Free The Pinnacle Of Empire (Book 6) by C. Craig Coleman Page B

watched as the man bent over to knock out a pebble from his horse’s hoof. Before he could remount, a striped motion shot from the shadows beside him. The emissary heard a bone crunch. With a single leap, the foodoo disappeared back into the undergrowth with the lifeless soldier dangling from his mouth. The jittery group hurried on across the plain along the river, which cut through it like a scar.
    The constant threat continued for the remainder of the two weeks it took to get through the Abysmal Pass and out onto the Senoshesvasian plain.
    * * *
    Coldly and formally in his throne room amid his curious courtiers, King Nindax finally received the imperial emissary, who was still unnerved from his passage through the nightmare gorge. A sweet, oily incense drifted through the dark hall where the crackling torches reflected the tension.
    “What message does your new overlord wish to convey to the King of Senoshesvas?” Nindax asked, his voice a hoarse monotone.
    “His Imperial Majesty sends his warmest greetings and requests your presence at his marriage to Princess Imperial Tottiana, Your Majesty. The emperor wishes to begin his reign in peace and on the best of terms with the kingdoms of Senoshesvas, Velstorbokkin, and Zenobia.”
    “We wished for no intercourse with the empire under Engwan IV; we wish none now with this usurper.”
    The messenger’s warm smile drained with the color from his face. “I assure Your Majesty, the emperor wishes to remain on the best of terms with Senoshesvas.”
    “Is that all?”
    “That is all, Your Majesty.”
    “Then take your leave from our court. Inform your emperor Senoshesvas will be no supplicant to the empire. We will tolerate no further intrusion into our territory.”
    The imperial representative bowed, but Nindax didn’t even return a nod. The shaken man withdrew, his head hung low.
    When the emissary was gone, the chatra handed Nindax a letter on the finest paper and sealed with magenta wax. The king looked up at the chatra. “Do you know this seal?”
    “I believe it’s the seal of Dowager Empress Helgamyr, Majesty. A sinister smile grew on his face.
    “Why would the dowager empress be writing to me?”
    * * *
     

5:   Nemenese Travels Urgenak Forest
     
    Saxthor was walking with Tittletot in the palace gardens when the diminutive elf suddenly dashed forward, whipping out the jeweled dagger Saxthor had recently given him as his sword. He leapt just in front of the emperor and thrust his sword in front of a plump, mottled wood slug.
    “Back, lurking dragon!” Tittletot commanded in a deep, threatening voice. “My lord passes before your unworthy being. Make way.” He flicked the slimy mollusk away and turned, grinning at Saxthor.
    Saxthor bent over laughing. At the same moment, a frantic new guard rushed up with his spear aimed at the tittletot.
    Tittletot flushed red. He dropped the dagger and stumbled backward into a thorny rose stem. “Ouch!” He jumped forward and glanced behind him. Then, jerking his head forward, he glared at the guard. “I meant no harm, just to amuse His Majesty.”
    “So I see, little man,” the guard said, unwinding. “Forgive me. From back there, it looked like you were attacking His Majesty.”
    “Yes, well, don’t let it happen again,” Tittletot said, his frown stern as he rubbed his rump. He cleared his throat, picked up his dagger, and wiped it clean as Memlatec approached.
    “Memlatec, this is Tittletot, our new court jester,” Saxthor said. “Tittletot, this is the High Court Wizard, Memlatec, the finest wizard in all Powteros.”
    Memlatec bowed deeply and smiled at Tittletot, but Tittletot looked askew at the wizard before returning only a slight bow. “It has been generations since I last met a tittletot. I hope we shall be friends,” Memlatec said.
    “I hope you won’t feel the need to vaporize so dangerous a menace as me. That overzealous guard nearly ran me through.”
    “Come now, Tittletot, Memlatec is