The Saints of the Sword Read Online Free PDF Page B

will have them, and I will crush them.” He snatched his hand away from Biagio. “And you won’t stop me,
old friend
.”
    It was a poorly veiled threat, and it stunned Biagio. He got to his feet.
    “You will fight me, then?” he asked, struggling to control his resentment. “You’ll join in the chorus for my head? Why don’t you just sail your navy to Talistan, Danar? Join with the rest of my enemies?”
    “Your promise,” Nicabar insisted. “All I want is for you to make good on it.”
    “I can’t, you fool!” roared Biagio. “I am Emperor of Nar! I have more important things than your petty revenge.” He stalked around the room like a tiger, enraged and frustrated at Nicabar’s stupidity. “God help me, I can’t make war with Liss. I can’t even win back my homeland, because Nar needs me. We’ll have war if we don’t stop Talistan, Danar. Worldwide war. And if you’re off battling Liss, who will be here to stand against them?”
    The admiral merely shrugged. “Give me the fuel,” he said calmly, “and I won’t oppose you. I will fight my own war and win back Crote for you. That I promise. Just give me the fuel.”
    “And if I don’t?”
    “Then I will take the navy away from you, Renato. Iwill fight the Lissens without cannons and you will be weaker than you are now, with no navy.” The admiral grinned. “And no army.”
    Checkmate
, thought Biagio blackly. He turned slowly toward the window, stalling as he groped through the political maze. Nicabar was right. He had no army. The legionnaires wouldn’t follow him because he’d murdered their general. He was emperor in name only because he had the threat of Nicabar’s fleet behind him. Without that, his hold on the throne might crumble in a day.
    Yet Nicabar had forced his hand, forgetting that the emperor was the Roshann and the Roshann was everywhere. Biagio had made a life out of contingencies. The emperor sighed. He had loved Nicabar like a brother once.
    “That’s final, is it?” he asked over his shoulder. He saw Nicabar nod in the window’s reflection.
    “It is. Just keep your promise, and you’ll have no trouble from me. Order the war labs to release the fuel.”
    “I’m not wrong about Talistan, Danar. Gayle is planning something.”
    “The fuel, Renato.”
    “Very well,” agreed the emperor. “I will speak to Bovadin about it. He’ll order the war labs to provide your flame cannon fuel. You will have it by tomorrow.”
    “Then that’s when we’ll set sail,” Nicabar said, springing from his chair.
    “But you’re not going to Crote, are you?” said Biagio. “You’re planning to attack Liss.”
    Nicabar blanched. “How did you know?”
    “Oh, please, Danar. I still have some sources.” Biagio rubbed his hands together. “Well, that does sound promising. Liss itself! My, you are confident, eh?”
    “I can beat them this time, Renato,” rumbled Nicabar. “Once I’ve gathered the intelligence I need, find a weak spot to attack …”
    “Yes, yes, I’m sure you’re right, Danar. Good luck to you, then. But keep in touch, all right?”
    “Don’t be sarcastic, Renato. I am right this time. I will beat them.”
    You’ve been saying that for years, you fool
, thought Biagio.
    “Of course you’ll beat them,” he said. “I wish you all the luck in the world. And you wish me luck, don’t you, Danar? I mean, when Talistan rolls its horsemen into the Black City and all the nations of Nar clamor for my skin, I will have your best wishes, won’t I?”
    The two men shared a charged glance, then Admiral Nicabar backed away, shaking his head. Biagio thought of stopping his comrade before he left, but it was too late and Biagio wasn’t in the mood to apologize. Nicabar left the door open as he exited the parlor and stormed off down the hall, his two sailors falling in step behind him. Quick-thinking Malthrak shut the door again, guessing correctly that his master wanted to be alone.
    “Goddamn it,”