?
CHAPTER 1
Kazia
The summons tugs Kazia’s soul sharply enough that he cuts off mid-sentence. He’ll never be used to the sensation. Like stumbling while he stands in place. Ears ringing without a sound.
More insidious than the summons are Kazia’s own thoughts. Awareness. Helplessness. Five summons already this month, and it’s only the fifteenth of Wyrming.
This is so much worse than the last war.
“Your Highness?” Herald Hyda asks, bringing Kazia back to the present.
Right. Kazia is still in his parlor, taking his herald’s report. Fire flickers between the dragon statues. Rats rustle in their towering cage, one of the many things Kazia stole from the late Radovan Ark’s laboratory.
Kazia can’t remember what he was saying. “Let’s wrap this up.” Kazia jumps from his armchair, hunting for the jacket he flung to the floor earlier. “I forgot I need to attend His Majesty this afternoon.”
Hyda nods. She’s been in Kazia’s service for three years, an unassuming woman who doesn’t even dye her black hair. Stupidly tall, like most people. “That was everything I had to report on Sabora. How do you want us to handle this quarter’s report?”
Kazia finds the black and silver damask garment beneath his coffee table. He shoves his long hair back as he fishes it out. “Another decrease in estate revenue. Four percent.”
“On top of the two percent decrease from the fourth quarter?” Hyda frowns when Kazia nods. “That’s steep, Your Highness.”
Better to skip the jacket. Kazia drops it back on the floor. “Sabora always loses revenue this quarter, and people hardly expect profit toincreaseunder my management. Four percent now gives us room to increase a few percent later.”
Assuming Kazia’s still alive and sane by then. He shoves his hands in his pockets to stop their trembling. Fuck. He should be used to this.
Kazia hadn’t planned the embezzlement when he demanded the Sabora estate from his erstwhile adopted brother. Like most of Kazia’s plans, the demand was less a true plan than a dagger thrown into the darkness. Fling it at random and see if anything bleeds.
Then Vana actually gave Sabora to him, in some parting power play Kazia still hasn’t figured out. Kazia doesn’t care why—really. But the funds are useful for sharpening daggers, even if Kazia doesn’t yet know where to throw them.
“Any change in distribution?” Hyda asks.
“Double the gifts to Tem, Bernek, and Gabra.” There’s more. Kazia had more in mind, but he can’t remember it. “Hold the rest in reserve for now. Anything else urgent?”
“Nothing urgent. Drasgard Nevas asked about temporary severance. His mother is dying, and he’s out of regular leave.”
Lucky bastard. Kazia grabs his jacket again. He’d left his sturdiest hairpin in the pocket. “Easy enough. What did we do last time?”
Hyda glances at the jacket, but says nothing about Kazia’s fidgeting. “Egon slept in last month, and Yudra forgot to cork a wine bottle the time before.”
“Tell Nevas to break a teacup or something. I’ll throw another cup at his head.”
It’s a well-practiced routine. Most of Kazia’s household is under his parents’ control, but over the years, Kazia has carved out a faction of drasgard, heralds, and other servants loyal to him. When he needs to send someone away, he throws a tantrum and fires them. His temper is legendary, so the king’s seneschal signs off on a generous severance bonus without question. The level of personnel turnover means hiring people back is easy, too.
Kazia’s grip tightens on the jacket. The summoning sensation has long passed, but every inch of his skin still crawls. He wants to fling the jacket away, but Hyda is too observant. This is the third summons she’s witnessed.
“When’s the last time you visited your family?” Kazia asks. “You’re due a month off. Take the long way back from Sabora. You can accompany the gift to Lord Tem.”
Surprise warms Hyda’s face. “That’s kind of you, Your Highness.”
Moments later, she’s gone. Kazia drops onto the couch and presses his palms into his eyelids. The darkness doesn’t help.
Hyda is loyal. Kazia trusts her with his embezzling scheme, and while they’ve never spoken the words out loud, she’s smart.She’s surely guessed the purpose of his covert gifts to key nobles and mages.
Too loyal. Too smart. And as the distant cousin of a ruined house, Hyda didn’t inherit any magic—but what if that isn’t true? What if she’s secretly a mage? What if she tries to hurt him? What if she tries to help?
Kazia can’t allow anyone to learn his secret.
