“Except I didn’t implement them,” Magus said. “They are but half measures per yours and Gordian’s requests. We see how well that worked. The population still protests, and will wail like babes when we go the necessary additional steps to better prepare their souls. I may well have to rebuild the Dead Flags given the fits they are throwing.”

The Imperator referred to an argument that had raged for weeks between the three key leaders of the invasion. The Joining Laws were a strict set of measures meant to reshape conquered societies so they might better acclimate into the Everlorn Empire, as well as prepare the people’s hearts and minds for proper worship of the God-Incarnate. Depending on the land, the people could easily transition into these laws, or face terrible hardships. From what she learned of Thanet, and the religion preached by their god and goddess, she had correctly guessed this would be one of the more difficult transitions.

“Perhaps the people would be more willing to listen if it had not taken so long to kill the people’s heretical gods,” Gordian chipped in. Gordian Goldleaf was Thanet’s regent, the appointed political figurehead meant to replace whatever structure existed prior with a new royal court properly loyal to the empire. Sinshei was Thanet’s Anointed One, in charge of coordinating the Uplifted Church’s efforts to erase all memory of prior gods and convert the populace to the worship of the God-Incarnate. Magus held the title of Imperator, which meant he commanded the Everlorn Empire’s military Legion, made up of both soldiers and paragons. Together, they were the Three Pillars of Conversion. Every imperial conquest, great or small, was led by the same key figures.

Theoretically, the Court, the Legion, and the Church would work together to accomplish their goals. It rarely went so smoothly in practice. Each held significant influence and power, but the final say belonged to the Imperator. The plotting and carrying out of an invasion ultimately fell on their shoulders. Gordian and Sinshei could make life miserable for Magus, but whatever he demanded, he was given, and three months ago he decreed a watered-down version of the Joining Laws be put in place despite church doctrine recommending doing so only after a minimum of ten years’ preparation.

“You would blame my soldiers for the failures of your priests and magistrates?” Magus said, sounding almost bored by the attempt. “Spare me. It is your fault the people are reluctant to release their faith in their dead gods. They are, after all, dead, and that accomplishment belongs to my paragons.”

With Thanet’s timeline behind schedule, Magus would need someone to blame. That he went after Sinshei instead of Gordian did not surprise her. Even children of the God-Incarnate were not immune to the consequences of failure.

Especially the daughters of concubines.