Viola nodded. “Yes.” Gregor started to cry. Viola surmised much of what must have happened. He had heard the rumors from a staff member, or one of the guards. Her execution of Petrovich was so public, it would have been a wonder if Gregor didn’t eventually hear about it. But what he said next stunned her. “Are you going to try and kill me too?” “What?” Viola paled, sickened. “Sweet boy, no! No, I couldn’t […]

Viola turned towards the door, eyes alight. Then her gaze softened, and the magic dissipated. “Gregor.” Gregor Petrovich, all of four, stood in the door. He clutched at a small blanket, rubbing his eyes. He looked in the door, up at the grownups. “Viola?” He blinked a few times. “M’had a bad dream.” “The countess…” Viola rushed past the protesting Nalus. She had the blanket of her own off in an instant, and wrapped around […]

Viola’s eyebrow rose. “Excuse me?” “Let’s just pay the guards.” Nalus mimicked her voice. “And then we pay everyone a fair wage. And open trade, and squash any who oppose us. In short, we are going to make the world a better place, and everyone is going to accept it…because!” He pointed his finger at her. “You have done some great things. Stopped a coup, and flushed out the true traitors from the innocent bystanders. […]