A Burning Sea by Theodore Brun (snow like ashes series TXT) 📗

shut. Leo thought every possible move checked, that no one could out-think him, no one could thwart his plans. But he was wrong. Because he was blind to what was right under his nose. And now, soon, he would become the man who lost the empire that had stood for seven centuries.

Even so, they had little time. The escort he had arranged to accompany al-Battal and his riders back to the Golden Gate would soon arrive. Katāros had chosen the rose garden because it was close to the Hippodrome stables, a discreet corner where they could stroll more or less undisturbed and out of earshot of any sentinels patrolling the palace.

‘You are late,’ said the envoy, his sharp voice cutting through the warm air, fragrant with the first rosebuds of the year. ‘I begin to wonder whether you are any use to us at all.’

‘How can you say that after what I have given you?’

Al-Battal scoffed. ‘What have you given us? We are still waiting.’

‘I don’t understand. You’ve had the information for weeks.’ Katāros felt a horrible, gaping hole tearing open his chest.

‘We have had nothing from you. Only the corpse of the Jewish woman. It washed up on the shores to the west. But there was no sign of a boat, no information. Nothing.’

‘But. . . but,’ he stammered. ‘She had it all. . . Everything was on her. Drawings, procedures, formulae. It was all there for you!’ Katāros was babbling now, feeling his beautifully constructed plans crumbling in his fingers.

Al-Battal’s eyes looked even blacker than usual. ‘Evidently she failed. And so have you.’

Thoughts of what he had done to extract the information from Nikolaos flashed in his mind. . . all of it for nothing. Nothing! The chasm in his chest began to fill with rage. ‘No,’ he hissed, his long nails digging into his palm.

‘Ibn al Kalb!’ swore the envoy. ‘It is worse than I feared then. The Egyptian fleet is already in the Marmara Sea. It will be here in a day. Two at most! Do you have the information still? In there?’ He pointed at Katāros’s head.

‘I think so.’ His mind was scrambling. ‘Yes. Yes! I have it. But it’s useless now. It’s too late.’

‘We can still get you out of the city. You must come with me right now.’

‘I can’t just ride out of the city. I’ll be recognized.’ He shook his head. ‘No. Fate has destroyed that chance.’

‘Fate? Bah! You mean your own incompetence.’

Katāros ignored the slur, his mind already busy, seeking, seeking. There had to be something else, something to give them leverage over Leo, something of value to him personally. And all of sudden, he saw it. ‘There may be another way to get this peasant king to submit.’

‘The time for submission is passed. We will take the city with the strength that we have.’

‘Inshallah, sadiq,’ Katāros nodded. ‘Inshallah. . . But if it is your fleet that is destroyed, we need a piece on the board that keeps us in the game.’

‘Do you have such a piece?’

‘No. But we could get it.’

‘Can’t you speak with a straight tongue, serpent?’ The envoy glared at him. ‘Tell me!’

‘The emperor’s daughter.’ Al-Battal frowned, but in Katāros’s mind it was all slowly falling into place. He smiled. ‘Here is what we shall do.’

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

‘It’s him. It can only be him,’ said Lilla.

‘But we need solid proof before you accuse a man in his position.’ Even now, after all that had happened, Gerutha couldn’t break the old habit of fussing over the silk cushions on Lilla’s bed.

‘Can’t you leave that, Grusha?’ snapped Lilla irritably.

‘Aye, if you’ll leave off your pacing.’

Lilla gave a mirthless chuckle and stood still. ‘Katāros destroyed the proof we had. But it all fits. We should have seen it sooner.’

‘And now Alethea is dead,’ Gerutha moaned. ‘If only I hadn’t told him—’

‘None of that makes any difference now,’ Lilla said coldly. But seeing Gerutha’s pained expression she added, ‘Anyway, you weren’t to know, Grusha. How could you?’

‘We do now, though. And we owe it to her – and to all the others – to see that he’s stopped.’

‘Yes, but how? Whoever we tell, what can we say but that some old beggar got herself murdered, and might or might not >have been able to identify the fire-maker’s killer?’

‘You have to try. Go higher than Katāros. Go all the way.’

‘You mean the emperor?’

‘Why not?’

‘Why would he believe me?’

‘Because you’re persuasive. He owes you and he knows it.’

‘What has that to do with anything?’

‘It will get you a hearing at least.’

‘He’ll just think I’m settling a score against my tormentor,’ she added bitterly.

‘Maybe. Or maybe he’ll see the reason in it. It’s up to you to convince him.’

‘He won’t see me now. He’s busy with the defence of the city.’

‘But this is about the defence of the city!’ exclaimed Gerutha. ‘What could be more important?’

Lilla shook her head. ‘Katāros controls access to him. I can’t reach him.’

The two women stood in silence, for the moment con-founded.

‘What about Domnicus?’ said Gerutha at length.

‘What about him?’

‘He has access to the emperor at least once a day when the imperial family take the eucharist. Katāros never attends.’

‘Perhaps. . .’ Lilla considered this. ‘Aye. If it’s the best we have. . . Let’s go to him.’

There was a noise in the other chamber. Gerutha shot Lilla a searching look then went to the silk drape separating the two rooms. There was a shuffle of feet on the other side and Gerutha threw it open. Across the room, setting down a tray on the ivory table with her back to them, was Yana.

‘How long have you been there?’ demanded Gerutha.

The girl spun round and gave a little yelp of surprise. ‘Oh, you’re here already! I went to fetch some refreshment for your return.’

‘You took your time. I’ve been back a while.’

‘It’s a long way to the kitchens.’ Yana shrugged, and picking up the tray, she crossed to the bedchamber. ‘My lady?’

Lilla plucked a goblet from