Yashub scowled at us and wiped his mouth. “These warriors better not be bringing trouble to me and mine.”

“They’re not.” I cast a long look at Assata over Kasha’s head. “We will talk. Civilly.” I buried my fingers in Kasha’s hair and kissed his forehead.

“We can talk over here,” Dagan said to them. He shifted a moaning Rish on his shoulder and headed away.

Unease clawing at me, I followed him back to his tent, and we stood near the little seating area that he’d arranged in the dirt beneath a fledgling thicket of tamarisk trees. Dagan laid Rish on a blanket, and I sat next to him, trying to quell my dismay as I looked at the angry infection around my neat stitches. Took in the unusual paleness of his tan cheeks. I sprinkled some arnica into his mouth for the pain.

“I found Arwia.” Assata crossed her arms over her chest.

“I heard.” I looked up from Rish’s swollen arm.

“Wussuru is an obvious place to hide, and the traders talk. Wussuru is a few hours if you’re riding fast. It’s where I’d be if I were her.”

“Did you turn her in to the Palace?” An ache welled in my chest at the thought of what she might be going through if Assata had. Maybe she was seated by Iltani in a dungeon right now.

“No.” She paused, glancing at Ummi and Higal. “My old friends here told me the sarratum of Manzazu is planning to go to war to unseat him, so there is no need. There were hundreds of warriors from the queen’s army in Wussuru, waiting on her command to attack. Warad will be released as soon as it’s accomplished.”

Fear bloomed in my chest. “More warriors have arrived, Ummi?”

She nodded. “The sarratum finished preparations earlier than expected. We are assembling and forming a plan now, but more will arrive any moment so we can strike.”

“Why?” The question exploded from the very heart of me. “We are here trying to get him off the throne before you can lay waste to the city! We’ve only just begun. I’ve poisoned Uruku, and we’re meeting with some ensis to make sure she’ll have a majority vote. Can we not see if this works before you kill a bunch of innocent people?”

“No. Manzazu needs to strike hard. And swiftly.” Assata spat on the ground. “My son lies wasting in a dungeon. Shiptu is likely being flogged. Or worse. You know what they will do to a woman in captivity!”

“Assata, peace.” Dagan wearily rubbed his brow. “Please. I know what they can do. But you can’t go murdering people in the city to get to them! Have you seen the poor?”

“I’ve seen them, but they are not my priority. My son is.” She looked hard at Dagan. “And your mother should be, too. You’re simply afraid to do what you must!”

My throat felt raw as I spoke. “We are not afraid, Assata. I took him the poison myself! But everyone forgets the poor. Everyone forgets that lives are taken when war is waged. The Manzazu army will go into Alu, and anyone in their way will be slaughtered, bloodied, and maimed. The guardsmen have doubled since we were last there, and even boys barely older than Rish and Kasha are called into service. They stand no chance against this army!”