A section of the rock slid out of the sheer wall, forming a small natural terrace to the right of us. A chunk of it curved, flowing into a smooth stone bench. I glanced at Sean.
“He’s safe,” he told me.
“What makes you think that?”
“Trust me. We can keep an eye on them from here.”
Standing on top of this staircase staring down at them felt stupid, and I was so wiped out. Besides, he said the magic words. I did trust him.
I landed on the bench. Sean sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him. He was warm. It felt so nice.
“Tired?” he asked.
“Exhausted. You and I can’t go on dates anymore.”
“Why?”
“Date is a dirty word.”
He smiled. “That bad, huh?”
“Yes.” I snuggled closer to him. “All of them were bad, but Prysen Ol and Amphie were the worst. He kept going on and on about obscure philosophical and ethical issues. I almost fell asleep standing up. She talked for the entire hour, super intense and tiresome, and then tried to bribe me on the way back to her quarters. At least Oond’s dance was pretty.”
Although a whole hour of jazz fins was really too much.
Sean’s body tensed. “Bribe you with what?”
“Unspecified favors which she would provide when she became the spouse. She wasn’t really clear on that part, but she did threaten to blacklist us if I didn’t go along.”
Sean cracked a smile.
“When you smile like that, you look like you’re plotting murder.”
“Not always.”
“What’s the deal with Surkar?”
“He’s being strategic. They were in it to win it. He knows he’s done, so he’s cutting his losses.”
“Why? They won’t get anything now. They’ll leave empty handed.”
Sean stroked my shoulder with his fingers. “So will Dagorkun.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Surkar and his people must have had a plan. The spouse-thing fit into it somehow, and whatever that plan is, they really don’t want the Khan or the Khanum to know about it. Dagorkun is smart. He doesn’t need much to put things together. Disclosing their minor ask might give away their hand, so Surkar would rather keep his mouth shut and go home with nothing.”
Huh. I gave Surkar too little credit. It was a smart move. Dagorkun was free to suspect as much as he wanted, but without evidence, he could prove nothing.
“Do you think there will be a civil war within the Horde?”
“It will never get that far,” Sean said. “Judging by their history, the Horde will find a new enemy soon, someone dangerous and vicious. And then Surkar and his tribe might find themselves on the front lines. Nobody wants to admit it, but part of the reason the Nexus war lasted so long was because the Horde needed a meat grinder. Their numbers are growing faster than they can manage. Nexus thinned those numbers and hardened the survivors.”
“But the Khanum was desperate to end it.”
“The Khan and the Khanum are not the only voices the Horde listens to. There are a multitude of tribes, the elders, the shamans, the bureaucrats, the honored generals who had distinguished themselves… Many of them saw Nexus as the necessary evil.”
He fell silent. There were a lot of dark memories there.
On the beach, Kosandion lay on his back, rested his head on Lady Wexyn’s thigh, and closed his eyes. The ocean lapped at the pebbles with a soft whisper.
“Unessa’s date didn’t last long,” Sean said.
“No. How much did they show you?”
“Nothing. The feed was delayed by about ten minutes, then they announced that she was feeling unwell and wished to return to her rooms. I sensed she was with you and Kosandion for at least fifteen minutes, so what happened?”
I sighed. “She showed up in a see-through dress and nothing else. He tried to get her to talk about her childhood and how she came to the Dushegubs. It was like talking to a tree. She kept smiling, and then she pulled her dress over her head.”
Sean laughed. “At least she is direct.”
“So is Bestata. Apparently, House Meer is all about a new strategic military alliance. Not as part of the Holy Anocracy. Just them by themselves and their new best friend, the Dominion.”
“The Warlord would just love that,” Sean said.
House Meer had been excommunicated by the Hierophant of the Holy Anocracy, meaning they were barred from participating in religious events or holding federal positions in the government. They had dishonored themselves by refusing to fight on Nexus, but they were still a part of the Holy Anocracy and subject to their laws and the mandates of the Warlord.
Technically each vampire house was free to make their own alliances; however, the Holy Anocracy as a whole already had a treaty with the Dominion. By trying to form an additional alliance on top of the official one, House Meer would be superseding the authority of the Warlord. They were playing a very dangerous game.
“That’s how wars start,” Sean said. “All the little secret agreements. If Bestata became the spouse, and House Meer went to war with another house or with one of the other powers, the Dominion would be dragged into it.”
“He’s too smart to pick her.”
“He might not have a choice. Tomorrow is Game Day.”
The elimination followed by a nine-hour trial. I sighed. “Yay.”
“I can tell you’re excited.”
“You know what? I am excited. One more day, and then he has to pick one of them. I don’t care who it is at this point. That’s his problem. I just want to rescue Wilmos.”
Sean kissed me. “I think you pushed yourself too hard.”
“I mean it. I don’t care.”
“You care about everyone all the time. You even care about what’s going to happen to Unessa.”
“They will probably eat her.” The Dushegubs were pragmatic. They didn’t feel affection, and Unessa was a source of nutrients. Since they didn’t need her anymore, they would…recycle.
Sean squeezed me to him. “They won’t get the chance.”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“Quite frequently, yes.”
I rolled my eyes.
He looked terribly smug. “What is it you tell me when you pull some surprise out of thin air? An innkeeper has their secrets.”
“I’m too tired for secrets. Ask me anything, I’ll tell you.”
“Do you love me?”
“That’s not a secret. Everyone knows I love you.”
“Even when I throw myself at pirate ships?”
“Even then. Although please don’t make it a habit.”
We sat together and watched the ocean until the date ended and we could finally go to bed.
25
The dates are over and Kosandion is refreshed after the gift of Lady Wexyn’s time and care. It’s the second elimination ceremony at the inn. Oh the pageantry, the sites, the drama… Hark, do I hear a ship sinking?
We were back to the arena for the elimination ceremony. The previous elimination went well, so I saw no need to change the layout. Everything was the same: the miniature mountain topped with Kosandion’s throne jutting from the arena floor at the far end, the enormous banners of the remaining delegations suspended from the invisible ceiling behind it, the raised center stage shaped like a plateau, and the narrow bridge that led from it directly to the portal chamber. The only difference was, instead of parking myself by the bridge, I ended up in the observers’ section.