Free Women of War by Alexander Potter Page A

before a skilled hand swept them aside. “A preemptive move against Bract. Remove its alliance with Noitci by assassinating the First Daughter before her union, then remove the five who remain in the Bract Inner Circle.”
    The wrinkles mapped nothing worse than curiosity. “You’d sacrifice a powerful ally and two former lovers of mine to what gain, S’kal-ru?”
    â€œThe audacity of the strike would enhance our affiliation with Ordin, a House of significant future promise should Bryll help it survive its own impetuousness. At the same time, Arzul would lose its patron, removing it as a threat to Noitci. Noitci, its alliance cut, would in turn be diminished, as would any affiliations outside of House Bryll held by Noitci and Arzul, drawing both closer to Bryll. Finally, and most importantly, existing alliances would mean the Inner Circle of Bryll would dominate that of Bract in the next generation. The closest affiliations between Houses of true power. All Kraal would benefit.”
    â€œThis presumes success.”
    Skalet let herself smile, nothing more.
    â€œFew think in generations. They want gains now, in their lifetimes.”
    â€œ ‘What are lifetimes but strokes on a canvas?’ ”
    â€œYou quote N’kar-ro. Not easy reading, S’kal-ru. Again, you impress.” The noble paused, wrinkles deepening. “How has Bryll overlooked such quality as yours?”
    Not a safe question. “I should return to duty, Your Eminence.”
    â€œYour duty is to keep me company while we wait.”
    â€œWait for what?” Skalet’s own audacity shocked her.
    The courier merely nodded, as if she’d expected the question. “For fools, S’kal-ru, who lack your grasp of tactics. Oh, they see the same patterns, but rather than the prick of a pin in the hollow of a neck, the certainty of poison built for one, they prefer the sound of trumpets and mountains of rubble.”
    â€œA planetary assault force?” Skalet’s eyes widened. All she’d learned of Kraal pointed to a growing control and finesse of conflict, not a return to the devastating attacks that had almost ended this race in its infancy. “Against what target?”
    The other woman’s mouth twisted and she turned her head to spit decorously over her own shoulder. “Farmland. Factories. The uninvolved. The sous. ”
    Sous. Noncombatants. The quiet majority of Kraal, who served their affiliations through a lifetime of peace and accomplishment, fueling the vast economy that afforded the great Houses their wealth—by convention and utter common sense, untouchable.
    Until now. “You must stop them!” Skalet blanched at the ring of command in her own voice. “Forgive me, Your Eminence. I meant no disrespect.”
    â€œI heard none. Conflict as a challenge to advance a House tempers our society. Strip challenge from conflict and we become no better than Ganthor, squabbling for the day’s profit. Yet even that shame can be forgiven, with time.” Her fingers formed a gnarled fist, punching down through the air between them. “To attack those who provide for all? That, S’kal-ru, is to court our own extinction. Which is why I need you, Icicle.”
    Perhaps some part of Skalet remembered the Ersh and the Prime Law. If so, she made a choice to disregard both for the first time in her life.
    â€œWhat do you want me to do, Your Eminence?”
    Circles within circles, folded back on each other until the overall pattern of Kraal society appeared more an orgy of snakes than an organization of Humans—or those whose ancestry traced back to the same trees. Despite the perception of the non-Kraal, war had never been a game to those who created the Great Houses and defended them. They waged their power struggles without losing sight of the future or their desire to make it as they wished. There was much to admire in a culture that took charge of its own