He had been ready to kill the emperor. Indeed, he had been eager for Harel’s blood. But for the second time that day he was forced to wonder if he might be better served by showing mercy. He doubted that the emperor’s men would willingly fight on behalf of the Qirsi movement. On the other hand, he was certain that they would lay down their arms if they thought that it would save the emperor’s life. Wouldn’t it be better to win the surrender of the emperor’s men peacefully, than to risk a battle that might cost the lives of his new adherents?
“All right, Harel. I accept your offer. I’ll spare your life, and in return you’ll surrender the empire to me. If you renege on this arrangement, or if you try to turn even one of your men against me, you’ll suffer a fate far worse than that of your master of arms. Do I make myself clear?”
The emperor nodded, dread filling his small green eyes.
Dusaan smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.” He crossed to the emperor’s writing table and quickly drafted a statement of surrender. “Come here, Harel,” he said when he had finished. “I want you to sign and seal this.”
The emperor joined him at the table and read the statement, tight-lipped and pale. His hand trembled as he penned his name, dripped a small puddle of red wax below, and pressed his seal into it.
Dusaan started toward the door. “Now follow me.”
“Why? You said you’d spare me! You gave me your word!”
“Calm yourself, Harel. I’m not going to kill you. But I am going to place you in the prison tower.”
“No! I want to stay here!”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible. You’re not a brave man, but you just might be fool enough to try to escape through those glazed windows of which you’re so proud.”
“I swear, I wouldn’t.”
“I don’t believe you. Now come along.”
Harel crossed his arms over his chest, managing to look Dusaan in the eye. “No.”
He didn’t have time for this. With a quick thought, he snapped the bone in Harel’s little finger. The emperor cried out, cradling his maimed hand with his whole one.
“Defy me again and the next thing I break will be your arm.”
Harel nodded, and when Dusaan opened the door and entered the corridor, the emperor followed closely.
They went first to Dusaan’s chamber, where the other Qirsi were waiting for him. They passed two guards, but at Dusaan’s instruction, the emperor said nothing to them. When they entered the chamber the other Qirsi stood, looking first at Harel and then at the Weaver, as if uncertain of what they should do.
“The emperor has surrendered Braedon to me.” He held up the rolled parchment. “I have his written word right here.” He paused, regarding the others. He could sense what powers they possessed simply by looking at them. He would need to face the soldiers next, and so he sought out those with shaping and fire magic. “I’ll take B’Serre, Gorlan, and Rov with me. Nitara, I want you and the rest to gather the emperor’s wives and servants and take them, along with Harel here, and put them in separate chambers in the prison tower. If they give you any trouble at all, kill them.”
“Yes, Weaver.”
“I want the emperor in the highest chamber. When he’s there, place a flame in the window that faces into the courtyard. That will be our signal to begin. At some point I’ll also want you to put Harel in front of the window so his men can see him. Can you do all that?”
She nodded and smiled, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
“Good. Now go.”
“Yes, Weaver.”
Harel stared back at him as he was led away, but he said nothing. Dusaan worried that they might encounter guards along the way, but there were several in Nitara’s group who had fire magic, and one other who was a shaper. They would be able to meet any challenge that presented itself.
“The three of you come with me,” he said, returning to the corridor and going in the direction opposite that taken by the others. They walked to the nearest of the tower stairways and descended to the courtyard, remaining in the archway. There they could conceal themselves, while watching the windows of the prison tower.
They waited a long time, and still the narrow windows remained dark. Dusaan began to fear that something might have gone wrong. Perhaps Nitara and the others had encountered more guards than they could handle. Perhaps Harel had managed somehow to win his freedom. Still they waited, and still they saw no sign of Nitara and her company.
“Weaver,” Gorlan began.
Dusaan shook his head. “Not yet. Give her a few moments more.”
The minister nodded and fell silent.
They had to wait a bit longer, but at last their patience was rewarded. A bright flame appeared in the highest window of the prison tower, and a moment later windows in the other chambers began to glow softly as well.
At the same time, however, shouts went up from the guard house in the upper courtyard. Soldiers began gathering in a tight knot near the building, many of them bearing torches.
“Let’s go,” Dusaan said. He and his three companions left the tower and strode to where the men stood.
“Where’s your captain?” Dusaan demanded as they drew near the soldiers.
A man stepped forward, his sword drawn. “I’m the day captain, High Chancellor.” He raised his weapon. “I’d suggest you stop right there.”
“Gorlan?”
The minister grinned. An instant later there was a sound like the chiming of a bell and the soldier’s blade splintered like glass.
Other men came forward, weapons readied.
“Call them back, Captain, or the same magic that shattered your blade will break their necks.”
“Stand your ground, men.”
The soldiers halted, though they kept their swords up.
“What is this, High Chancellor?”
Dusaan held up the parchment. “The emperor has surrendered this palace and this realm to me. From now on, I am your sovereign.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Look for yourself.” He handed the parchment to the captain and waited while he read it.
“You made him sign this. That’s the only explanation that makes sense.”
“Such documents are often coerced. That doesn’t make it any less valid.” He held out his hand for the parchment, ready to use mind-bending power if the man refused to return it to him. But the captain handed it back without a fight.
“It means nothing to me, or to my men. You’ll have to defeat the emperor’s army to take Braedon.”
“I’m prepared to do just that. I assure you, Captain, my powers, and those of my friends here, are more than enough to destroy your army. And if you’re not convinced, I suggest that you look up at the prison tower.”
The captain turned toward the tower, as did Dusaan. Clearly Nitara had anticipated this, for Harel was already standing there, peering out through the narrow window.
“Demons and fire,” the captain muttered.
“I’ll kill him if I have to, though I’d rather not.”
“What do you want us to do?” he asked, still gazing up at the emperor.
“Surrender your weapons and leave the palace. If you and your men do that, all of you will be spared. The emperor, too. If you choose to fight, you’ll die.”
“There’s only four of ’em, Captain,” said one of the men. “How much can four Qirsi do?”
“I need to talk to my men,” the captain said.
Dusaan nodded. “Of course.”
The captain led his men a short distance off, and began talking to them in low tones.
“What do you think they’ll do?” Rov asked.
“They’ll attack. Rov, Gorlan, we’ll strike first with shaping power. Just reach for your magic and let me do the rest. After that we’ll try fire. Rov, you’ll be doing both, so you’re likely to tire first. Give me what you can, and I’ll draw the rest from B’Serre.”
“Yes, Weaver.”
Dusaan saw two men slip away from the captain’s group and run back toward the guard house. There would be more men coming.