Page 11

Six

I t was impossible for Yor?mu to truly train me how to fight an electro mage.

Not a single one lived in the Silver City, and the ones who lived in Dragon’s Rest Mountains to the south weren’t trained as imperial fighters.

They were farmers and hunters, members of the Imperium, but without the respect someone born further south would command.

Electro mages controlled electricity, bringing it from some deep place inside of themselves and channeling it to their enemies.

Over the years, the Southern Imperium had developed weapons that made the best use of their specialized mages: metal powder that could be blown across a battlefield, landing on enemies’ skin, making a single bolt of electricity bounce from person to person, and specialized swords that could direct electricity to a single target a battlefield away.

Yor?mu could no more control the lightning than I could.

But Yor?mu’s inability to practice the art herself didn’t mean she hadn’t trained me how to answer an attack.

I dropped, rolling forward under the bolt.

Shoving my hands upward, I slammed into Tallu’s elbows.

With a sharp yell that should have startled him, I leapt to my feet, the heel of one hand slamming into his chin while my other fisted in his robe, pulling him forward.

It was fast; it had to be. But somehow, Tallu was faster.

He spun out of the way, a trickle of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth where my strike had hit home.

I heard the snap of electricity in his palm and knew that now that I was too close, he was going to get me.

I dropped again, and his hand followed me, about to release the bolt.

I managed to slide, and the bolt of electricity struck in the space between my legs.

He fisted his hand, the snap of electricity disappearing, and I didn’t wait to see what he was going to do next. Leaping up, I sprinted forward, slamming my shoulder into his stomach.

He let out a sharp sound, the breath rushing from his body, and I kept going until he toppled into the chair. Then I raised my leg, my knee hitting him straight in the chest, pinning him down.

I reached for a knife that wasn’t there and missed my weapons intensely. Still, I could kill him with anything I found.

Grabbing at his throat, my fingers tightened, and I felt one word against my fingertips.

“Stop.” He stared into my eyes, the darkness of his gaze piercing through me.

If I tightened my hands, if I squeezed…

I released him. Stepping back, I crossed my arms, feeling something seethe in my chest. Rage. Yes. Rage that twisted in my stomach, waking something lower. “What was that?”

My voice was so flat that any good northerner would have recognized it as thin ice.

“You told General Kacha that you would train his soldiers.” Tallu’s voice matched mine, anger for anger. He pulled his lips back from his teeth, gritting out, “He is going to send his best electro mages. His best commanders.”

On the arms of the chair, Tallu’s fingers tightened, the whites of his knuckles bright against the golden wood branches that made up the arms of the seat. I blinked at him, my mouth falling open. Shaking my head, I asked, “Are you worried about me, husband?”

“I’m worried about what I will lose if he kills you,” Tallu said sharply, his eyes tracing over me.

A slow smile spread, and I leaned forward, sniffing to catch that scent unique to Tallu. His skin shone at his temple—not from its natural sheen but from the slightest glimmer of sweat. I whispered into the shell of his ear, “I have been taught how to deal with electro mages.”

Tallu glared, mouth going tight as he frowned at me. “Not these mages.”

I drew back, catching his eyes again. I shook my head. “No. I’ve been taught to handle a more powerful one.”

For a second, I could feel the balance of Tallu’s anger and frustration, and then he exhaled. “I give you leave to wear your weapons in the palace. Any you are missing, request from Asahi, and he will make sure you have ones of similar function.”

“Are you that worried that your soldiers are going to kill me?” I watched the bead of sweat at his brow until he raised a hand, swiping a thumb up his temple.

“You know what I worry about.” His voice was soft, and I felt the breath of it on my lips.

Swallowing, I stepped back, looking around the room. “Why here? I thought this was a ceremonial room only. There has to be a better place to train in the palace.”

“We have plenty of training rooms,” Tallu agreed. “But this is where my father killed all of the imperial traitors I found for him.”

Tallu stood, running the palms of his hands over his robe. “You must understand how serious this is and how careful you need to be.”

I stared at the dark swirls on the wood floor.

They weren’t the natural grain of the wood.

They were bloodstains that couldn’t be scrubbed out.

