Arwia nervously twisted her hands in front of her. “But how does that protect those here? With me?”

The queen furrowed her brow. “Don’t you have an entire city under your veil of protection? One currently being ruled by a man who was wily enough to take your throne from underneath you, and punish those citizens he is supposed to serve? He is harming your people, Arwia. Did you know that?”

“I suspected it, but…it was not confirmed.”

Sarratum Tabni crossed her arms over her chest. “My spies tell me a skirmish broke out several moons ago in your city—maybe right after you left Alu—between the poor and the wealthy. Those with coin, no doubt bolstered by the lugal’s favor to them, began tormenting the poor. Taking their silver after trading in the Libbu. Harassing their women. Worse. A group of the poor banded together and entered the Palace to stand in front of Uruku. They called for something to be done. For someone to be held responsible for the crimes. When he did nothing, they set fire to the counselor’s home. Several other homes nearby caught fire, too. That started the skirmish, which led to every single poor person who’d been involved in the initial group being killed in the Pit by the guardsmen as traitors.”

Arwia’s face drained of color. She pressed a knuckle to her lip beneath the birthmark.

“That is your new lugal’s way. My spies tell me he kills anyone, especially the poor, who oppose him. He’s been ransacking the ships that come in from the ports. Disrupting trade in the entire river region. Harming city-states much weaker than we are. That’s the man you allowed to take your throne.”

Sarratum Tabni looked up at the shrine of Linaza glittering in the soft light from the torches that lined the room. “Do you know why our goddess is so important to me and earns my daily worship?”

We both shook our heads.

“Because she knows there is a time to love and there is a time to fight. And when a mangy dog of a ruler brings a fight to me, I believe it is time to exact retribution.”

“But how will you do that?” Arwia asked.

“We attack the city-state with every weapon at our disposal. The full force of the Manzazu army.”

“But what of the innocents?” I blurted.

Arwia delicately stepped on my foot as Sarratum Tabni turned to me. When I swallowed, I was certain my gulp could be heard all the way down into the marketplace.

“My apologies, Sarratum Tabni. I spoke out of turn—”

“No, no.” She smirked. “I like your forthrightness, and I admire your sentiments, but innocents are always lost in war.” Her voice softened in fervor. “Our cause is holy. I will have retribution for the slaughter inside my city. He will pay tenfold with the blood of his citizens.”

Arwia bristled. “Those are my citizens.”

Sarratum Tabni pursed her lips. “Are they? You left those people in his care to save your own skin with no plan of taking back the throne. I would think someone desperate to care for her people would also be willing to do whatever it took to ensure his tyranny ceased. Taking him and anyone who stands with him down means peace in the region, a restoration of trade here in Manzazu, and protection for my citizens down the line. We must put down this rabid dog before he attacks with an even stronger bite.”