A Confusion of Princes (42 page)

But she didn’t. Instead, he felt her voice inside his head.

:Are you relayed here?:

‘No,’ croaked Haddad. It had been an operational decision that he would not use mindspeech on Thrukhaz. He was alone, without relaying priests anywhere in range, and he had no contact with the Imperial Mind.

:Then know that Prince Xerkhan <> was assassinated ninety-four seconds ago:

The knife left his neck. Visknim sighed audibly, and clapped

Haddad lightly on the shoulder.

Her Prince was dead. When reborn, he would demand a new Master of Assassins. Haddad was an apprentice who had succeeded in his graduating mission. He too, would be serving a new Prince.

For the time being, they were no longer antagonists. Just fellow priests of the Emperor in Hier Aspect of the Shadowed Blade.

‘I knew it had to be a diversion,’ said Visknim as they left the caravansary by the back door, pausing before the ion curtain to fit their breath masks. ‘But His Highness insisted he had to have the dagger, come what may, and that I must go and get it. I suppose it is authentic?’

‘Copy,’ said Haddad. ‘Made a thousand years ago, though. Valuable in itself.’

‘Should it go back to your Prince, I wonder? Your former

Prince, I mean,’ mused Visknim.

Haddad caught the mental whisper as she queried the Imperial Mind, and also received the reply, as relayed by the priests in the now-deceased Prince Xerkhan’s ship in high orbit above.

:Dagger to be disposed of at discretion of Haddad

promoted Master of Assassins new assignment Prince Lowkwol

Diplomatic Service Ambassador Three ship out former

now orbit Thrukhaz Three tranship Sazekh Seven any ship for Groghok sector receive new eye new augmentation then any ship for Prolkamh Two:

The Imperial Mind kept reeling off orders and information, which Haddad stored for later perusal.

‘Congratulations, Master,’ said Visknim.

Haddad bowed. He felt no different. Perhaps when he received the additional augmentation, or became responsible for his new Prince . . .

Visknim handed the dagger to Haddad.

‘What are you going to do with it? It’s not of much practical use.’

Haddad took the dagger and looked at it with his single eye.

‘I think I’ll keep it. Not as a weapon.’

‘What, then?’ asked Visknim. Casually she raised her hand, an egg-shaped weapon suddenly visible. A figure in the shadows by Lerrue’s dome hastily raised her hands and stepped back. ‘The shuttle’s over there. No need to go through arrivals, we’ll just burn a hole in the fence.’

‘A reminder,’ said Haddad.

‘Of what?’

‘An enjoyable week,’ said Haddad. ‘What did the ancients call it? A time removed from normal cares?’

Visknim looked at Haddad curiously.

‘A holiday,’ she said finally, and he could tell she had queried the Imperial Mind. ‘You know, I think you are going to be a very odd Master of Assassins.’

Haddad inclined his head, perhaps in agreement, and followed her towards the landing field and the shuttle that would take him back to the ship above, and thence to the Empire.

His holiday was over. Soon, the real work would begin.

GARTH NI X was born in 1963 in Melbourne,

Australia. A full-time writer since 2001, he has worked as a literary agent, marketing consultant, book editor, book publicist, book sales representative, bookseller, and part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. Garth’s books include the award-winning fantasy novels
Sabriel
,
Lirael
, and
Abhorsen
, and the cult favourite teen SF novel
Shade’s Children
. His fantasy novels for younger readers include
The
Ragwitch
, the six books of the Seventh Tower sequence, the Keys to the Kingdom series. and the
Troubletwisters
series, co-written with Sean Williams. More than five million copies of his books have been sold around the world; his books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the
New York Times
,
Publishers Weekly
, the
Guardian
, and the
Australian
, and his work has been translated into thirty-nine languages. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.

www.garthnix.com