Read Online 02 - Nagash the Unbroken by Mike Lee - (ebook by Undead) - Free Book Online
Authors: Mike Lee - (ebook by Undead)
Tags: Warhammer, Time of Legends
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gone,
Neferata snatched her mask from a nervous-looking servant and stormed down the
stairs to the lower floor.
She found Lamashizzar along one of the twisting garden pathways that led from
the council space. The king was surrounded by a number of senior scribes, who
were presenting drafts of various trade agreements for his approval. He looked
up as she approached, and the self-satisfied smile on his face vanished.
“I must speak to you,” Neferata said icily. “Now.”
The king’s eyes narrowed angrily, but Neferata met his stare without
flinching. After a long moment he dismissed the scribes, who wasted no time
withdrawing down the garden path.
“I’m starting to think W’soran was right, all those years ago,” he growled at
her. “You seem to have a problem with understanding your place, sister.”
Neferata stepped close to him, turning her masked face up to his. “Did you
read a single thing I wrote, brother? I made the words as simple as I could,”
she hissed. The vehemence in her voice surprised even herself, but she was too
frustrated to hold it back. “Give. Khemri. To. Shepret. Is that too complex an
idea for you to grasp?”
“Why in the name of all the gods would I do such a thing?” Lamashizzar
snarled. “Hand control of Khemri to Rasetra? It’s ridiculous!”
“It was the perfect opportunity to cripple our most dangerous rival!”
Neferata shot back, her voice echoing within the confines of the mask. It took
all of her self-control not to tear the damned thing off and fling it into her
brother’s smug face. “Don’t you see? Rasetra hasn’t the strength to rebuild
Khemri and keep the lizard folk at bay simultaneously! Shepret’s greed
would have been his undoing. All we had to do was sit back and give him our
blessing!”
“And deprive ourselves of a major trading partner? Are you insane?” the king
snapped. “Has the black lotus permanently dulled your senses? These trade
agreements will pay our debt to the Eastern Empire and cement Lahmia as the
centre of power in Nehekhara.”
“Are you really as naive as all that?” the queen replied. “Our honoured
friends won’t abide by those agreements one moment more than they have to.
As soon as they’ve restored their cities and rebuilt their armies, they’ll form
a coalition and force us to negotiate terms that are more to their liking. Did
you learn nothing from the war with Nagash?”
The king’s hand shot out, seizing Neferata’s jaw and gripping it with
surprising strength. “Don’t speak of things you know nothing about,” he warned.
“I should never have let you advise Ubaid in my absence. It put too many
dangerous ideas in your head.” He shoved her roughly backwards. “If you know
what’s good for you, you’ll concern yourself with more proper matters, like
providing me with an heir. Or would you rather I stopped sending you bottles of
elixir every month? I can always marry Khalida once you’re dead and gone.”
Lamashizzar’s words cut through Neferata like a knife. And it was no empty
threat, she could see the truth of it in his eyes. She was trapped. He could
withhold Nagash’s elixir any time he liked and simply wait for her to die.
Rapid footfalls sounded down the garden path. Neferata turned to see a pair
of royal guardsmen appear, obviously drawn by the heated exchange. Lamashizzar
acknowledged them with a curt nod.
“The queen has grown overexcited from the events of the day,” he told them.
“Conduct her to the Women’s Palace at once, and inform her maids that she’s to
be given a draught to help her rest.”
Lamashizzar took the queen by the arm and handed her to the guards as though
she were a child. Neferata felt herself moving, as though in the grip of a
dream, as the warriors took her back to her gilded prison.
TWO
The Burning Stone
The Bitter Sea, in the 76th year of Asaph the Beautiful
(-1600 Imperial Reckoning)
As it happened, using the glowing
Neferata snatched her mask from a nervous-looking servant and stormed down the
stairs to the lower floor.
She found Lamashizzar along one of the twisting garden pathways that led from
the council space. The king was surrounded by a number of senior scribes, who
were presenting drafts of various trade agreements for his approval. He looked
up as she approached, and the self-satisfied smile on his face vanished.
“I must speak to you,” Neferata said icily. “Now.”
The king’s eyes narrowed angrily, but Neferata met his stare without
flinching. After a long moment he dismissed the scribes, who wasted no time
withdrawing down the garden path.
“I’m starting to think W’soran was right, all those years ago,” he growled at
her. “You seem to have a problem with understanding your place, sister.”
Neferata stepped close to him, turning her masked face up to his. “Did you
read a single thing I wrote, brother? I made the words as simple as I could,”
she hissed. The vehemence in her voice surprised even herself, but she was too
frustrated to hold it back. “Give. Khemri. To. Shepret. Is that too complex an
idea for you to grasp?”
“Why in the name of all the gods would I do such a thing?” Lamashizzar
snarled. “Hand control of Khemri to Rasetra? It’s ridiculous!”
“It was the perfect opportunity to cripple our most dangerous rival!”
Neferata shot back, her voice echoing within the confines of the mask. It took
all of her self-control not to tear the damned thing off and fling it into her
brother’s smug face. “Don’t you see? Rasetra hasn’t the strength to rebuild
Khemri and keep the lizard folk at bay simultaneously! Shepret’s greed
would have been his undoing. All we had to do was sit back and give him our
blessing!”
“And deprive ourselves of a major trading partner? Are you insane?” the king
snapped. “Has the black lotus permanently dulled your senses? These trade
agreements will pay our debt to the Eastern Empire and cement Lahmia as the
centre of power in Nehekhara.”
“Are you really as naive as all that?” the queen replied. “Our honoured
friends won’t abide by those agreements one moment more than they have to.
As soon as they’ve restored their cities and rebuilt their armies, they’ll form
a coalition and force us to negotiate terms that are more to their liking. Did
you learn nothing from the war with Nagash?”
The king’s hand shot out, seizing Neferata’s jaw and gripping it with
surprising strength. “Don’t speak of things you know nothing about,” he warned.
“I should never have let you advise Ubaid in my absence. It put too many
dangerous ideas in your head.” He shoved her roughly backwards. “If you know
what’s good for you, you’ll concern yourself with more proper matters, like
providing me with an heir. Or would you rather I stopped sending you bottles of
elixir every month? I can always marry Khalida once you’re dead and gone.”
Lamashizzar’s words cut through Neferata like a knife. And it was no empty
threat, she could see the truth of it in his eyes. She was trapped. He could
withhold Nagash’s elixir any time he liked and simply wait for her to die.
Rapid footfalls sounded down the garden path. Neferata turned to see a pair
of royal guardsmen appear, obviously drawn by the heated exchange. Lamashizzar
acknowledged them with a curt nod.
“The queen has grown overexcited from the events of the day,” he told them.
“Conduct her to the Women’s Palace at once, and inform her maids that she’s to
be given a draught to help her rest.”
Lamashizzar took the queen by the arm and handed her to the guards as though
she were a child. Neferata felt herself moving, as though in the grip of a
dream, as the warriors took her back to her gilded prison.
TWO
The Burning Stone
The Bitter Sea, in the 76th year of Asaph the Beautiful
(-1600 Imperial Reckoning)
As it happened, using the glowing
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