Just as the table in Turtle House would never be the same after General Kacha had placed a head on it, this room would never be clean of the blood spilled on the floor.

“Gruesome,” I observed. “Is that a threat, husband?”

Tallu stared at me, and I had to look away first. “It’s a reminder to be careful. They won’t lessen their magic the way I did.”

I turned to glare at him. “You were ‘lessening’ your magic?”

“If I intended to, I could turn this entire room to ash.” When Tallu said it, he looked around, eyes going distant. This wasn’t simply a thought with him. He wanted to turn the room to ash. He wanted to burn down his own empire for reasons I still didn’t understand.

But now wasn’t the time to ask, not when a servant might walk in on us. Not when Asahi and Sagam were just on the other side of the door.

“And if I had my blades, then we would have a real fight. Who do you think would win then?” I couldn’t help myself; the challenge in my voice was just slightly too eager.

I had trained for years for a fight that he hadn’t given me.

Tallu met my eyes, and I saw the invitation in them that I didn’t dare voice.

He, too, was wondering who would win: the last emperor or the assassin born to kill him.

“Still, be cautious. General Saxu himself killed most of the traitors in this room. And he has no thirst for blood, no hunger for power.” Tallu glanced down at where a dark spiral spread around my feet.

I looked down, too, trying to imagine the friendly, quiet man I knew killing imperial councilors in cold blood. Then again, maybe General Bemishu didn’t have anything to worry about from General Kacha. Maybe both were simply watching General Saxu to see when the old man would falter.

“I take it as a warning,” I said finally. “One I appreciate. Will there be dinner, or was that simply a false reason to lure me here so you could try to electrocute me?”

Tallu snorted but stood, striding into the room where we had eaten our formal wedding meals.

Most of the tables had been cleared away, and all that was left was a smaller table set for two. Tallu paused behind his chair, waiting for me. He lowered his chin, considering the table. When he bowed his head, the light caught on the coronet around his brow.

I had noticed it the first time I saw him, remembering that first moment I met him in his throne room. He felt so different now, no longer quite as frightening. In fact, if our fight a few minutes prior had taught me anything, it was that I could kill him. If I had to. I could.

I took my seat, and Tallu settled in his. Almost as soon as we sat, the doors opened and silent servants wearing yellow came in, bringing plates of food and pouring us both cups of wine before bowing and stepping to the side of the room, practically fading to invisibility in their stillness.

Asahi slunk in the door from the outside, disappearing into a shadow in the corner of the room. Tallu swirled the wine in his glass, taking a sip. “Other than taking the bait that General Kacha set, how was the rest of your day?”

My brow creased, and I tried not to look confused.

With the servants here and Asahi lingering in the corner, it was impossible that Tallu wanted to learn any intelligence I’d gathered.

But maybe the point was to give the servant something to gossip about.

We needed to sell the fantasy of our affection, after all.

“Lovely.” I considered what gossip I wanted spread—what information would go well with the rumors the Bemishu twins were already spreading about me.

Something to let the entire court know that even though I had Tallu under my thumb, I was still independent enough to be valuable as an ally. I might be loyal to him, but that didn’t mean we were of one mind or even one position.

“Good.” Tallu took another sip of his wine before setting it down and picking up a small fork designed to remove the meat of shellfish steamed inside their shells.

“Husband,” I said.

Tallu looked up, facing me but his eyes glancing to the side. The servants were behind him, and I knew the direction of his eyes was a warning. Anything I said was about to be spread throughout the entire palace.

I smiled at him reassuringly. “I have a request.”

“What is it?” Tallu asked, loosening a piece of slippery meat from the shell and sliding the morsel between his lips.

“I was speaking with Nohe—the steward of Turtle House.” I leaned forward, replacing his finished shell with an uneaten one.

“She mentioned that the quarters of Empress Koque were unused. Out of respect for the deceased empress, I should like to stay in Turtle House. Would it be possible to convert it to my own personal quarters?”

“You would prefer Turtle House instead of the empress’s quarters?” Tallu asked. He leaned back, the tines of his fork resting on the edge of his plate. Finally, he nodded. “If that is your wish.”

“It is,” I said firmly. I took hold of my own fork, loosening the meat gently and taking my first bite of the meal.