There it was. Finally Soma knew where Magus’s questioning led. Truthfully, it bored him to tears.

“You guess at motives and ascensions, yet give me no reason as to why you even care, Imperator.”

“Then I shall abandon subtlety. I fear your loyalties lie to Sinshei, and it will be her orders you follow instead of mine. Sinshei may be of divine blood, and an Anointed One of the Uplifted Church, but I am Imperator. She is but the daughter of a disgraced concubine, not even in line as an heir. My will is the will of the God-Incarnate. I would hear from your lips an assurance that you will always obey, and commit no heresy or treason against the empire.”

Soma uncrossed his arms. His right hand floated downward, his fingers brushing the long handle of his spear.

“If you fear I will commit treason, then you anticipate Sinshei ordering me to commit treason. A dangerous accusation to make against an Anointed, let alone the daughter of the God-Incarnate.” Soma’s grin widened. “Surely I am mistaken in what I heard?”

His fingers tightened around the handle of his spear. Magus’s platemail rattled as he reached for the sword sheathed upon his back.

“Thanet is a long way from Gadir,” said the Imperator.

Soma ripped the spear off his back, twirled it thrice above his head, and then slammed it upon the table between them, the razor-sharp tip pointed directly at Magus. The table cracked, splitting the re-creation of Thanet in half as its center bowed. The Imperator never flinched.

“You speak to a slayer of gods,” Soma said. He yanked the spear off the table. “Save your threats for someone who would fear them. Good day to you, Magus of Eldrid. I do believe Sinshei is waiting for me.”

“And she will continue to wait,” Magus said. “I have a task for you, a simple one given your level of… expertise. A paragon and a magistrate are dead. Retaliation must be swift, and public. I know the location of a resistance cell, and I would have you expunge it from Vallessau.”

“And why did you not share this information earlier during our talks?”

“Because I do not trust Sinshei, and I do not trust you.”

Soma laughed despite the tension. At least Magus was painfully honest when it came to these little dances of intrigue.

“You decry games and hidden ambitions and yet rope me into your own. I do not appreciate the hypocrisy.”

The floor shook with the weight of Magus’s shield hitting the ground. His arm slid through the twin interior leather loops to grab the metal handhold. His sword remained sheathed, but his hand was on the hilt, ready to draw it free.

“I have given you an order, paragon,” he rumbled. “Will you obey, or will you defy?”