The Crown of the Conqueror Read Online Free Page A

change my course on your counsel. Already the nobles are raiding their treasuries to see how many legions they can raise."
      "What have you done?" Askhos pushed himself from the casket and stalked towards Ullsaard. "What have you done?"
      Ullsaard stood his ground.
      "I thought you knew everything I did? Did you not hear my speech today?"
      Askhos frowned and thrust an accusing finger at Ullsaard.
      "Tell me what you have done? Why are the nobles paying for legions?"
      "I am simply doing what you did, mighty Askhos. Rights of conquest have been given back to the noble families."
      Askhos threw his hands up to his head and snarled.
      "That is madness! They will fight you and each other, scrabbling over the spoils. There are reasons I withdrew those rights, curbed the power of the nobles and the legions. The empire does not need them now."
      Ullsaard shrugged.
      "By the end of the summer, it will be irrelevant. Salphoria will be part of Greater Askhor and the nobles will be so busy counting their new riches and measuring their new lands they won't even have a second thought to my taking of the Crown."
      "A bribe? That's all this is? A bribe to the nobles to stop them arguing your claim to rule?"
      Ullsaard shrugged.
      "I was quite pleased with the idea. I came up with it myself. I will be going to Salphoria as well, to make sure things do not get out of hand."
      Askhos shook his head and slumped back against the coffin.
      "Take the Crown with you. Leave it in Magilnada if you have to, but do not be so far from it that I cannot see what is happening. You will need my help, Ullsaard. I have ruled this empire for more than two hundred years. What better advisor could you have?"
      Ullsaard considered this proposal for a moment.
      "One that isn't dead? One that doesn't want me dead so that he can reclaim his throne? Those would be a good start. I'm through with you. If I never hear from you again, it would be for the best."
      "Don't…"
      The whole scene shimmered and faded. Ullsaard felt his body disintegrating, flowing back into greyness.
      And then he slept again, and had no more dreams.

MAGILNADA
    Spring, 210th year of Askh

I
    The stink of beer and sweat was strong in the drinking cellar, tinged with urine from the piss hole behind a curtain in the corner. Gelthius was leaning against the uneven stone wall, his chair rocked back on two legs, feet up on the stained wood of the table. A half-full cup rested on his chestplate, kept in place by his clasped fingers. His helmet was tipped forward over his eyes, but he wasn't asleep.
      On the other side of the table, Loordin and Sergeant Muuril were indulging in some drunken finger-wrestling, hands entwined as each tried to twist the other man's wrist far enough to make him submit. Further down the table, Juruun was picking over the plates for scraps of food; he was always a hungry drunk.
      Next to Gelthius, Gebriun was slumped in a puddle of red wine, one arm used as a pillow, the other dangling uselessly. Gelthius's first thought was how much of a pain it was going to be to get the stain out of Gebriun's tunic. They'd all have to help; otherwise the whole company would be punished.
      But that was not an immediate issue; they had another day of leave before they had to head back to camp outside Magilnada. For the last three days, the Thirteenth had whored, drank and eaten their way through everything the city had to offer. It was a last gasp of freedom before they marched on Salphoria proper.
      Gelthius had mixed feelings about that. The advance duskwards would bring him closer to his family, but he was uncomfortable with the idea of Askhan legions tearing across Salphoria. There was no telling where they might end up and who they might kill.
      "Smells even more like shit than normal."
      Gelthius peered out from under the lip of his helm at a group of legionnaires staggering down the steps into the cellar.