A feint and a blow to her face, just clipping her jaw, sent Surah sprawling in to a wall. She cursed, raising her blade as her feet struck, sweeping the male offbalance.
Kausar swept in just then, disarming theguard.
“Choose,” the weapons master said coldly. “Defeat ordeath.”
The guard chose defeat–live another day and all that. Kausar bound his hands and knocked him in the jaw so he crumbled into an unconscious heap. Surah got to her feet, looking around. Both Geza's and Malin's males were diminished, weakappearing.
Geza and Malin were engaged in battle, circling each other with the ancient blades of their father's lineage. Malin was still in human form–no time to shift now–wary of the wingspan of his brother, but still fast andstrong.
Just when Surah began to think their charade was over, a new contingent of guards winged in from the ceilings, dressed in the dark purple and gray livery of the Mogrenfamily.
“Finally,” Ludargo said, a grim satisfaction in his tone. Surah started, turning slightly. She hadn’t heard the male approach. Another figure stood next to him, subtly covered in the shade of a pillar, a loose cloak pulled over head and shoulders. Surah turned back to watch the descending enemy, stifling a nastysmile.
When Lavinia herself appeared clad in body armor and carrying a blade, Surah suppressed a triumphantsmile.
* * *
"She took the bait,”Malin said quietly, blocking a strike. Geza shifted away from him smoothly, under the auspices of monitoring the newarrivals.
“Mogren!” Geza shouted. “You've come to help me defeat thistraitor!”
She landed lightly, her males surrounding her. Training cool eyes on the Princes, she spoke. “It seems as if your warriors and his are both depleted, leaving you bothvulnerable.”
“Yes, so tell your soldiers to attack!” Gezasaid.
Lavinia smiled. “Your line has been a blemish on the face of our people. I’m about to pop thezit.”
Geza stilled, even as she jerked her head. “Careful,Mogren.”
“Kill the Princes and a new government will belong to us,” she calledout.
“If that’s really the way you wantit.”
Malin said nothing, allowing his younger brother to do all the posturing. It suited Geza's youth better. Malin simply moved into position to defend himself, hearing the barked order from Kausar. Suddenly every warrior who lay still on the ground—well, the warriors who were aware of the ruse–rose to their feet, surging to block the Princes fromattack.
“Lavinia, halt!” Councilor Sajal called out. His stern voice filled the hall, drawing all eyes to him as he shed his coat. “My God, I didn’t want to believe in yourtreason.”
Her lip curled. “Treason? You want the inept rule of these genetically flawed Ioveanu’s ended as much as Ido.”
“What I want has nothing to do with your dishonor,” he responded acidly. “What? Will you raise your sword against a Council member and yourPrince?”
She paused, hand hovering in the air. Her males waited, unmoving until she gave a sure order forattack.
“Is this truly how your father wishes his house to fall?” The contempt in Sajal’s voice narrowed her eyes. “Very well.Then—”
“Oh, shut up,” she snapped, lowering her sword. Her soldiers stepped back. Looking at Malin and Geza, her mouth tightened. “It doesn’t mater–a trial will still give me the platform I need to gain furthersupport.”
“Who said anything about a trial?” Geza asked,shrugging.
“Geza,” Malin said his namewarningly.
“She tried to get us to kill each other. You want a nice little public spectacle of hertreason?”
Malin looked at his younger brother, face impassive. “Start ruling, Geza. The time for playing games isover.”
Geza growled at him. “You’re a fine one to talk–you got out of this incredibly boring job by claimingdisability.You have your entire life and youth to yourself to do with as youplease.”
Malin, were he younger, would have gaped at the envy in his brother’s tone. Surah strode forward, the grip she held on her blade still far too unsure for Malin. He made a mental note to do something about that,soon.
