Fear's Union

Chapter Thirty-Nine

—The Governor—

Jinqué entered the palace in a hurricane of urgency. "Get to work, immediately! I want to be out of here before that bastard sun is in the sky."

Unfortunately, his bastard servants were not quite in the same place. One man gawped, simply gawped, and he rewarded the idiocy with a punch to the face. When the gawker was sprawled on the floor in a growing puddle of blood, the other idiots caught the gist. Things happened.

"Lord Governor, what is the meaning of all this?" He turned and found his head of special services just an arm's length away. For a moment he considered sending this second idiot sprawling, but changed his mind. He looked up to this man. So much so that his neck ached.

"I'm afraid that this is no longer a place to call home. We leave immediately."

Damn this mess! He turned and went straight to his quarters. That deceitful whore had been here of all places. Here! And she'd followed him all the way to Callij. How did he not see that? And how did he not see the thread when she'd compressed his genitals with her head and leapt from the boat after disabling two of his deadwoods? He might have known she was a sapling. How many damned prick-firmers did they have in their ranks?

It was Anejo who grated worst. She would use this to shirk her crimes, and then he'd have absolutely no chance of retribution. This would disappoint his dead father.

And that was the worst of it. It was his fault that everything had unravelled so badly. His bloody fault, and now he was running like a virgin in a barracks. And where would he go? He was buggered if he was pleading, but there may be no other option.

"Lord Governor, you may want to elaborate on your commands. Your servants are in chaos."

It was Iago, his chief advisor. He could not run from the truth forever. He must confess to the man. The giant of special services was just inside his door, but he waved the man away. This was between him and his trusted advisor. At least for now.

"We have to leave Saphos, and Samal for that matter. The place is no longer safe."

"And why is that?"

This man had been on the boat all the way home, and yet he'd stayed silent even despite the heavy mood. He was a smart man, and this was reassuring. He needed to confide.

"I may have unveiled the deception of my father, and therefore, my deception, to the Mandari hierarchy." He expected gasps of astonishment, consternation, despair. All he got was a measured stare.

"Who did you reveal this to?"

"Anejo―"

"Which is not a problem. Of course she will make such―"

"―and, Aleña." He stayed silent. Alena's voice had rather more weight to it. He flushed and tried to cover his face. "I was deceived and cornered into the mistake. That bitch drew me a trap."

Iago wasn't a man for coarse language, and he flinched. Strange man.

"Then yes, Ahan will apply the pressure, and I have no doubt that the Nadari reign upon these isles will quickly draw to a close. But, Lord Governor, Ahan has a bigger problem at present. Would I be remiss to suggest that perhaps we have a bit of time?"

For the first time since Callij, he could properly read his options. Darkness was on the doorstep, and Ahan would be frantic. Of course Iago had a point.

"Then we should collect ourselves before leaving this place?"

"At least prepare ourselves for departure, yes. You never know, fortune may smile such that your secret never grows wings."