Free Restoration (Rai Kirah) by Carol Berg

brow. “I told you last year that I’d have to bring the Hamraschi into line. They challenged my authority.”
    The Empire had seen increasing unrest in the previous year, at the time I was a prisoner in the demon realm. Blaise’s outlaw band had rubbed the hegeds raw, causing havoc by their pursuit of justice for the Empire’s populace. Several hegeds had declared their own war on the outlaws—and on Aleksander if he blocked their way. The Derzhi had stood at the brink of civil war. We had found a solution but had never believed it more than temporary.
    “I planned to wed their children into loyal houses,” said Aleksander. “It’s the way of things among us ... you know that. So I married Leonid’s eldest daughter to Bohdan, the son of the Rhyzka first lord. The match was suitable. Rhyzka is a venerable house. The bride gifts were paid—fine horses, gold. No shame or disgrace save that I did the choosing instead of Leonid.” The Prince leaned back against the wall. “Only I didn’t know Bohdan. A brute. The worst ... bloody Athos, a rai-kirah would have been better. And the girl ... she was only ten. Bohdan didn’t wait. Within a month, the child was dead. The Hamrasch custom is to bury their women, so Leonid went to retrieve her body, and he saw what had been done to her. Her name was Nyamot.”
    Thus the delicate flowers worn on the arms of the Hamraschi. A beloved daughter of a mighty house. “You are the arbiter of justice, my lord. Even for Derzhi, there are limits.”
    “Well, you see, that’s been the problem with my position. My father would not rule his own empire, yet everything I did was subject to his decree. Publicly he sympathized with the Hamraschi, ruing my misjudgment in arranging the match. Privately he forbade me to punish Bohdan, as the Rhyzka hold the border beyond Karn‘Hegeth—the most dangerous frontier in all the Empire. I could strip him of titles, burden him with taxes and horse levies—petty annoyances—but I could not touch a man who would brutalize a child. I could not give him to the Hamraschi for justice. I could not allow him to be harmed.” The carafe followed the silver cup into the corner, shattering into glittering pieces. “I’ve defied my father’s will in many things, but the safety of the border... it would have been legitimate treason.” Aleksander looked up at me, clear-eyed and bitter. “The worst part is that I believe he was right. My duty is to the security of the Empire.”
    And so Ivan had reaped the result of it, as would Aleksander and thousands of others. Nothing useful could be said. “Now the Hamraschi are courting Prince Edik,” I said.
    “No surprise. Jackals find the weak in any herd.”
    Voices murmured from inside Aleksander’s apartments. The Prince jumped up and stepped inside, motioning for me to stay where I was. “Yes, I’m still awake,” he said. “Not likely to be anything else today. Certainly not with all of you standing in here gabbling.”
    “Your Highness, messages have arrived.”
    “Send them up, and tell Hessio I want a hot bath.”
    “Aye, my lord, and something to eat ... ?”
    “Something ... yes ... anything ... Enough for two.”
    He stepped out again and dropped his voice. “Will you stay? I might need a strong sword arm today. I’m going after the Hamraschi.” It was spoken diffidently ... yet he had asked. He must be truly worried.
    But it would be a grave mistake for him to rely on me. “Today, yes. I’ll stay. But I can‘t—”
    “After today, one way or the other, I don’t think it will matter. You can turn yourself into a bird again and fly back to your friends.”
    To confess that my sword arm was no longer reliable would be no easy matter, and attempting to explain my madness would be worse. I tried to begin, but Aleksander gave me no opening. He thought I was trying to dispute his decision. “My lord, I cannot—”
    “The Hamraschi have murdered the Emperor of the Derzhi. There’s no