Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
"Think?"
"Mostly, yeah."
"You want to talk about it?"
"I do not know what there is to talk about. My brother will have me murdered if I show myself, and yet if I stay in hiding, I will lose my throne. Either way, I do not end up the victor."
"Isn't there something you can do? Contact people that support you? Let them know you want to fight?" I watch his face, looking for clues. "Do you want to fight?"
He's quiet. Zhur stares at the panel of buttons and displays as if it holds the keys to the universe. Eventually, he looks over at me again. "I do not know who I am if I am not Heir."
That doesn't sound like a man who's upset because he misses his job. It sounds like a man that's never thought of himself outside the constraints of the job. "We can find out together?"
He hesitates. Offers me a meager smile. "I appreciate the offer but I think I need to figure my head out before I will be good company to you."
In other words, he wants to be left alone to stew over the situation. "I'll help in any way I can—"
"No." Zhur's response is immediate and firm. "You will do nothing of the kind. Anything could bring my brother's spies to my doorstep. If I truly wish to be safe, the best thing I can do is pretend as if nothing has happened. As if he is not cementing his claim to his stolen throne." The words are bitter and full of frustration. "My advisor told me to hide out for a few years, but I think he underestimated my brother's cleverness. I think we all did. Rem will set himself up to be a hero, a family man, and the people will love him. They will forget all about me, who is...less than popular."
I wince. It sounds painful to realize that someone else can swoop in, take your job, and everyone will be glad about it. "If it makes you feel better, I'm glad you're here with me." I say the words, and I realize they're not just platitudes. They're true. The crushing loneliness hasn't threatened to smother me since Zhur arrived. I've been sleeping through the night. I haven't picked up Nancy Drew in ages. I feel almost...normal again. Selfishly, I don't want him to go anywhere anytime soon.
But I know that's not fair to him. It's not as if I can steal his throne back for him, but perhaps I can do something that will make him smile. A distraction of some kind.
Heck, a series of distractions.
Immediately, I know what to do. The famous Nassakth's farm is one I've been curious about in the past—a homestead full of trees. The guy likes plants. If I get one that's doing really badly, perhaps I can show up on his doorstep and ask for advice...and have my fanboy husband in tow. It will seem natural. Organic.
Totally not calculated in the slightest.
First, though, I have to get some sort of weird plant that would necessitate me bothering a man who is known to be a recluse. I'll check with Skritch, but I might have to reach further. If only Kazex was in town, that bastard. I bet he would know where to get weird plants.
It might take a few days to set things in motion. Until then, I have an idea of how I can make Zhur feel better...at least a little. So I just smile sweetly at my husband. "I'll keep dinner warm for you. Come in when you're ready."
He grunts.
That's all right, I'll have him feeling better soon.
CHAPTER
SEVENTY-FIVE
ZHUR
I poke and prod at the computer in the barn, running maintenance scripts and checking settings. There's a lot of ignored messages in the log, of things like “nutrients are running low” or “your meat-stock need their monthly antibiotic, do you want to perform this function” and things of that nature. I'm guessing that Maeve has ignored them because they're not in English—she's not the most dedicated homesteader, my charming human wife—and so I go through them and handle the most urgent updates.
I keep waiting for my head to clear. For the calm to set in. For the resignation. It's not as if I have many choices available to me—I can stay here, hide out, and live, or I can return home, try to defend my throne, and die. The very fact that the coup happened told me that I didn't have the people on my side. At some point, I'd messed up and lost their support, and now I'm suffering the consequences. I should be grateful that I'm getting this chance to have a quiet life here with Maeve.
I should be grateful.
Instead, all I feel is helpless and frustrated. I turn over a series of ideas in my head. Can I hire an army of mercenaries to help me take back the throne? How do I pay them? How do I know they won't just turn me over to my brother for a larger sum of credits? What if I send assassins? Again, with what credits? Perhaps political maneuvering of some kind...?