In Her Shadow(13)

"You weren't hurt."

"No. At the last moment, I sensed him." His father had been a soldier once, a veteran of many campaigns, including the one that had taken this city. He knew the sense for danger soldiers got, finely honed by years of hazards and ambushes.

"Assassins, then."

"I think so."

The Governor motioned for a guard to come over. "Get rid of this," he said. The guard motioned for another, scurrying to grab the stiffened corpse and hurry it from the room.

"What does it mean?" asked Dux Lucius.

"I'm working that out. This is a rough city, we both know that. I'd expect a knife in the back from a mugger, but not an intentional assassination attempt."

"Why me?"

The Governor pursed his lips as he eyed his son up and down.

"Okay, stupid question. I get it. I'm the new Dux and I'm the Governor's son. Still, doesn't that mean I'd be a better kidnapping target than murder target?"

"You're forgetting something, son."

"What's that?"

"You're a Disciple on the Sun Triumphant."

"So it's religious?"

The Governor shook his head. "No, it's more than that. It isn't some weird symbolic assassination for darkness over light. It's that, because of your religion–"

"Philosophy. School of thought. Way of life. But not religion."

"You just asked if the attack was religious."

"I meant religious on their part."

"Fine, fine," said the Governor. "Let's not get pedantic. It's not important. Are you familiar with the last Dux?"

"No."

"Corrupt as the day is long. Took bribes from the abbey, from smugglers, from gamblers, from pirates. He had a home twice the size of this one. Large enough for a private vault, I might add."

"So it wasn't just that he was corrupt, but that he flaunted it and outshone you."

The Governor chuckled. "Exactly, but listen. They hate you because they know that if you – a Disciple of the Sun Triumphant – become the new police force in this city, you won't bend to them."

"There have been bad Disciples before. More than a few. That's why many of us become Disciples in the first place, because we are weak. Surely they would know better than to assume I am incorruptible."

The Governor clasped Dux Lucius by the shoulders. "But you are incorruptible. Don't you understand? Nepotism isn't the reason I asked for you to be assigned here. It wasn't that I wanted to rush sealing this last bit of our peace treaty and finally bring Ankshara into the imperial fold. It's because you live up to the ideals of the Sun Triumphant, hard and harsh as they are. You are incorruptible."

"Father–"

"No, listen. I thought this was going to work. We were so close. With your wedding we'd have closed the political gap between the empire and the ruling elite of this city. Ankshara's annexation and transformation into a safe, modern, imperial city would have been complete. And you're the man I wanted by my side to do it. But you're also my son, and I can't put you at risk. If they tried once, they'll try again. I'm putting you and Ava on the first boat–"

"No!"

The Governor stared at him, eyes wide with surprise. And Dux Lucius knew why. Such displays of emotion, certainly one that violated the notion of filial piety, were usually beyond him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just – I can't run away."

"I get it. You agreed to a thing, and according to the tenets of your religion – philosophy – you have to see it through. But what about Ava? Is it right to put her in danger?"

"We'll place my soldiers with some of your guards."

"You know how I feel about that. When word of the assassination attempt leaks, and it will leak, the natives might take soldiers inside the manse as a sign of panic, weakness. No. I'll book you two passage on the first ship I can find headed towards the imperial city."

"If I put soldiers at the gate, but not inside–"

"Soldiers can be bribed."

"And our ship could sink between here and the mainland. The Sun Triumphant isn't about mitigating risk, father, because that's impossible. It's about learning to deal with the impact of disaster, and learning to live with the choices we made – right or wrong – with dignity."

The Governor patted Lucius on the shoulder. "This city isn't worth your life. It's not worth your daughter's life."

"No," he said, "it isn't. But my word is."

"Your word is going to get you killed."





Chapter 6


Dux Lucius spent the day inspecting the barracks and armory of his garrison. The men were quick with their salutes, and well-drilled. In the absence of a real commander, Captain Marcus, the garrison's second in command, had taken over and established order. Though the soldiers were disciplined and trained, the once great fortress-keep they lived in looked as if bricks had been removed – probably sold off. The weapons and arms in the armory too, pawned by the last Dux to pirates.

Marcus was a good soldier, but he wasn't rich. No amount of training made up for the garrison's lack of basic supplies. It was little wonder the soldiers were ineffective against the thieves running the city.