“My friend!” I grabbed her leg as she reined her horse to a stop. “You and the army came at exactly the right time. But how did you get through the gates?”

She declined her head regally, and up close, I could see all the work that had gone into her war attire. Nanaea must have spent hours perfecting it.

“Higal wanted to bring war, but I brought coin. Yashub let me borrow riches from Laraak to secure the victory. He had a whole chest of gold and jewels in his keep. I told him once I was sarratum, I’d pay him back double, and he took me at my word, especially when there were warriors at my back.”

Yashub was wealthy?

He’d been holding out on us. He could’ve been the first in line to secure Iltani at the bridal gifting. We were going to have to have a word with him.

“So when we came into the city, I distributed the coins and jewels to the guardsmen’s families to make sure we’d be allowed safely in. Most were willing to change allegiance. They only complied with Uruku’s command because of his threats. When I told them I’d be fair and would make sure they were paid decently, they were happy to comply.”

Goose bumps covered my arms. “You’re brilliant! You’ll be a wonderful, strategic sarratum.”

She smiled. “My thanks, friend. But Nanaea helped me feel like one, and both Ummi and Higal ensured it was so. They came together with the help of Assata. As Assata tells it, she disarmed the men who’d dragged her from the throne room, though they broke her arm, and sneaked out of Alu in a trader’s cart. She hid until nightfall. When she came into Laraak, she ate, and asked the warriors—all of them—to follow Ummi and Higal into battle. And they did.”

She looked back at Assata, who stood, talking weakly with Nasu, Higal, and Ummi at the entrance of the corridor, her broken arm already cradled in a makeshift sling. I’d need to set it soon.

Arwia reached down and stroked the neck of her horse. “But I have to go, Kammani, while everyone believes in me and the Manzazu army is still here. They’re giving me a chance, and I don’t want to mess this up. I want to show them that I’ll keep my promises to rule with grace. And”—she glanced worriedly toward the horizon—“I’ll need to repair the relationship with Sarratum Tabni. She wanted Uruku alive, so I have to send some messengers to her immediately with news.”

“Well, I’ll be here every step of the way to support you. Now I have to go, too.”

To find Dagan.

She blew me a kiss, nudged the horse ahead, and trotted toward the gate.

My throat tight, I wedged myself through a line of warriors who were leading away the guardsmen who’d surrendered. Nasu, Ummi, Higal, and Assata stood at the entrance of the corridor, talking softly, and my heart squeezed. I couldn’t just walk past.