A Country Falls (Greatest Thief 3)

Chapter Three

"Deorun will not stop with Zianna."

Tannix's voice carried over the Navirian council. Dozens of nobles, advisors and generals sat around the long table, all of them watching him. Tannix stood at the head of the table. Queen Navire was beside him, and Mayah sat on the Queen's other side. A Navirian woman stood a few paces behind Tannix, translating every word he said.

Tannix looked spectacular. Like I had noticed in the barracks, blue wasn't a popular colour in Navire. The Navirians wore warm colours—reds and oranges, yellows and browns. That evening, the Queen was dressed in red and gold. Mayah wore a green Navirian dress I imagined had been made specifically for her. But Tannix stood out. Bright blue in a room that was just as orange and gold as the Navirians' clothes. Like a pool of water in a desert.

He was spectacular, and he was nervous. I doubted the Navirians noticed, but there were little details I could see. He kept instinctively trying to rest his left hand where his sword pommel should have been, but he wasn't wearing his sword. He kept clenching his right hand.

The most telling hint was that he kept glancing at me.

I was standing at the side of the room next to Mandell, trying to act as though I belonged. Mandell's arms were crossed over his wide chest, and I copied his stance. It wasn't impossible that I could be working as a guard, with the knives hidden in my belt. Not that I was confident enough to throw them in a room full of nobles.

"I'm not implying that Zianna is weak," Tannix continued. "But I will admit that their initial strike did us quite a bit of harm. Deorun moved on us. Unprovoked, they assassinated our king, and two of our most powerful lords. They tried to cripple us, to throw us into disarray, so they could take our cities. We were at peace, and in one night they tried to ruin us. My..." Tannix left hand reached for the sword pommel that wasn't there. "My father was assassinated in his sleep, and Deorun hoped I would fail to rule my city. Lady Mayah's city was burned. My lady?" He invited her to stand with a gesture.

Mayah stood up. She looked lovely in her Navirian dress. It made her look a little like Queen Navire—powerful and bold. "The man who led the attack on Talidor was none other than Prince Kalvahi of Deorun. He allowed his men to burn my city to the ground. They murdered my people, they violated and killed my handmaidens, and countless other women in my castle." The rage in her voice was shocking. She wasn't hiding any of her feelings behind a diplomatic smile. Kalvahi didn't deserve that. "Prince Kalvahi beheaded my parents in front of me, then dragged me to Deorun and threw me in prison. He sank to the utter depths of humanity."

There were gasps around the table, and a few whispered words were exchanged.

Tannix nodded grimly. "My men and I went into East Draulin—Talidor—and tried to rescue as many people as we could. We were captured and transported to Deorun. I was tortured and interrogated," he said. "The Prince's actions would have been deplorable even if our kingdoms had already been at war. But to attack Talidor and its people, in such a horrifying way, demonstrates their disregard for everything that has kept our kingdoms at peace for so long."

The Queen interrupted in Teltish. "Your account is worrying. War has rules, and it seems Prince Kalvahi is choosing to ignore them. What happened in Talidor was a tragedy. Navire will not support Deorun in their attack against you, but you must understand that bringing my queendom into your war is a very difficult decision. Currently, my people aren't at risk."

Tannix nodded. "I do understand your hesitancy, Queen Avaloni. However, there is no guarantee that your people aren't at risk. We are currently holding Deorun at bay, but if their armies get through us, there is no way to be sure they won't cross the Sweni River. Navire doesn't share a land border with Deorun. The Adymuss Mountains and Zianna separate your countries. If Deorun sweeps down our coast, as they're trying to do, what will stop them from attacking Navire?"