Free The Saints of the Sword by John Marco Page A

back, eyeing the emperor contemptuously. “You Naren lords are all alike. All you can see is more wealth, more lands to conquer, more people to enslave.” He rubbed his fingers together under Biagio’s nose. “This is all that matters toyou, Biagio. Gold. That’s all you’re about. You’re just about the goddamn money.”
    Biagio shook his head. “Look at me, Kasrin.”
    “I’m looking.”
    “I mean really look. What color are my eyes?”
    Kasrin shrugged. “I don’t know. Green, I guess.”
    “That’s right, green,” said Biagio sharply. He sat back in annoyance. “Once my eyes flared like two blue gems. Crystal blue, like the sky. Like Nicabar’s.”
    There was a trace of understanding on Kasrin’s face. Biagio seized it.
    “Yes, you get my meaning. I’m a different man now. What we did in Liss was wrong, but I was crazed then. I was on the same narcotic as Nicabar, and it drove us both insane.”
    “And now?”
    “I use the drug no longer.”
    “Why?”
    “For peace,” Biagio replied. “It is wrong for the war against Liss to continue. You know that. It’s why you refused to fight them. And why Nicabar calls you a coward. You see, I know a great deal about you, Blair Kasrin.”
    “No,” spat Kasrin. “You know nothing about me.”
    “You were born in the fishing village of Es’Trakla, just south of here. Your father’s name was also Blair. He owned a scow that brought in fish from the cape. Your oldest memories are of working with him on the sea where you used to dream of becoming a sailor like your hero, Nicabar. At the age of fifteen you were bitten by a moray eel. Took a good slice out of your arm—”
    “Enough,” spat Kasrin. “You can spout off a history lesson, Biagio, but you know nothing about the
man
. And you have no idea why I refused to fight against Liss, because the screams of women and children mean nothing to you. You’re a monster, like Nicabar, and I worshipped him when I was young because I was a fool.”
    “But you hate him now, don’t you Kasrin?” probed Biagio. “He’s taken your life away. No, worse! You’d prefer if he’d kill you. You wouldn’t have to hear peoplecalling you a coward then, and you wouldn’t be stuck in that stinking village, forbidden to set sail. Now your reputation is ruined, isn’t it? Nicabar has made a fool of you and your crew. And the
Dread Sovereign
is collecting barnacles while you get drunk and pass the time with whores. Nicabar’s waiting for you to repent. But you never will, because you think you’re right.”
    Every word of Biagio’s speech was true, and Kasrin managed a bitter smile. “Very impressive.”
    Biagio’s answering grin was terrible. “I’m not a perfect man, Captain. But I’m better than I was. And there are things I need to keep my Empire together. One of them is peace with Liss. I have bigger troubles to deal with, and these Lissens are weakening me. I must have peace.”
    “So? Go ahead; declare peace.”
    “I cannot. Our mutual problem is in the way.”
    “Mutual?” Then Kasrin understood. “You mean Nicabar.”
    “He’s obsessed with Liss. He’s been trying to conquer them for a dozen years, and it’s made him insane. And he has me cornered. The Black Fleet follows him, not me. They will continue to fight with Liss as long as he says so.”
    “He’ll never give up,” Kasrin agreed. He knew Nicabar too well to hope for that. Biagio was right. Nicabar was haunted by the Lissens. It was the only thing driving him these days. “But what can be done? As you say, the fleet follows him.”
    “Well, not exactly the
whole
fleet, Captain,” said the emperor. He lifted his wine glass. “Cheers.”
    The unspoken offer made Kasrin’s eyes widen. “You intend to go after Nicabar?”
    “Interested?”
    “I would be if it weren’t insane. Do you know what you’re asking? Do you know anything about the
Fearless
at all? It’s madness.” Kasrin snickered at the emperor. “Maybe you