"Come on, Lukan, not even you are this much of an idiot. You know exactly what-or, should I say, whom I want."
Lukan sucked in a breath. "Lynx, I suppose." Handing over a girl to his cousin would cost enough, but to relinquish Lynx, the girl he had craved for months and had yet to conquer . . .
Axel grinned.
Had his thoughts been so obvious? Damn him. Lukan realized Axel was speaking.
"-easy trade. I sort out your father, and you publicly renounce all claims on Lynx. In one fell swoop, I've solved all your problems."
Despite knowing that Lynx loved Axel, a flush of anger burned Lukan's cheeks. "And Lynx has agreed to all this?"
"I asked her to marry me, and she said yes." Axel's voice dropped. "Agree to this, Lukan, and you dodge the Dmitri Curse."
Dodge the Dmitri Curse? Lukan frowned. Was it that simple? If Axel married Lynx, would she no longer be a threat to him?
Perhaps.
As far as he knew, the curse's wording specified that a Norin princess's son would destroy her emperor husband. Would Lynx marrying his cousin nullify that clause? Lukan silently cursed Dmitri for not giving him the book. If he knew the exact terms, he could move forward with confidence.
Without answers, Lukan hedged. "What about Tao? My father despises him as much as he does me."
"I'll leave you to work that out."
Lukan fiddled with his button. Tragically, it was entirely possible his father wanted both him and his brother dead. That was complicated, though, and showed his father's complete ignorance of the dynamics amongst his three heirs. Axel and Tao were closer than brothers. His cousin's legendary loyalty to his friends meant he would never harm Tao.
Tao, with his spineless love of the low-born, claimed not to want the throne, but if it were offered to him, would he refuse? Lukan gave a tiny shake of his head. Of course not. No one would refuse the Chenayan throne. It was the greatest prize on the planet. Even Tao would know that he could do more for the low-born from the emperor's chair than he ever could as a mere prince.
So, while Tao lived, Axel had no easy access to ultimate power. He was forever stopped from advancing beyond Lord of the Conquest. Even better for Lukan, if Axel murdered Mott, Tao would stand as a protective shield between his heart and Axel's blade. Lukan knew his brother wished him no ill. All this weakened Axel's spread of tiles.
Maybe, just maybe, he could win this strategy game.
And then there was Lynx.
As much as Lukan craved her, she had humiliated him in every way possible. How could he reward that by giving her Axel? It was inconceivable.
Lukan straightened his back and fixed Axel with his most regal stare. "No."
"No?"
"Your ears are working perfectly. I won't trade you Lynx for my father's life. You are not the only person in the empire who could take care of him for me."
Axel hissed in a breath. "Are you completely insane? Has Thurban's voice finally driven you over the edge?"
Lukan lunged forward until his nose was almost pressed against Axel's. "What do you know about Thurban's voice?"
"Enough to bargain with you. You know the terms."
"Damn you, Axel, don't you get it? I'm not giving you Lynx! You have already robbed me of so much . . . my brother, my father's respect, my position amongst the Fifteen. They think the sun shines out of your arse-bastards don't seem to realize that you're a permanent eclipse. I'm not giving you Lynx as well." Lukan drew himself up to his full height. "Now tell me what you know about Thurban, or by the Dragon, I will make sure you never hold a position of power in Chenaya when I take the throne."
Axel stepped back, but his laughter sent a chill careening right through Lukan. "You are so pathetic. Lukan, this is my final offer. Lynx for your life. Accept it or die. Now. Because in ten seconds, I'm leaving."
Lukan's fist crashed into Axel's jaw.
Caught off guard, Axel's head snapped back. But only for a second. Lukan braced himself for Axel's fists, but his cousin surprised him.
Face hard, Axel leaned right up close. "Wrong answer. Watch your back, Lukan. You'll never know when I'm coming."
He strode off down the passageway.
A flush of icy horror washed through Lukan. He had hit Axel! The one person he needed most if he was ever to rule Chenaya successfully. He slumped against the wall as his mind struggled to process what he'd done.
