Page 1 of Shadow Throne King

One

The man was definitely dead.

It was hard to tell much more about him other than he was close to my height, he’d been fit from years of military service, and he was still dressed in armor, his rank of lieutenant marked on his collar. Everything else was guesswork for one reason.

He was missing his head.

In his hands, he clutched a scroll, sealed with a small circle of the red rock the Krustavians used instead of wax. Tallu eased the paper out from the dead man’s clutches and frowned down at it. The seal was identical to the four previous missives from Krustau.

A snarling badger, its claws extended. Sagam extended a knife, hilt first. Slicing through the seal and reading quickly, Tallu’s forehead creased before he looked up, his face smoothing out.

“The same message,” he said shortly. “The Shadow King has my brother and Empress Koque. He will only negotiate with me.”

“Strange,” High General Saxu said. The last general loyal to Tallu stood on the other side of the body, his hands claspedbehind his back. If he felt anything about losing another man from his command, his face didn’t give it away.

“Why is it strange?” I asked. Around us, in the basement of the military offices, stillness and quiet came with the dead bodies. The three other dead imperial officers who had acted as our first, second, and third couriers to Krustau were placed in small nooks in the cool marble wall, waiting to be given back to their families. The most recent corpse Krustau had sent was displayed on a table in the center of the room.

“The King of the Shadow Throne sent his envoys here not that long ago. The Imperium is not at war with Krustau. Their ambassador lived here for some years. Up until now, we’ve been at peace.” Twin lines formed between General Saxu’s brows, and he frowned down at the body.

The old warhorse was realizing the same thing Tallu and I already had. The Imperium might not want war with Krustau right now, but Krustau had declared war on us.

“Other than the Krustavians sent to the Dragon Temple to kill me?” Tallu asked pointedly.

“You mean themercenarieshired by Rute Sotonam?” Saxu’s words were careful, pointed.

That had been the cover we had used, the lie I had spun in order to kill Tallu’s murderous heir, which Tallu had declared true in front of the entire court.

“My men say that they’ve seen Krustavian soldiers on the Imperium side of the border.”

All three of us turned to the only other man in the room where he lurked in a corner, one of the dead soldiers laid in an alcove to his left, another to his right. The Kennelmaster looked as if he deserved his title. He was broad-shouldered and scarred from years of work. His hair was dark brown, bleached on the edges from time in the sun.

“I didn’t tell you to send any men to the border,” Tallu said, his voice chilly. The room matched his tone, as though the air around him had adjusted to fit the mood. I wouldn’t have been surprised if our breath had started to steam from the change.

The Kennelmaster crossed his heavy arms in front of his chest.

“My Dogs are everywhere, and they see and hear everything. They were already there.” The Kennelmaster gestured at the body on the table and then at the three other bodies interred in the room. “Perhaps if the Kennel had been consulted before now, several tragedies might have been prevented.”

Tallu’s expression grew dark, eyes narrowed, lips a pale line. “Exactly how long has the Kennel been acting independently of the throne?”

“The Kennel has always been independent of the throne. We are the eyes and ears in the Imperium. We are the only ones who know who in the Imperium is loyal and who isnot.” The Kennelmaster tilted his head, and in his expression, I could see he was going to say something to provoke Tallu. “We are not only concerned with court politics. We understand that the Imperium extends throughout the entire empire. As your father did.”

Tallu went stiff, pulling his shoulders back, his anger a palpable thing in the room. The electric lights in the room flickered, a loud snap preceding a crackling of electricity. I could feel the lightning he wanted to gather in his hand.

“So then you can tell us where General Maki is,” I said.

The Kennelmaster turned to me, glowering. “What?”

“You said your Dogs are spread throughout the empire. So you should be able to tell us where the missing general is. You should be able to tell us where in the Blood Mountains General Kacha has set up his camp, or how many of the Ariphadi tribes General Bemishu has subjugated. Which of the Tavornai islandsNamati is using as his base.” I raised my eyebrows. “Or are your Dogs only good at seeing what you want to see to necessitate a war with Krustau?”

“Krustau has already declared war on us, Prince Airón.” The Kennelmaster pointed at the latest body, still and lifeless. “And my spies see plenty.”

“Then find out which of them has seen General Maki.” Tallu clipped each word, making it a sharp order. “Do not come in front of me until you have the information.”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.” The Kennelmaster bowed, his fingers triangled respectfully. He turned, shoving open the door abruptly. The Emperor’s Dogs in the hall turned their heads to gaze after him.

“Your Imperial Majesty,” General Saxu said, in the gentle tone of voice he used when he was about to say something he knew Tallu wasn’t going to like. “If I may speak?”

Tallu nodded, his lips still pale, one hand clenched at his side.