All the Nations of the Sky by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 39705469
Publisher: Serial Box
Published: 2018-06-27T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Adechike

Quloo’s private meeting chambers in the tower still felt like Ojo’s space. Adechike supposed that he’d have to put his own touch on the room, transfer some of the furniture and art from the embassy, if not for his comfort than to make the proper show of confidence and authority.

He knew that Ojo should still be the warder, even if no one else did. But for Quloo’s sake, Adechike knew he had to hold on to the position for as long as he could. Appease the High Skies where necessary and blunt their aggression whenever possible.

But that’s what Ojo tried to do, said a doubting voice in his mind.

And without the assassination attempt, he would have continued to do so. As long as Adechike walked the tightrope flawlessly, he would not fall.

There was a knock at the door.

“Enter,” he said. Cassia stepped into the office, carrying her copy of the evidence.

“We should talk about this,” she said.

“Of course. Shall we take tea?”

She nodded. Adechike rang the bell to call for their steward. “Greetings, Warder Petros,” the steward said as he stepped into the room.

“Hello.”

“Can you prepare a pot of the amber brush?” Adechike asked. “And whatever scones are still around.”

“I’m not hungry,” Cassia said.

“I am, unfortunately. Bad habit. I’ll need a long training session once we’re done with these papers. I’ve been doing too much sitting and pacing and worrying and not enough sparring.”

The steward nodded and disappeared to work magic with the ambassadorial staff.

Then they set to talking.

“If this bears out, Mertika will have to face consequences. But extracting concessions from them while we’re at war and they’re ostensibly allies of Rumika? This will be very messy. And the idea of massed bladecraft returning has me very worried.”

“If it were one problem or the other, it would make sense,” Cassia said. “Everything is pulling at cross-purposes. The Trine will demand utter clarity before they give their decision. I’ll make sure Penelope sees all of this. Maybe she can provide some guidance, especially on the bladecraft effect.” She paused. “How is Ojo?”

Adechike paused a moment, trying to decide how to answer. She was his ally, his peer. Keeping news from her would cut away at the already-tenuous trust between them.

The truth, then. “Did you hear?”

Cassia nodded. Even as allies, they had eyes on each other.

“He left to attend to some personal matters,” Adechike said.

Cassia raised an eyebrow. “If I were him, I’d be getting drunk right now.”

The diplomatic answer was easily at hand, but there wasn’t much reason to dissemble with Cassia. “I think that’s exactly what he’s doing. Which is a terrible idea, given his condition and the medications. But Shun will look after him.”

Cassia nodded knowingly. “What about Quloo? What will your leadership say about all of this?”

Adechike shrugged, but left off his usual smile. “Anything that can weaken Mertika is useful for the war effort. But some things, once begun, cannot easily be halted.”

“Vania’s support is not one of those things. If this information proves accurate, then Quloo’s excuse for war disappears like a broken sigil.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.