Don Bassingthwaite - Word of traitors

Among the ambassadors and envoys-the chaat’oor-in the gallery, there was only mechanical applause, if that. Even Pater who had moments before greeted the prospect of war with greed looked stunned. “Lords of the Host, I’ve never seen Tariic like this before. He always talked about how Haruuc brought Darguun into the world but that he would bring the world into Darguun.”

“He wants the throne,” said Vounn. “Haruuc told me once that Tariic valued atcha over muut. He’s willing to play any game of politics to reach it.”

“Including starting a war?” asked Ashi.

Vounn sat back in her chair. “He didn’t start it, Ashi. He’s only using it-just as all of us will.”

Ashi looked back down into the throne room. Geth had stood up, an expression that mixed fury and confusion on his face. His hand was tight on the Rod of Kings and Ashi suspected that if it had been possible for him to use its power, he might have done so at that moment. Tariic spoke a few quiet words to him, but the shifter just jerked away. The warlords were growing quiet again, and the arbiter rapped his staff on the floor. Tariic turned away from Geth to give the old hobgoblin a nod. The banner of the Rhukaan Taash descended on the pole of order.

But another shout rose from the crowd. Ashi recognized Daavn of Marhaan’s voice. “Who will lead us?”

The descending banner paused. Tariic turned back to the warlords.

This time Garaad was the first heir to protest. “No!” The lean warlord still had his sword drawn. The blade rose to point at Tariic. “You will not take this honor! There are two days of games left. Haruuc’s successor will only be chosen then. You are not lhesh yet!”

The words sounded hollow and desperate even to Ashi, but Tariic only bent his head to Garaad. “It is as you say,” he said. “I wouldn’t dare to act as lhesh while we still honor Haruuc. But we can’t sit on our swords while Valenar raiders sweep Darguun. We must act now, don’t you agree?”

He looked at each of the other contending heirs in return and once again Ashi knew that there was nothing they could say. Garaad’s ears went back flat against his skull. “Yes,” he said, lowering his sword. “But it will not be you leading the battle.”

“Not any of us. We’ve been too busy fighting each other. But there is one who has recently fought on behalf of Darguun.” Tariic looked down among the assembled warlords. “Dagii of Mur Talaan, named lhevk’rhu by Haruuc, will you recall the army that defeated the Gan’duur?”

The warlords around Dagii seemed to draw back a little bit, leaving him to stare back at Tariic like a sentry caught off guard. Then his face hardened and he stood straight. “Mazo,” he said.

Tariic looked back at the other heirs and at Geth. “Dagii’s troops will be a vanguard, moving swiftly to meet the threat presented by the Valenar. His loyalty to Darguun cannot be questioned. Does this satisfy you all?”

Ashi could see the heirs’ ears flick as they thought through the merits of the suggestion. One by one, they nodded. Tariic glanced at Geth. “And you, shava of Haruuc? You hold the throne in trust. Do you grant your approval?”

Geth’s expression was hard as he looked down at Dagii. The young warlord gave him back a slight nod. Geth looked up at Tariic and bared his teeth. “How can I refuse?”

Tariic met his bared teeth with a fierce smile, but didn’t bother to answer the question. There was, Ashi knew, no need to. Instead, he gestured for Iizan, Aguus, and Garaad to stand forward with him. “It is decided!” he said. “The reign of a new lhesh will begin with glory and war on Valenar as Haruuc wanted. The assembly of warlords is ended!”

The gathered warlords cheered again, some closing on Dagii to congratulate him, but most saluting the four heirs gathered on the dais. Ashi wondered if she was the only one to notice the old arbiter look to Geth for confirmation of Tariic’s words and to see the shifter nod like a weary fighter defeated in battle.

Ashi turned away and founded herself facing Esmyssa Entar ir’Korran once more. The Zil ambassador’s face pinched up into a smile. “Better to have Darguun and Valenar at each other’s throats than ours, at least,” she said. “If they want to break the Treaty of Thronehold, I don’t imagine the other nations of Khorvaire will rush to aid either of them.”

Ashi couldn’t hold back a snort. “And that’s what Haruuc really wanted.”

Esmyssa looked puzzled.

Ashi shook her head. “Never mind,” she said and stood up. “Please excuse me.”

She managed to spot Ekhaas before the hobgoblin left the gallery. Ekhaas and Senen Dhakaan were standing in a corner, arguing with quiet words. By the time Ashi reached the spot, the two duur’kala had separated and Ekhaas was on her own, glaring at Senen’s retreating back.

Ashi caught her arm. “What do we do now?”

Ekhaas’s amber eyes flickered to her, then went back to Senen. “Carry on as planned, I think,” she said, her voice hard.

“You think?” Ashi tried to keep her own voice both level and quiet. “Ekhaas, we’re losing Dagii. He’s going to be…” She stopped, following Ekhaas’s gaze after Senen. “What’s wrong?”

“Senen wants me to go with Dagii,” said Ekhaas. Her ears were back against her head. “She wants a representative of the Kech Volaar along. She wants a duur’kala to witness the great clash of hobgoblins and elves.”

Ashi’s hand fell away from Ekhaas’s arm. “No. She can’t.”

“Unfortunately, she can,” said Midian.

Ashi twisted around to find the gnome leaning against a chair.

Midian thrust out his jaw, tipped back his head, and said in an arrogant tone, “You serve the Kech Volaar and the memory of Dhakaan, daughter of the dirge. You will do as I say!”

It was a flawless imitation of Senen Dhakaan. “How long have you been listening?” Ekhaas asked.

“Long enough. Ashi’s right. This is bad timing.” He raised an eyebrow “But you look as tired as Geth and Dagii this morning and I don’t think they were just out seeing the city last night. Did you find-?”

Ekhaas flicked a finger to silence him, glanced around, then jerked her head toward the stairs leading down from the gallery. The antechamber outside the throne room was hardly less crowded when they reached it, but the envoys, ambassadors, and their various assistants who frequented the galleries were always listening for bits of information. The warlords who had flooded into the antechamber were thinking of nothing but war. Ekhaas found a momentarily quiet corner, beckoned them into it, and whispered, “We found an artificer who can make what we need-in five days.”

Midian wrinkled his nose. “Three days after the end of the games.”

“Two if we count today.”

“Even if you do, Tariic won’t want to wait that long for his coronation.” The gnome folded his arms around himself. “He’ll want to take the throne immediately.”

“You think it will be him?” Ashi asked.

“Do humans hit their heads in gnome houses? Even if it’s not, it doesn’t matter. We need to find a way to delay the coronation.” Midian tapped his fingers against the wall. “I’ll talk to Razu. Maybe I can put a knot in her plans or persuade her that the ceremony needs to be more elaborate.”

“Anything to buy time.” Ekhaas’s ears stood tall suddenly and her already soft voice dropped even more. “Ashi, Vounn is here.”

Ashi looked over her shoulder. Vounn stood a discreet distance away with Aruget and another hobgoblin guard, Krakuul, just behind her. As Ashi met her gaze, she raised one eyebrow. “I’m returning to our chambers,” she said. “Would you like to come with me?”