“Do you truly believe that?”

“Have I any choice?” She took his hand in hers and kissed it. “Your true enemy is despair. Surrender to it, and the gods themselves could not save you or your nation.”

Chapter Forty-four

7th day, Planting Season, Year of the Rat

10th Year of Imperial Prince Cyron’s Court

163rd Year of the Komyr Dynasty

737th year since the Cataclysm

Kunjiqui, Anturasixan

“Yes, my lord, it is magnificent.” Nirati’s eyes shone brightly as she hung on Nelesquin’s arm and stared up at the huge ship. In design, it reminded her very much of the Stormwolf, yet this ship was bigger in every dimension. The figurehead was a bear rampant, clawing the air as if, by the strength of his massive arms alone, he could drag the ship through the waves. “What will you call it?”

Nelesquin chuckled warmly. “This is the Crown Bear. I’m having my smiths create a crown of gold for the figurehead.”

She looked up, surprised. “What if it falls off?”

He turned to her and took her face in his large hands. “What if it does? Anturasixan could produce a crown for every person in the Empire-nine times over. The riches in this land know no equal-and the greatest treasure here is you, my love.”

She smiled and stood on tiptoes to kiss him. “You are too kind, my lord.”

“Only to you, Nirati.”

She smiled and looked back at the ship, secretly acknowledging the truth of his comment. Nelesquin had moved heaven and earth for his building projects. He’d required Qiro to find a slice of his continent where vast forests could be raised, then another where creatures suited to harvesting them could be created. Once that work had been done, mountains rose to create the valleys through which rivers would flow to carry the wood to the coast, and there the shipwrights could begin their work. Back in the mountains, yet other creatures burrowed, and fires burned within the mountains as smiths worked day and night-both of which passed swiftly there-fulfilling the demands of Nelesquin’s army.

Nelesquin drove everyone hard, and while he did grant them rewards for their successes, his punishments were often cruel and final. He tolerated no revolt, accepted few excuses, and seemed more content to have her grandfather create a new race that would bend to his will than retraining those who had already failed him.

Only once had she seen his darker side directed at her. Her fondness for Takwee had inspired her to set aside a portion of Anturasixan where surviving members of the races he’d destroyed could live in peace. Ever practical, Nelesquin would not destroy one group until another was ready to take their place, which gave her time to spirit a small population away.

When he discovered what she’d done, his fury had been monumental. She’d quailed and Takwee had bristled, baring her teeth. This show of defiance seemed to amuse him and broke his mood. From that point forward, he allowed Nirati her sanctuary. He referred to it as the Land of Lost Toys, and seemed further amused by what these creatures did when left to their own devices.

Fortunately, he did not have much time to observe them. “The Crown Bear will be magnificent, and I cannot wait to be on the ocean again. I used to love it so. Wind in the face, spray washing the deck. I was quite the mariner in my youth, but then other interests and politics drew me home to Erumvirine.”

He smiled, but his eyes focused differently. “Before the Turasynd ever threatened the Empire, the Dark Sea pirates bedeviled us. A great deal of trade came through Ixyll to Dolosan ports and across the Dark Sea to the Empire. The pirates preyed on all of it. The Emperor tasked me, among others, to crush the pirates. Fight them we did, and ended their scourge. I was part of the conquest of Dreonath.”

Nirati shook her head. “I know nothing of that, my lord.”

“No?” Nelesquin drew her down with him to sit on the grasses in the Crown Bear’s shadow. “I can barely believe subsequent events have eclipsed what was the greatest naval campaign ever waged. The pirates had gathered under one leader, a Viruk named Dosaarch. Outlaws all, and renegades against Imperial authority, they fought us tooth, claw, and blade.

“We chased them from the sea to Dreonath. The Viruk claimed a ruined fortress, saying it had once been a family holding. I don’t know the truth of that or not, but it was an evil place-a fell warren full of traps and sorceries that killed many a valiant man and hero alike.”

His face tightened as he spoke. “In that campaign, your Cataclysm was born-and had I known what would have resulted in years hence, I would have counseled my father to show mercy to the pirates. Whatever they could take in raids would be a small price to pay for the preservation of his Empire.”

Nirati caressed his cheek. “You could not have known the future, beloved.”

“Perhaps not, for men’s hearts can be as black as Gol’dun and we have no way of knowing.” He glanced down and snorted a laugh, rocking back slightly. “Back then, I was young and had many a companion I counted as good friends-men I would trust with my life; and not just men. As we went into Dreonath, a Viruk named Rekarafi was at my right hand, and Virisken Soshir was at my left. A few of those who would join me in the vanyesh were there as well. Some meant to win glory, but for many others the glory was in serving.”

She smiled despite recognizing the name of the Viruk who had attacked her brother, and kissed Nelesquin’s shoulder. “Serving with you should have been glory enough for any.”

“You’re right, of course, but many could not see the wisdom in that.” He frowned for a moment. “Back then, the provinces you now call the Nine were just provinces. You didn’t think of yourself as Naleni or Morythian; you were just of the Empire. You might owe your allegiance to a Naleni noble, but that was just a geographical descriptor, not any sense of nationality. In fact, generals and administrators often bore a title from one place, but served in another, which made it difficult for anyone to gather enough power to rival the Emperor.”

He smiled at remembering. “My father had two types of wives-just like the Emperors before him. Wives of blood were the daughters of nobles whom he married in formal ceremonies. Their children would be princes and princesses, and he could designate any of them to be his heirs. I was third from the throne when I went to fight pirates, and I shall admit I had hopes of moving up were we successful.

“His other wives were wives of pleasure. They, too, might be the daughters of nobles, but more often were highly trained courtesans who were gifted to the Emperor to curry favor. Their children, if there were any, were bastards who drew titles from their mothers, or earned them through merit. Despite their illegitimacy, however, they were treated equally at court with the rest of us, and many were the schools that vied to have them join up for training.”

Nelesquin’s smile split his black beard. “We had adventures in the Empire, but facing the pirates, that was to be the grandest of all. And so off we went, getting our feet wet with water and blood. While our fleet landed an army in the north, I took three companies in from the east. Rekarafi knew a way into the pirate stronghold and while their eyes were on the roads from the north, we attacked. We chased them down through that warren and I harvested Dosaarch’s head myself. I presented it to my father and he made me Crown Prince.”

“A position you certainly deserved, Highness.”

Nelesquin took her right hand in his and kissed her palm. “You flatter me, for you do not know how much I’ve lied in this recital.”

“I think you were far too modest.” She smiled. “If you were Crown Prince, why did your father not send you out to deal with the Turasynd threat?”