“We understand their urgency,” Cardenia said. “The troopship Prophecies of Rachela is stationed here at Hub. We can dispatch ten thousand marines to End immediately if necessary. But we would hope the committee would remind parliament and the guilds that we were the target of the first of these attacks. We were the first to lose people. We were the first to suffer. We suffer still. For all that, we counsel patience. The people of End will suffer, one way or another, if we take their independence. Let us be sure.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ranatunga said. Nadashe said nothing. Cardenia nodded to them all, dismissing them.

“Lady Nadashe, we should like a word with you privately,” Cardenia said, as the other members of the executive committee dispersed.

“Ma’am,” Nadashe said, and stayed.

“I’ve received a letter of protest about your appointment to the executive committee,” Cardenia said, when they were alone, dropping the royal “we.” It was a signal to Nadashe that the discussion would be informal and off the record.

“Let me guess,” Nadashe said. “From the House of Lagos.”

“The House of Lagos is a signatory but not the only one.”

“What’s the problem?”

“They’re concerned that the House of Nohamapetan has too much access to me, between your presence on the committee, your previous association with Rennered, and the fact that your brother Amit is actively trying to get me to marry him.”

Nadashe smiled, thinly. “With respect, ma’am, ‘active’ is not the word I would use to describe it. Or perhaps more accurately, Amit is active. You are less so.”

“I made it clear to Amit that I would be in mourning for Naffa Dolg for a year.”

“Yes, you did. That is a substantial amount of time for mourning, ma’am.”

“She was like a sister, Lady Nohamapetan. And the mourning period includes the other victims of the coronation bombing. To attempt to shorten that period now would be disrespectful to all their memories.” The third reason, which was to buy her time before considering Amit Nohamapetan as a husband, was left unsaid, but both Cardenia and Nadashe were aware of it as subtext. “Nevertheless the perception stands among many houses that yours has perhaps too much influence.”

“I’d remind them that I was appointed by vote by the guilds. As the houses control their respective guilds, I am the choice of the majority of the houses.”

“This is true. The letter reminds me, however, that while the custom is for the emperox to accept the selections of the church, guilds, and parliament for the executive committee, the emperox may reject or dismiss a member if they are not to their suiting. The letter also helpfully offers up several examples of when this has happened before.”

“Do you plan to dismiss me, ma’am?” Nadashe asked, and Cardenia caught the undercurrent of tension in her voice.