The Skull Throne

“You can’t possibly be suggesting the Sharum Ka attack Angiers,” Khevat said, but Jayan was smiling widely now. “We do not have enough men to hold such a prize.”

“Hold?” Abban asked. “What hold? Sack. The Northern walls are nothing. Kick in their gate and you can flood the merchant district with ten thousand warriors. Empty the warehouses, take anything else of value, and be back in Everam’s Reservoir before winter sets in full.”

Jayan looked disappointed. “You want me to take thousands of dal’Sharum north simply to steal a few wells?”

“Burn the palace down if you wish,” Abban shrugged. “Take hostages, post the duke’s head on the wall. Whatever you like, so long as you do it quickly and be gone before their neighbors can move against you.

“After that, you will have the largest, most seasoned army in the world, mobile and well supplied, and wealth to surpass even your father’s. What matter then, who sits the Skull Throne? Kaji himself spent more years in the saddle than he ever did upon a throne.”

Jayan looked at Khevat, who seemed mollified. “It is a bold plan, Sharum Ka. If the Watchers of the Hollow tribe should spy your movements—”

“They will not,” Jayan cut him off. “My Watchers have spied on the Hollow tribe for some time now. Their patrols do not yet range to the far side of the great wood.”

Khevat looked to Asavi. “Perhaps we should consult …”

“I have already cast the dice at the Sharum Ka’s request,” the dama’ting said. “The Deliverer’s son will shatter the gate and pour thousands of dal’Sharum into the city before the first day is out.”

Jayan moved to a tapestry map of Thesa on the wall, pointing with his spear. “How many warriors remain in Everam’s Reservoir?”

He did not look to Abban, but as few of the others could count so high, the khaffit was quick to answer. “Thirty-five thousand Sharum remain in the wetlands. One hundred twenty kai’Sharum, six thousand, four hundred and six dal, nine thousand, two hundred thirty-four kha, and nineteen thousand, eight hundred and seventy-six chi.”

“I will take twenty thousand Sharum east.” Jayan turned to Khevat. “Dama, you will accompany me to the monastery and remain there with a thousand men to refortify it to receive the spoils from Angiers, away from prying eyes.”

Khevat bowed. “Yes, Sharum Ka.”

“Captain Qeran will take command of the siege of Lakton under my brother Sharu, who will command our land forces.”

Qeran and Sharu bowed. “Your will, Sharum Ka.”

“Jurim. My father’s pact with the Hollow tribe does not forbid us to steal a few wells. Here and here.” Jayan pointed to villages along the southern border of Hollow County’s influence. Technically Laktonian, the hamlets were too far from Docktown to be of strategic value, and the Hollow tribe had annexed the land. “Take three hundred men. Do not stay in one place longer than it takes to loot and burn or strike in a predictable pattern. Let them think there may be many times your true number.”

Jurim bowed, looking gleeful at the prospect.

“It will not be enough to bring their warriors into our lands, but it will draw their attention and patrols to the south.” Jayan’s finger skirted the map east from Docktown through the wetlands until it met a thin line heading north. “While I take my men north along the Old Hill Road. We will skirt the Hollow entirely and take the Angierians unaware.”

He smiled. “And they will be ill prepared, once Dama Gorja delivers his message.”

CHAPTER 29

DAMA GORJA

334 AR WINTER

The note was written in Darsy Cutter’s blocky print. Like the woman herself, her missives wasted little time getting to the point. Instead of one long letter as some might write, Darsy’s correspondence was a stack of small notes, each its own problem.

Mistress Leesha,

Warded Children have ceased to mind. Don’t report for inspection. Started painting themselves with more than just blackstem. Stefny Inn caught Stela with permanent tattoos under her dress. Yon Gray tried to bring them in line, and Callen Cutter broke his arm.

They live in the woods now, like they say the Deliverer did. Those that sleep at all do it during the day, out of the sun. Gared’s been letting it go because they take a heavy toll on the corelings, but even he’s losing patience.

Said you had a plan in case something like this happened. If you’ve got a trick up your sleeve, now’s the time for it.

—Darsy

“Corespawn it,” Leesha said.

Wonda looked up from polishing her bow. “Corespawn what?”

“Things are falling apart in the Hollow,” Leesha said. She rubbed her heavy belly. “And if I stay much longer, I won’t be fit to travel until the child comes.”

“How can we leave without Rojer?” Wonda asked.

“We can’t,” Leesha said. “But I’m losing patience with Janson’s endless delays. I don’t give a coreling’s piss if Jasin was his nephew. He tried to kill Rojer twice, and it’s his own fault what came of it.”

“Doubt that’s gonna sway anyone,” Wonda said.

“They’ll be swayed if Gared has to show up with a few thousand Cutters to collect us and escort us home,” Leesha said.

Wonda looked at her a moment, then went back to polishing her bow. “Think it’ll come to that?”

Leesha rubbed her temple. “Perhaps. I don’t know. I hope not.”

“Be bloody, it does,” Wonda said. “Them two might lock horns sometimes, but Gar thinks of Rojer like a little brother.”

“We all do,” Leesha agreed. “But the duke and his brothers are stubborn. If Gared shows up with an army, they might let us go, but the Hollow will be on its own.”

Wonda shrugged. “Like the count well enough, an’ the Duchess Mum, but the Hollow’d do just fine without ’em. Need us more’n we need them.”

“Perhaps,” Leesha said again, but she wasn’t so certain.

There was a knock at the door. Wonda answered it, finding one of Duchess Melny’s handmaidens.

“It’s a good sign,” Leesha told Melny, “but too early to get excited.”

“Demonshit,” Araine said. “Girl bleeds every fourth Seconday, dependable as sunrise. Now it’s Fifthday, and not a drop. Don’t need a Gatherer’s apron to know what that means.”

“Means I’ve got a babe in me,” Melny said.

“Ay, I’m not denying it,” Leesha said, and Melny’s face lit up. “But I wouldn’t go shouting it from the balcony. This early in a first pregnancy, the odds are even on it coming to term.”

“It will!” Melny insisted. “I can feel the Creator’s hand in it, giving us the child when we need it most.”

“Even so, it can’t hurt to wait a bit before telling anyone else,” Leesha said. “There’s still time.”

“Not as much as you think,” Araine said.

Leesha had to hurry to keep pace as Araine led the way through the women’s wing of the palace. She was so used to the Duchess Mum’s doddering invalid act, this seemed another woman entirely.