Drust Chazhul could feel the flutter of expectation in the pit of his stomach. Edinja was dead and gone and, after tonight, Arodian would be on his way to join her. There would be no one to threaten him after that.

He thought momentarily of the mysterious notes he had received suggesting he was responsible for Edinja’s death, wondering again at their source. Could it possibly be Arodian? He couldn’t fathom how the man had managed it, but he didn’t dismiss the possibility outright. If the notes stopped coming after tonight, he would know.

He paused momentarily at the steps leading down to the fantail, fidgeting and edgy as he searched for and found a solitary figure standing at the aft railing. Lehan Arodian, watching the first silvery rays of sunlight creep above the horizon.

Taking a deep breath, he started down the steps to the fantail, eyes fixed on the other man.

“What’s this?” The sound of Arodian’s voice startled Drust, and he stopped where he was, still six feet away. Arodian didn’t bother to turn around. “You don’t have any bad intentions, do you, Drust? Sneaking up on me like this?”

Drust recovered his composure. “Of course not. I noticed you from the command deck and came down to say good morning. Beautiful sunrise, isn’t it?”

Arodian shook his head as he turned to face Drust. “The truth isn’t in you, is it? You knew you would find me here. Why not admit it?”

Drust feigned surprise. “You misjudge me. I am not that sort of person.”

Arodian came forward a few steps, away from the railing. “You are exactly that sort of person. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”

Drust felt a twinge of uneasiness. “I don’t see how you can make such wild statements …”

Abruptly, he was seized from behind, wrapped in an iron grip. A callused hand fastened on his throat, silencing the shout he was trying to make. He was lifted off the deck, his feet left dangling as he struggled in disbelief and terror to free himself.

Lehan Arodian walked over to stand right in front of him. “Little man,” he hissed. “You should have been content to warm the Prime Minister’s seat until I was ready to take it back from you. Did you think you could make it your own at my expense? Did you, little worm?”

Drust stared at him, wide-eyed. He thrashed harder, desperate now to escape. But the hand about his throat only tightened further.

“You should have paid better attention to what was going on right under your nose, Drust. You were so concerned about Edinja and me that you missed it entirely. Throw him over.”

Drust Chazhul was carried to the railing of the fantail, still kicking and trying unsuccessfully to scream, fear the only emotion left to him.

This can’t be happening!