The Bitter Crown by Justin Lee Anderson

Author:Justin Lee Anderson [LEE ANDERSON, JUSTIN]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2023-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

Aranok stumbled in the door of Darginn’s house all but carrying the old man behind him. It had taken them too long to get back, avoiding the guards swarming the town, two of them covered in blood and the rain no longer offering cover. The noise of their footsteps slapping in puddles was a beacon. Thank God for the dark—it was the only reason they’d made it. And it was why they were going to have to leave again.

Isadona balked at the sight of her bloody husband, running to take him in her arms. But Darginn held out his hands to warn her away. “Don’t! Don’t touch me.”

Isadona looked to Aranok and Nirea as if to find the source of the massacre.

“It’s not his blood,” Nirea reassured her.

“But… what happened?” the woman asked.

“Madu was a traitor,” Aranok said flatly. “We executed her.” No point in telling her what actually happened—that her husband was a broken man who took vengeance on someone he could, because he couldn’t get it from the person responsible. Because Aranok was protecting her.

“The head messenger?” Isadona looked no less confused.

“She was conspiring with Janaeus.” Nirea unbuckled her sword belt, hung it near the door and collapsed into a chair. “Her memory was unaffected.”

“Oh Heaven,” said Isadona. “Janaeus has allies in the kingdom?”

Nirea turned to look at Aranok. “Janaeus has allies in the kingdom.”

It was even more complex than they’d imagined. God knew who would step in to take the throne now, but if Janaeus had allies, it could be any one of them. One of the nobles, maybe?

Leondar’s heavy feet thumped down the stairs. “Majesty. Envoy. Are you injured?”

Nirea waved him off. “Fine. Madu is dead.”

Before the big guard could ask anything more, it occurred to Aranok he might be able to give them some insight into who else might take control. “Leondar. Who would you think next in line, with Janaeus dead?” Saying the words out loud again was painful. He’d let him down.

Leondar thought for a moment. “I would have said you, under normal circumstances, what with there being no queen or heir. As it is, with you a ‘traitor’ and the king’s council scattered, it’s difficult. I don’t suppose there’s a clear line of succession.”

No. There wasn’t. Which could mean civil war, if the nobility fought for it. How had it fallen apart like this?

Because Nirea killed Janaeus.

He couldn’t focus on that now. They had no time.

“Where’s Dialla?”

Leondar glanced to the stairs. “Resting. She’s not well.”

“Rouse her. We’re leaving. Now.” Leondar turned to Nirea for confirmation. She nodded.

“Aye, Majesty.” The kingsguard plodded back up the stairs.

“Now?” Isadona asked. “But the children…”

“Go and fetch them,” said Darginn. “While I wash.”

Isadona almost stepped back from her husband’s tone, almost raised a hand to reach for him, but in the end did neither. She lifted a cloak from its hook and went silently into the night.

Wordlessly, Darginn walked into a back room and closed the door behind him, leaving Nirea with Aranok. Just the thing he’d been hoping to avoid.

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