The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency #1)(48)

“You don’t even know me,” Cardenia said.

“With respect, ma’am, I disagree. I’ve known you for years. First through your father and his peculiar but fond relationship with you. And for the last year, I’ve seen enough of you to get a sense of you. If I know nothing else, ma’am, I know that you are worth being loyal to.”

Cardenia’s eyes suddenly welled up. “That’s one of you, at least. That’s a start.”

“What may I do for you now?” Deng asked.

“Can you bring back Naffa?”

“No, ma’am.”

Cardenia jerked a thumb back in the direction of Nohamapetan. “Can you tell this creep to take a hike?”

“If you wish it, ma’am.”

“But you don’t advise it.”

“I don’t consider it my place to give advice to emperoxs, ma’am.”

“I need someone to give me advice right now. I don’t have anyone else.”

“Rather than my own advice, let me tell you what your father thought of the Nohamapetans, to help you make your own decisions,” Deng said. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me telling you now.”

“Please.”

“He thought their ambition was admirable. He didn’t consider them particularly wise, however. He thought that left unchecked they would eventually cause him, as emperox, to, as he called it, ‘make a mess to get them back into line.’ Which is why he eventually manipulated the Nohamapetans into suggesting that Nadashe Nohamapetan should marry your brother. He believed that as a couple their ambitions were in accord, and that then the Nohamapetans would have a reason to act with less stupidity. That was his word, not mine.”

“So you think my father would want me to marry Amit Nohamapetan. To keep them in line.”

Deng looked slightly pained.

“What?” Cardenia asked.

“This will not be kind,” Deng said.

“Say it anyway.”

“Your father believed the marriage of your brother and Nadashe would work because they were complementary to each other. Complementary with an ‘e,’ not ‘i.’ He didn’t believe you and Amit were complementary. He considered you passive, and Amit unintelligent. And the marriage of the two of you would leave Nadashe, who is the power of her generation of Nohamapetans, unfulfilled in terms of ambition. And that would spell trouble for you. And for the throne.”

“Maybe he would have preferred I marry Nadashe,” Cardenia said.

“Oh, no,” Deng said. “She would have rolled right over you. Uh, or so your father believed,” he added, quickly.

“My father didn’t think much of me.”

“On the contrary, he thought very well of you, ma’am. He just wished your brother had lived to be emperox.”

“Well, Gell. So do I. But he didn’t. So here we are.”

“Yes, ma’am. And what are the emperox’s wishes?”

“When is Naffa’s funeral?”

“It is two days from now.”

“I will attend.” Deng looked pained again. “What is it?”

“I have a note from a Dolg family representative, ma’am. It arrived earlier and I’ve waited to speak to you about it. The family notes that your presence at the funeral would be a disruption, because the security around you would be immense, especially now. Also, Naffa’s parents are republicans, as will be many of the people at the service, and your presence might provoke some of those friends to do or say something improper.”

“They don’t want me to start a riot.”

“That’s the gist of it, I’m afraid.”

“I want to talk to her parents, then.”

“The letter also suggests that you wait on that, too. My understanding is that the parents have said they don’t blame you. But there’s a difference between not blaming you, and being reminded their daughter is dead because she worked for you. It would be … difficult for them right now.”

Cardenia hitched in her breath at that and sat silently with it for a few moments.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” Deng said, eventually.

Cardenia waved him off. “At the very least, I don’t want them to pay for anything.”

“Her parents?” Deng asked. Cardenia nodded. “You mean regarding funeral expenses.”

“I mean for anything, ever again. Their daughter’s dead. She was my friend. If I can’t do anything else right now, at least I can do this. Yes?”

“You are the emperox,” Deng said. “This is something you may do.”

“Then do it, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Deng stood. “Will there be anything else?”

Cardenia shook her head. Deng bowed, collected his materials, and moved to leave.

“Where will you be?” Cardenia asked. “In case I need you?”

Deng turned and smiled. “I am always nearby, ma’am. All you have to do is call.”

“Thank you, Gell.”

“Ma’am.” He left.

Cardenia waited until he was well out of the room before she had a good long cry, maybe the seventh or eighth she’d had since Naffa’s death.

Then she remembered where she last saw Naffa, and what Naffa had said to her. Not in real life, but in her dream.