Arwia’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.
Sarratum Tabni looked up at the shrine, admiration in her eyes. “And Linaza supports my methods. It feels right to me in my soul.”
A fierce sense of urgency flooded through my veins.
“But what if, my lady, we could get Arwia on the throne without war? Couldn’t you simply send in a small band of Koru warriors to silently…kill him?”
My guts twisted that I was even saying the words aloud, as if taking a person’s life was a normal daily occurrence. Even wicked men were to be shown mercy, my abum used to say. Even Alani deserved a just trial.
Arwia raised her chin, the flicker of a flame burning inside. “Your Grace, I…I support you in restoring me to the throne.” She glanced at me nervously, her cheeks flushing, but continued when I nodded at her encouragingly. “You’d have a wonderful, loyal ally in me, and if you were provoked, I would always come to your defense. But Kammani asks a good question.”
The sarratum snorted. “You know nothing of the world yet, Arwia. A healer and one of my own Koru were slaughtered right under my nose. I do not want Uruku silently killed.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I want Uruku delivered into my hands very much alive.”
Chills ran up my backbone at the gleam in her eye.
“I must mount his head on my wall to display my strength in the north. The sarratum in Kush does not take me seriously enough as it is. And the lugal in Enlidu is even worse.” She held a fist in front of Linaza, her eyes burning with passion. “If I take his city and put an ally in charge, they will know what I can do.”
“My…my apologies, my lady.”
She inhaled through her nose, stepped back, and clasped her hands in front of her. “You’re forgiven. You’re young. Naïve.”
Arwia nodded. “Perhaps.” But indignation simmered in her eyes.
The sarratum sighed. “Arwia, please come live with me in the Palace for protection.” She held her hands out to us. “All of you. And when we’re through putting down the dog and disposing of his loyalists, you can take your rightful place on the throne and solidify an allyship that will last a lifetime.”
“Is that…an order, Your Grace?” Arwia asked, raising her chin just the slightest bit.
The sarratum assessed her coolly. “It is my strongest recommendation. For now, go. You can take a few days to pack. I’ve preparations to make since we go to war in half a moon.”
She flicked her eyes up to Ummi. “Commander, see them out, and keep them safe on their journey back home.”
“Yes, Sarratum.”
Ummi escorted us to the landing outside the temple and held out her hand. “After you.”
Arwia gnawed her lip as we walked lightly down the long flight of sandstone stairs to the Libbu below.
“Putting me on the throne has been her goal since we got here, Kammani,” Arwia murmured in a voice lower than Ummi could hear.
“Yes, I can see that.”
“Of course she wants our loyalty and allyship. Alu is closer to the ports! We could potentially restore order in the south and help rekindle trade up here in Manzazu. I’m so stupid. I thought she was just being kind, but she wants me on the throne for her own uses.”
“You’re right. It’s why she’s been giving you her advice as queen and protecting us here in the city. Nothing is free.”
“I see that now.” She glanced worriedly up at Ummi. “But this is a serious problem. She’ll hurt my people to restore me as queen, and they will have no reason to welcome me back if I align myself with the city that has just attacked it.”
“Yes. Uruku is the problem, not the rest of Alu. We need him—and only him—killed!”
So how do you do that? Get him alone and slit his throat? My abum had died that way on the road to the Palace. Or poison? Gudanna, Arwia’s former handmaid, had used monkshood on Lugal Marus. The poison was quiet and had caused very little fuss before I’d asked Dagan’s ummum about it. She’d trained as a healer with my father, and had recognized the signs of his poisoning because of her knowledge of medicinal plants.
Healers, like me, knew how to save lives, but we also knew how to take them.
My throat closed.
Though we had a serious problem, we also had a very clear—if terrifying—solution. It was as plain to me as the city of Manzazu stretched in front of us. The Libbu with people bustling around like beetles. The wide, squat houses with smoke trailing up to the sky. And beyond them, the river Garadun, a blue serpent basking in the sunshine, its curvy body wending toward other cities and eventually to Alu.
My legs jittery, I glanced at the woman who was supposed to be my queen. “Ah…this isn’t a problem, my friend.” I swallowed my nerves. “The sarratum said they’d go to war in half a moon, which is actually good news if you think about it.”
“How is that good news?” she squeaked.
“Well?” I lowered my voice, glancing back at Ummi, who was staring resolutely ahead. “It means we have half a moon to follow that river back home and…uh…kill him ourselves before Manzazu attacks.”
She looked at me, eyes bulging. “How could we possibly—”
“Like Dagan said! Sneak in! Get the ensis on board with you returning to power and then assassinate him. And”—I sucked in a deep breath—“I know who should do it.”
“Who? You?”
I blinked guiltily at her.
“What?” she squawked. “You’re not an assassin. None of us are.” She met my eyes and slipped on a stair, and I grabbed her arm to catch her.
“Are you all right?” Ummi asked from several steps above us.
“Just fine!” I waved.
“Yes, Arwia. Me.” Though Kasha and Nanaea were going to be hysterical when I told them I was leaving them behind to try to save their lives. Though my abum would probably join forces with the Boatman and haunt me forever for even letting this thought cross my mind.
“I’m not an assassin, but I do know a thing or two about—” I looked over my shoulder “—poison. I also know the city inside and out. I traveled each one of those roads as a healer. Many people there owe me a favor for healing them. For my abum healing them. I’d have allies who could protect me.”
“I don’t like it. You’re not a good sneak.”
“Then I’ll bring Iltani, too. She can talk anyone into anything, and nobody even knows who she is.”