A chill ran down his back.

Haditha entered through the chamber doors and made her way up the steps of the dais. She had aged since Nantha’s death, but he still found her as beautiful as ever. Haditha stood proudly at his side, next to the throne. And in a quiet voice, as if they were the only ones having a conversation, she said, “You must do this, my gallant husband. No one else can draw the Imperium together.”

He looked at her long and hard, feeling emotions well up inside him as he thought of the good things she represented in his personal life — his anchor, his beloved wife, the mother of his children. In some ways Haditha was stronger and wiser than he was. He saw all he needed to know in her eyes.

OVER THE NEXT several days, Prince Roderick, soon to be Emperor Roderick, received messages from Directeur Josef Venport and Leader Manford Torondo, oddly similar communications in which each man offered both condolences and congratulations. Manford’s message sounded terse and false, and made no mention of the missing Anna. Venport’s message dwelled upon the “complex and difficult” situation surrounding the proposed Imperial control of spice harvesting and distribution operations. He said he hoped that Roderick would be amenable to “extensive consultation on the best way to move forward on this important commercial and strategic matter.”

Salvador had never been confident enough to stand up to Manford Torondo, but Roderick intended to be a stronger leader. He was not intimidated by the fanatical demagogue. And now that his sister had vanished, he had a great many questions for the Butlerian leader. But he would not protect VenHold’s position as the dominant power in the Imperium either. It was time for the Corrinos to become the power they were destined to be.

Roderick had the two message cylinders on the desk in his private study, adjoining the palace apartments he shared with his family. Haditha had been with him when he opened the messages, and they had read the letters together.

Glowering at the signatures, he swept the cylinders onto the floor and rose to his feet. “Those two men are tearing the Imperium apart, and I will not have either of them at my coronation. I will show them that I am not weak, nor am I afraid of either of them. This throne will no longer be irrelevant.”

He had ordered General Odmo Saxby to put the Imperial military forces on high alert, but years of Salvador’s rule had left them unprepared and in disarray. Their warships were customarily transported in VenHold spacefolders, and they were at the mercy of wherever the pilots took them. Roderick vowed to eliminate corrupt officers and whip the Imperial Armed Forces into shape, but that would take time and considerable effort. Some of the noble houses would not be happy to see those officers relieved of duty, because of the flow of political and financial favors that had led to them receiving their positions.

Roderick intended to begin with Saxby, a man who had very little backbone, despite his high rank. Obviously, he was being propped up by influential noblemen, but the new Emperor was prepared to battle them. If the Landsraad League fell, those nobles would lose everything.

Haditha agreed, but understood the battle to come. “Shall I take our children someplace safer? Or send them someplace safer, while I remain here at your side? If there is unrest, you will not want to be alone—”

Thinking of Nantha, they exchanged mournful gazes. Finally, he said, “Our living children must be kept safe. Javicco will be Emperor someday. And as much as I want you protected so that I can rest easy, I’d like you to remain here with me. I’ll need your advice.”

Haditha kissed him and headed for the door. “I’ll make all the arrangements … and I’m glad you’re not trying to send me away. I don’t think even Imperial guards could have made me leave.”

Chapter 80 (For too long, the Imperium has been)

Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen arrived in time to witness the unexpected coronation of Emperor Roderick Corrino I. Her timing was accidental, but impeccable.

In transit from Wallach IX, she was accompanied by Sister Olivia and six others, including four of the orthodox Sisters who had come with Dorotea. In her new role as Mother Superior, Valya wore a robe more ornamented than her previous garments, but her most important trapping was her confidence; her personality was both armor and sword. She was the leader of the unified Sisterhood and not yet twenty-five years old — although she carried thousands of years of experience from the Other Memories inside her head.

When the eight Sisters tried to make their way to the Imperial Palace, though, the celebratory throng made passage impossible. All around the city, Imperial soldiers wore formal cloaks and armor, protected by body shields.

The Mother Superior drank in details, asked questions, and quickly discovered that Roderick was about to assume the throne. Emperor Salvador had vanished in a space-travel mishap and was presumed dead — coincidentally close to the time when Raquella and Dorotea died.

Sister Olivia had parallel thoughts. “It seems to be a time for new leaders, Mother Superior.”

Valya responded with a thin smile and noticed the orthodox Sisters nodding. Keeping her voice pitched low, she projected her words so that only her companions could hear. “Emperor Salvador was no friend to the Sisterhood. Let us not forget what he ordered on Rossak — even Dorotea was burdened with guilt for her part in that. Let us hope that Roderick will be a different sort of Emperor.”

In the crowded streets, Valya sent two of the orthodox Sisters ahead to find other members of Dorotea’s faction, to inform them that the Mother Superior had arrived. When she and her companions finally drew in sight of the plaza that fronted the palace, Valya heard someone shout to them.

Among the gathered celebrants, she recognized a stocky woman who had once served beside her as an assistant proctor on Rossak, Sister Ninke. She was one of the women who had adamantly opposed the use of computers and had gone with Dorotea to the Imperial Court. Nevertheless, Ninke had seemed like a sensible person, not prone to hysteria.

As their Mother Superior, Valya would have to stop thinking of these other Sisters as traitors. She needed their talents, especially the Truthsayers, to add to the Sisters on Wallach IX. Trust, though, would be a long time coming, and loyalty could only be earned over time, through actions.

Ninke had more gray hair than before, though only a year had passed since they’d seen each other. Despite her size, she moved deftly through the crowds. She gestured. “This way!”

She led Valya, Olivia, and their companions around one side to a more open space. They flowed through clusters of people who were pushing their way forward for a better view of the coronation ceremony. When Valya’s path became blocked, she raised her voice and said in an authoritative tone, “Move aside! Imperial business!”

It wasn’t the forceful, commanding Voice she had used as a weapon against Master Placido or Sister Dorotea, but the people responded nevertheless. Spectators scurried out of the way, blundering into others as they did so. With surprised or angry glares, they looked at the troupe of women as they marched through.

Ninke said, “We received the transmission when your ship arrived, and the Sisters are prepared for your arrival.” Her gaze locked on Valya. “Crown Prince Roderick was expecting Dorotea.”