Crossed Blades (27 page)

Authors: Kelly McCullough

Maylien canted her head to one side. “That’s one more way than I can see.”

“It’ll need your full cooperation.”

She straightened her shoulders, and inclined her head ever so slightly. “I owe you my life and my honor, not to mention my coronet, and I pay my debts. If it’s in my power to give, you shall have what you need from me.”

“Don’t agree to this blind, Maylien. It speaks well of you that you feel that way, but you’re a baroness now. You have obligations that outweigh anything you owe me.”

For the first time since she’d found me in the boarded-up remnants of the Gryphon, Maylien looked something other than confident, but only for a moment. “I don’t think you’d ask anything of me that would compromise what I owe my people, Aral.”

“I guess that depends on how you see things.”

“Do get on with it,” she said, more than a little exasperated.

“All right. I’m going to kill your uncle and, if you agree, I’m going to help put you on the throne of Zhan in his place. Then, you will release Jerik as well as most of the other prisoners. You will also shut down the office of agony and all the other abominations your uncle has slowly been reviving from the reign of the last King of Zhan I had to assassinate.”

“You’re going to what?” demanded Maylien.

Have you thought this one through, Aral?
Triss asked into my mind.

“I’m going to assassinate your uncle Thauvik. If we do this right, you will be the one to assume the throne when he dies. That’s going to take more than a little risk on your part, and, if we fail, your head is going to get nailed up over the traitor’s gate.”

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