Page 19 of Shadow Throne King
“Well met, lady.” With a snort, I turned to the overseer. “The last time she and I met, she said that my coin was not good enough for her. Apparently, a merchant’s gold doesn’t buy as much as a general’s copper.”
A snicker went through the crowd, as they realized I was suggesting a different sort of punishment. A different sort of torture.
Reaching into my bag, I moved my hand past the dragon, finding a gold coin by shape alone. Pulling it free, I held it between two fingers. Grinning at the overseer, I said, “What about now? How far does a merchant’s gold get me?”
The overseer glanced at her speculatively, but I was speaking a language he liked. I was going to torture her until she gave me information about the general and then pass it on to the emperor himself.
“When I turn her in to His Imperial Majesty’s people, I’ll be happy to let them know who found the rat and captured her for them.” I met his eyes, letting him believe the absolutely true fact that Tallu would be grateful to have Topi Bemishu in his possession.
“Take her.” The overseer nudged her again and smirked at me. “For His Imperial Majesty. I heard the ghost of the One Dragon came back and put the crown on him himself. Heisthe promise.”
“Emperor Tallu embodies it. He will unite the continent,” I agreed. “As was promised to Emperor Wollu.”
“My sister was at his one-month celebration,” another man said. “She said the traitor Bemishu put a shipin the skyto kill the emperor, and the emperor used his magic to bring it down and kill all of Bemishu’s forces. Now, Bemishu uses the goblins in the south and pretends they’re Imperials.”
“The emperor took one look at the monsters Bemishu brought from the south and killed them. I heard their ghosts had to walk all the way back to the Ariphadeus.” A shiver went through the crowd. If they knew the truth, that Tallu had sent the elephants and their handlers south to the Ariphadeus with a unit of General Saxu’s most trusted men, they wouldn’t understand. Even Saxu had been hesitant, until Tallu had lied that the goblins had sworn loyalty and were acting as spies against Bemishu.
Commander Rede had reported that the elephants and the goblins had disappeared into the desert almost as if they’d never been.
“Either way. No one can stand against the emperor,” the overseer said. He shoved Topi again, sending her scrambling for purchase, her face going even more pale as she struggled for breath.
“May he fulfill the promise in his lifetime, blessing the Imperium with his success.” I parroted back a long-forgotten phrase that Lord Fuyii had drilled into my sister. With a significant glance at Sagam, I let him and Asahi cut Topi down, dragging her back toward our carts. I raised a hand, showing off three silver coins between my fingers. “A round for everyone here who struck a blow today against the traitors. Long live His Imperial Majesty!”
A cheer went up, and the mob slowly became a crowd of people again, heading back into the tavern. I pressed the coinsinto the innkeeper’s hand, adding a few coppers to sweeten the deal. Then I gave him a wolfish grin.
“Now I have to go start enjoying my own prize.”
He nodded, but from the purse of his lips, he was not as enthusiastic. It was interesting to see a man so comfortable with the murder of a young girl but uncomfortable with her rape.
I followed behind Sagam and Asahi, reaching the wagons just as they hefted her into the one Tallu and I had been sitting in. I let a cloth covering fall closed over the back before crouching in front of her.
“A courtesan?” Topi said.
“Quiet,” I hissed. Glancing at Sagam, I nodded my head toward the inn.
He didn’t need to be told twice, disappearing out the back.
“They don’t have enough horses to trade ours. We’ll have to rest again soon.” Asahi looked Topi up and down, then clearly decided she was no threat. “I’ll go start readying the carts.” When he was gone, I could hear him speaking with the Dogs outside, feel the jerk as the carts were moved, ready to be re-harnessed to the horses.
“I didn’t, you know.” Topi kept her voice low. “Neither did Pito.”
I opened one of the crates, digging through until I found some rags for cleaning. They looked washed, and I leaned over, pressing one to the wound on Topi’s face. “Sleep with Kacha? Of course not. It would be cold, even for the two of you, to share a bed with the man who killed your mother and whom you had spent so many years readying for the slaughter. Sorry I didn’t finish that for you.”
“We shouldn’t have trusted a man with women’s work,” Topi said. She put her hand over mine, and I released the rag to her, letting her press hard on the wound.
“Where is Pito?” I asked.
Topi let out a sharp breath, then looked down. Before she answered, the flap in the back of the cart opened, letting in first Tallu and then the Kennelmaster and a Dog named Coyome. He sat close to the back while the Kennelmaster took position in the front of the cart. Tallu glared at Topi. She had taken his spot.
He settled next to me, our thighs pressed together, and I could feel the tension throughout his frame. Above us, I heard Terror and Ratcatcher bickering back and forth. My heart ached. I desperately wanted to know what they were saying, even if it likely was as petty in words as it sounded in caws.
“We’re ready,” the Kennelmaster leaned forward and informed the driver, who slapped the reins, urging the horses onto the road. He looked at me, his gaze assessing. “The overseer congratulated me on having such a business-minded member of my house. He’s excited to hear what the emperor thinks of whatever news this one brings.”
“And what news does she bring?” Tallu’s voice was low and the threat in it so clear he may as well have verbalized it.
Topi raised her chin, defiantly silent, but I could see the trembling, the shivers of fear her ordeal had left in her.
When she didn’t answer, Tallu demanded, “Who sent you? Kacha or Bemishu?”