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guildmaster’s
attention.
    “Gods
of Light and Darkness…”  She whirled through the door without another word.
    Hoseph
pursed his lips in mild irritation and followed her through a lavish dressing
room and into an even more extravagant bedchamber.  The bedroom was dim, the
heavy curtains still drawn, and Hoseph paused to allow his eyes to adjust.  The
crossbow thumped down upon the expansive four post bed, and Lady T reached for
a robe.  With three steps, the priest reached the nearest window and pulled
open the curtain.  He turned to the glaring guildmaster as she tied the robe
tight around her waist.
    “But
the emperor’s blademasters—”
    “Also
dead.”
    “ Five blademasters?”  Lady T’s brow furrowed as if she didn’t believe him.  “I knew
that Lad was a weapon, but…”
    “Mya
also possesses some impressive skills.  She’s more than we thought.”  More
than I thought , he admitted to himself.
    “But
to kill the Grandmaster…it’s unbelievable.  They had blood contracts!  They
wore rings !”
    “Lad
never signed a blood contract.  It was the Grandmaster’s plan to force him to
sign one at this meeting.  He did, however, wear the guildmaster’s ring.” 
Hoseph nodded solemnly.  “I don’t know how they managed to circumvent the magic
of their rings, but the Grandmaster is dead.  I saw his body.”
    Lady
T’s eyes narrowed as she gazed at the priest.  “And where were you when this
happened?”
    Hoseph
waved an impatient hand.  “I tried to intervene and was sorely wounded.  I went
to summon the Imperial Guard.”
    “And
you couldn’t,” she wiggled her fingers in the air, “magic him out of harm’s
way?”
    Hoseph
breathed deep— Blessed shadow of death …—before answering.  His conscience
had pummeled him with this question all night.  He didn’t need her to remind
him that he had failed to save his master.  “As you said, they wore their guild
rings.  There was no reason to think that they could lay a hand on the
Grandmaster.”
    Lady
T frowned, twisting the ties of her robe in thought. “So what are we going to
do?  The Grandmaster held the reins of the empire.  Now those reins are cut. 
We’ve lost our political influence, our future.”
    “Not
so.”  Hoseph had already thought this through.  “There’s no reason why we can’t
gain back everything we’ve lost.  Crown Prince Arbuckle put off marrying only
to spite his father, but now he’ll have to produce an heir; the nobility
will insist.”
    “We
don’t know what Arbuckle will do once he’s crowned emperor.”
    “He’s
a weak-willed fool, Tara.” Hoseph’s lip curled in derision.  “He’s more
interested in his books than in ruling.  Have you ever known him to take a
vested interest in governing this empire or interacting with the nobility?”
    “He
hasn’t taken part because he hasn’t been allowed to.  We don’t know what he’ll
do.”
    “I
disagree.  Arbuckle has done exactly as he’s been told for his entire life.  If
he’s told that the people with experience governing this empire are willing to
take the reins for him, that he need do nothing but read his books and produce
an heir, he’ll do as he’s told.  If he needs additional incentive, we still
have the provincial dukes under our thumb.  They’ll do our bidding, or suffer.”
    “ Our bidding?”  She cocked an eyebrow at him.  “You forget that you’re not in the
chain of command, Hoseph.  You were the Grandmaster’s intermediary, not his
second in command.”
    Blessed
shadow of death, sooth me . 
As much as it chafed him, his position had changed; he would have to
cajole and compromise to get his way.  But in the end, it would all work out. 
Hoseph bowed his head to Lady T in silent acknowledgement.
    “Once
we have an heir, Arbuckle will be eliminated, and we’ll ensure that the child
receives the proper upbringing and training.  It worked once, it will work
again.”
    “And
who will