Mount looked back at the slab. “It appears the duke miscalculated.”

“What are you going to do about the Count of Claremont?” Ghreni asked.

“For now he’s upstairs in a private room with six of my marines around him. He’s still out of it. I don’t imagine when he wakes up he’ll tell me the same story you just did, will he?”

“I couldn’t say,” Ghreni said. “I know he’s still angry with me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to suggest I was involved in some way. Other than lending the duke my bolt thrower, I mean. He wouldn’t know about that. Is there a recording from the office?”

Mount shook his head. “Security tells me the duke didn’t have any of that at Weatherfair. He called it his ‘place of refuge,’ whatever that means.”

Ghreni nodded, as if he didn’t know Weatherfair had no real security measures. “The next duke will know better,” he said.

“Whoever that is.” Mount motioned to the slab. “This one has no heirs and no close family, and the duke’s prenup with the duchess specifies she cannot inherit. Apparently there were trust issues there.”

“Isn’t there a protocol? As the emperox’s representative you’d have to approve whomever claimed the title, yes?”

“In the absence of a direct heir I’d be the one to appoint an acting duke, yes. My recommendation would still have to be approved by the emperox, of course. My first inclination would simply be to pass it along to the next-highest-ranking noble. Which in this case would be the Count of Claremont.”

“That wouldn’t be the best idea under the circumstances,” Ghreni said.

“No, it would not. There are a few other counts and barons who I would have found acceptable but some of them have fled the planet, and the others are either currently hiding or have allied themselves with the rebels, which makes them untenable. For now, anyway.”

“What if the rebel leader presents herself? Livy Onjsten, their general.”

Mount snorted. “I’m not going to appoint her just because the duke died and now she doesn’t have to overthrow him. They are still in rebellion. You don’t win a rebellion by default.”

Ghreni made himself look thoughtful and silent and waited for Mount to notice. “What is it?” Mount finally said.