Axel had baited him first.
That wasn't a good enough excuse. Cursing his temper, he shouted down the passage at Axel's retreating form, "I'm not without allies! I am well capable of protecting myself from any scheme you might hatch!"
"Sure you are," Axel called over his shoulder. "The only way you'll find anyone to support you is if you reprogram the jasper chips, burning your name in the brain of every guardsman in the country."
Desperate to be out of the cloying darkness, Lukan picked up the gas lamp and surged to the shortcut out of the maze. Slamming the door behind him, he lifted his face to the sunlight streaming through the window in the hall and closed his eyes.
But there was no time to relax in the soothing rays.
Despite his bravado, he had to rally some support to protect himself from his cousin. No easy quest, he admitted. With no service in the military, allies with fighting skills were thin on the ground. Perhaps with the promise of sharing part of his archives, he could bring a faction of high-born to his side? Head pounding, steps heavy, he turned to leave the room.
Count Felix stood at the door.
"Ah, Crown Prince," his uncle crooned, taking his arm. "Come, you and I have much to discuss and a very short time in which to discuss it."
Too shocked by his encounter with Axel to resist, Lukan allowed himself to be led away.
Chapter 37
Lynx stopped outside the door to her bedchamber and gripped Tao's arm. "I can't take my axe in there," she whispered. "The room is filled with cameras."
"Who is your lady-in-waiting?" Tao asked, just as quietly.
"Lady Tatiana. She wafts around, making unhelpful comments." The sour-faced woman had appeared at her door a couple of times, ostensibly to help Lynx dress. Lynx had not invited her into her room.
"Tatiana's bark is definitely worse than her bite. She would help if she knew it was for Axel."
Lynx bit her lip, surprised to learn that about her brittle lady-in-waiting. "But she's not here. I can't risk someone coming and seeing me with it."
He nodded. "True. What about Kestrel? Won't she cover for you?"
"No," Lynx mouthed. "I don't trust my sister enough."
Tao's face fell, and Lynx could only guess at what Kestrel's lack of trustworthiness meant for him. But the hard, cold fact was that Kestrel would never support destroying the empire while she could benefit from it.
"Look," Tao said, "there is nothing we can do. Just bundle the axe up in my surcoat and store it somewhere in your dressing room."
Keeping the weapon hidden, she quickly wrapped it in the fabric.
"Good." Tao smiled mournfully. "Now, I better go and find Kestrel. She was already angry with me for leaving her to come and look for you. I think she wanted to moan to me about missing out on the egg."
Lynx grimaced. "Go. I don't want you getting into trouble." She rubbed her temples, fighting a headache. "I'm really tired. Do you know what is planned for tonight's prenuptial festivities?"
"A dinner in the great hall. The chances of Lukan showing up are probably remote."
Lynx sighed. "Just because he can skip meals with impunity, it doesn't mean I can. I'll get cleaned up and join you."
Tao squeezed her hand, and Lynx stepped quickly into her apartment. Without stopping, she made for a heavy trunk, with a lock and key, in her dressing room. She casually put the surcoat and axe down on the lid and moved toward her clothes. Making a display of it, she removed a couple of dresses and carried them to the trunk. As she opened it, she scooped up the axe into an armful of clothes and shoved them into the trunk. She had just hung the key around her neck when she heard movement behind her. Alert for trouble, she spun into fighting stance.
Four priestesses stood in her room, with gloveless hands extended to her. Lynx exhaled sharply, her fists in readiness for a fight if they attacked her.
The eldest of the women, perhaps in her thirties, spoke, "Your Highness, we are commanded to invite you to join us for an evening meal."
"I'm not hungry," Lynx said, eyeing each of them in turn. With these odds, she would not survive long in a fight. Should she even be trying? Her eyes trailed to the curtain tieback, her closest weapon. Heavily corded gold braid, it had a large crystal bauble hanging from one end, making it an ideal whip. She edged toward it. "Who sent the invitation?"