re wrong, Harruq,” Susan said, her voice firm. “It
“There were several I did want to hit with a sword,” he admitted. “Safe assumption that’s not an acceptable diplomatic response?”
Susan laughed.
“When it is, I will let you know,” she promised.
A knocking came from the other side of the door. Susan cracked it back open and leaned out. Harruq heard muffled talking, then saw the queen’s shoulders visibly sink.
“Harruq,” she said, pulling back inside. “There’s one more guest that refuses to leave.”
His left eyebrow lifted.
“Hit him with a sword?”
Susan’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“It’s my brother,” she said.
Harruq held back his groan.
“All right,” he said, pushing himself to his feet. “I guess we can’t be rude. Aurry?”
“I’ll be fine,” Aurelia said, standing as well. “But I’m not staying cooped up in here. Aubby, Greg, let’s go to the gardens.”
With a quick motion of her hands she ripped open a swirling blue portal, kissed Harruq on the cheek, and then pushed the children through. After she stepped inside the portal vanished, leaving Harruq and Susan alone.
“Lead on,” he said, and the queen did. Back into the throne room they went, Harruq plopping into a seat he had already grown to hate. The long hall before the throne was empty but for a single man, who entered through the double doors without waiting for approval. Harruq reminded himself to yell at the guards.
“Welcome,” Harruq said, his voice anything but.
“Yes, welcome,” Susan said, having waited to speak as a sign of respect. She opened her arms and smiled.
Kevin Maryll accepted the embrace, then kissed his sister on the cheek. He had the same soft face as his sister, but his eyes were hard. His hair was dark, cut short, as was his beard.
“My dear Susan,” he said, “my sympathies for what you must yet again endure.”
“The castle is not so empty that I will suffer,” she said, then stepped back so she might gesture to Harruq. “Besides, I have a steward to train, and he does much to keep me entertained.”
Harruq opened his mouth, then closed it. For once, he really didn’t know what to say.
“Ah yes, the Godslayer,” Kevin said. He walked to the foot of the throne and then bowed to one knee. “Consider me honored to be in your presence.”
Harruq bit his tongue. He’d met Kevin several times, and each meeting had been painful, filled with awkward moments due to Kevin’s inability to discuss anything other than what was most pressing to him. And since the Gods’ War, that had been one thing and one thing only.
“I hear the city has taken a restless turn,” said Susan, trying to draw his attention back to her. “I pray your travel here was uneventful.”
“Oh, far from,” Kevin said, his eyes never leaving Harruq’s. “But for my safety, I trust my sword, not prayers. Men surrounded me from the moment I stepped into these streets. Everywhere I went I heard their shouts. Unrest, fury, distrust and betrayal all about me as I made my way to the castle.”
“What did they want?” Harruq asked.
Kevin gave him a look, a combination of condescension and inflated self-worth that nearly ignited his temper.
“Why, for me to continue talking, of course,” Kevin said. “For at last I was telling them the truth they’ve been aching to hear.”
And that was it, of course. Harruq tried, and failed, to hide his annoyance. Of all the opponents to the angels’ new role in society, none were more vocal, and more popular, than Kevin Maryll. The fact that he was the queen’s brother gave him a freedom to speak and act that many others could not, or dare not, use so blatantly.
“The angels are here to help,” Harruq said. “And it’s only because of them we’re not bowing to Karak.”
“And so instead we bow to Ashhur and give thanks for being spared such a horrific fate. We bow, even as they raise their executioner’s blade.”
“Enough, please,” Susan interrupted. “I will have no bickering. Kevin, let me fetch you a servant. There are dozens of rooms here in the castle, and they are all available to you during your stay.”
Kevin took his sister’s hand and kissed it.
“I have places to be, and goals to accomplish,” he said. “And sadly, I cannot do either cooped up in the castle. I merely wished to ensure my little baby sister was doing well in her husband’s unnecessary absence.”
Harruq swallowed hard. Every sentence had a jab to it, hidden or otherwise. As with the angels, none were more outspoken against King Antonil’s rule than Kevin. With the army marching east for another war, it took little for Kevin to draw an audience for his grumblings. But how many listened? Harruq didn’t know. That type of politics was beyond him. He had a sword, and he smacked things with it really good. Now if only he could do the same to Kevin…
“My lord and husband’s absence is for the good of Mordan, and for all Dezrel,” Susan said, a bit of fire leaking into her voice.
“Of course it is,” Kevin said, all smiles. He bowed low, winked at Harruq, and then turned to leave. Harruq watched until he was gone, the guards shutting the doors behind him with a heavy thud, and then smacked the arm of his chair with his fist. The outburst seemed unusually loud, and he immediately felt childish when he saw Susan watching him.
“Do you remember when I said I’d let you know when striking someone with a sword was an appropriate diplomatic response?” she asked. Harruq lifted an eyebrow. “Sometimes I wish we didn’t have to act so appropriately.”
Harruq laughed. It felt good to do so.
“Come on,” he said, standing. “I don’t want to sit here fuming about your idiot brother. Let’s find where Aurry’s taken our kids.”
“I have other duties I must attend,” Susan said, offering him a curtsey. “Go be with your family.”
“Is it anything I should know about?” he asked, not liking the worry she hid behind her eyes.
“If Kevin is rallying people, giving speeches…I despise the need, but he must be watched. Let me handle this matter, Harruq. He is still family, despite how much he might hate my husband.”
“Whoever you have watch him, make sure it’s not an angel.”
Harruq grinned, but the humor fell flat. There was too much worry, too much truth to the joke to laugh. On impulse he took her hand and kissed it, much like Kevin had.
“You’ll do fine,” he said. “We’ll all be fine. No matter how many speeches your brother gives, there’s only so much he can accomplish. We’re guarded by angels, Susan. It’s not like he can start a war. And if he does, well, you’ll have the nastiest bodyguard around. I’ve killed a god before, did you know that?”
“I’ve heard rumors.” She pulled free her hand, rubbed it with her other. “Take care, Harruq, and pray the time passes swiftly. Antonil will be gone for so long, and in my nightmares I see him returning to a kingdom of ash.”
“No,” Harruq said, shaking his head as he headed for the door. “I gave everything to save this city, this land. It won’t be ash, Susan, no matter how hard anyone might try.”
“And if someone
He looked over his shoulder, flashed his best smile.
“Then I’ll act inappropriately.”
5
