Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
“This is bullshit,” Hayden muttered. “I was planning on using that time to continue recruiting protestors. People aren’t scheduled to grab trains into Bellcairn for several days.”
Nigel frowned at the older woman. “That’s exactly what they are trying to get ahead of. It’s also why they aren’t bothering to announce the change in the scheduling until the day before the ceremony. They want to reduce the number of people attempting to enter Bellcairn. They don’t have enough police and military in town to handle the crowd that’s here.”
“It will work for us,” Shey announced, and the low grumbling throughout the room stopped. “They are trying to keep protestors out of Bellcairn by moving up the event, but it means that New Rosanthe doesn’t have time to move in more soldiers to control the crowds.”
Adrian nodded. If the local authorities were struggling to handle the people in Bellcairn now, it wouldn’t get any better come the time of the ceremony. They would have to find a way to use that to their advantage.
“What do we know about the event itself?” Shey continued.
Nigel sucked in a deep breath and shifted the tablet he was gripping. He tapped the screen a few times. “Originally, Chancellor Feng was supposed to arrive at least two days prior to the event and stay at The Iron Bridge Hotel—one of the city’s most exclusive and highly protected hotels.”
Haru touched Adrian’s shoulder, drawing his gaze up. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
“It was on the same block as the hotel in which we stayed. The Lotus.”
Haru hummed. “Yes, The Lotus was a better hotel.”
Tyche snorted. “You only liked that one because you had half the hotel staff trained to jump to your every whim.”
Haru shrugged. “Why else would they be the better hotel?”
The three of them grinned, but Shey refused to join in the happy memory. His scowl seemed permanently etched into his face, and Adrian had a good guess as to why.
“When does Feng arrive?” the prince demanded, his cold voice sending a bitter wind through the room.
Nigel cleared his throat and shifted from one foot to the other. “Um…he’ll be arriving by ship and won’t be disembarking from the ship until that morning. From there, he is supposed to be driven in a highly protected motorcade from the military harbor to the capitol building. He arrives at the capitol building at approximately ten o’clock. He is scheduled to be in a series of meetings with local officials and leaders. At noon, he will hold a luncheon for his staunch supporters. At two o’clock, the flag-raising ceremony will begin, which will include a speech from the former president of Damardor, a speech from Chancellor Feng, and the playing of the new national anthem, which I understand sounds almost identical to the old New Rosanthe national anthem. From there, Chancellor Feng will return to the interior of the building for another shorter ceremony where he will name the new ‘governor’ of Old Damardor. His schedule has him in the motorcade prior to four o’clock and returning to his ship. From there, we hear some whispers that he is headed to Olan in Uris-Oladul.”
Case scoffed. “Not likely. There’s no way Feng is brave enough to show his face there. He’d have to have significant military support.”
“He probably does,” Jules countered. The young man squinted at them. “To rise to power and make such a bold move as taking over Damardor, Feng had to make a number of deals to keep his backers happy. So far, the war with Caspagir has not gone well, and the region is not prepared for Erya to enter the fight as Caspagir’s ally. Add in that Uris-Oladul has declared its independence from New Rosanthe, and things are now looking dire for Feng. His supporters have to be loudly complaining. To buy himself some time, he has to win one battle, and the easiest one would be pulling Uris-Oladul back into the fold.”
“But if we get rid of Feng in Bellcairn, Uris-Oladul gets some much-needed breathing room to stabilize, and Caspagir will have the chance to kick out the last of the invaders,” Adrian chimed in.
“What about Damardor?” Haru asked.
There was a long, heavy silence as Jules tipped up his face to stare at Haru behind smudged glasses. “The highest probability is civil war. The distance between Aswa and Bellcairn is shorter than it is between Aswa and Olan. New Rosanthe can move suppressive forces into Damardor the fastest.”
“However, that also depends on the next group to seize power in Aswa,” Adrian pointed out. “After the battle in the Ordas, New Rosanthe was left in chaos, and it’s been less than a year since the death of Emperor Naram Suen. With the failure of the Federation of Order, it seems likely that the people of New Rosanthe would push for an extended period of peace so they can rebuild their lives. They’ve got to be tired of losing sons, daughters, husbands, and wives to one senseless battle after another.”