timing. I have a sufficient number of men in Hadon’s court who have some power or command to get her out of sight quickly. But if it happens too soon, he will decide to wash his hands of us immediately. Hostage-taking works two ways. He expects something of us. I want to know what it is.”
“Wait a minute,” Corin said. He knew there were spies in the Imperial Court, he had read the reports often enough. But courtiers were not going to be able to walk away with a hostage princess. Nor were they really trustworthy enough; anyone who spied for money could be bought by someone else. “You’re not telling me that any of Hadon’s lords would risk their position in the Empire to rescue her for us.”
“No. I haven’t managed that yet.” Aram smiled ironically. “But it’s not difficult to suborn soldiers who serve under a coward.”
Soldiers. It wouldn’t be foot soldiers either. “Who?”
“Alcias.”
“Alcias?” Corin said, incredulous. The man was Hadon’s second general. “What could you offer him that would make it worth it for him to abandon Hadon? He probably has more power than you.” That was a rash thing to say, even for him, and he prepared himself for a reprimand.
Aram said, “
Suborn
may have been too strong a word. I haven’t done anything to suggest that either he or I would turn against Hadon. But I have better spies, and he knows it, and he owes me. It’s time to call it in.”
“That is a dangerous game,” Corin said. “How long have you been playing it?”
“Why do you think I haven’t told you? Since we saw what Tyrekh was capable of.”
“I don’t need to be protected,” he said fiercely. He rubbed his forehead. “You sound as if you have been expecting him to abandon us.”
“Expecting, no,” Aram said. “But I’m unsurprised. Men who seek power eventually overreach themselves, you know that. One always wants to have some leverage against them. If not against him, his sons.”
Corin went to the window again. In this oldest part of the palace, the roofs were slate, streaky now with rain. The pigeons sat on the ridgepoles with their feathers ruffled to dry. In the courtyard immediately below him a message boy was hurrying across, the tails of his shirt billowing in the wind. A thought snatched at his mind and was gone before there were words to it.
He turned back to the king. “Do you think he really expects us to sit still and leave her there, Father?”
“I don’t know,” Aram said. “Perhaps he’s testing our loyalty.”
“Then he doesn’t deserve it!”
“Of course not,” said Aram. “Corin, I won’t pretend to understand what he thinks or plans. But the fact remains that without Mycenean soldiers we haven’t a chance against the Sarians. I would love to cut the chain between us and Mycene as much as you would. But not until the time is ripe.”
“If he cuts it . . .”
“If he cuts it we fall to Tyrekh. It’s an endgame either way. So all we can do is wait and hope that one of them makes a mistake.”
He sighed. He nodded at his father.
Aram said, “Don’t do anything rash. He may be after you, too. He knows how thick you are with her, taking her might be intended to bait you.”
“Me? I’m not that kind of a fool.”
“Don’t count on Hadon knowing that,” Aram replied. “You’re young.”
“His spies ought to know better,” Corin said, affronted. He had shed his fecklessness years ago. He was not as unprovokable as his father, but he was hardly irresponsible.
“So they should. But watch yourself. There are probably already dogs circling here to see who falls first.”
That made him think of Cade. “We’ve another problem,” he said.“Lord Cade was poisoned this morning with blood-dust. Berk said it would be impossible to get without consorting with the Sarians. Although I suppose Hadon could come by it. Someone’s been dealing with them, in any case. And if there’s one traitor there’s probably
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