Thus it was that most of Shammara’s work was done for her without the need for further bloodshed. As she’d hoped, one dramatic gesture at the beginning of her coup had so frightened her opposition that additional gestures were unnecessary. One lesson for the wise sufficed.
With that much accomplished, Shammara waited. Soon, word would come from King Basir about Prince Ahmad’s death upon the road at the hands of brigands, and then Shammara could put the remainder of her plan into operation. Once the prince was officially dead, not even his most loyal supporters could deny her son Haroun the throne, for his inheritance had been specified by King Shunnar on his deathbed. Thus would her triumph become complete and her mastery over Ravan become absolute.
Shammara waited patiently for a week,
