Tempt the Devil (The Devil of Ponong series #3) by Jill Braden

I’ll call you a coward.” Voorus
flopped down in the chair next to Mityam. “Not you, of course. ‘You’ meaning
anyone who would do that.”
    “She’s safe enough, for now. I have the only key to her
cell.”
    Voorus laughed. “Do you think we’re stupid enough to have
only one key to any cell down at the fortress?”
    A bad feeling washed over Kyam. He felt stupid. “The
militia assured me–”
    “They lied. And you better be careful, because everyone in
the marketplace saw you take her to the fortress. If she dies, you’ll be
blamed. The Ponongese are already angry about the assembly law. Kill their
favorite outlaw, and who knows what they’ll do?”
    Kyam cursed. Was that her game?
    “I’ve warned you before what could happen if the Ponongese
decide they’re tired of us,” Voorus said. “There’s ten of them to every one of
us, and that’s just in Levapur. Do you have any idea how many Ponongese live
across the Jupoli Gorge Bridge? I don’t. None of us do. But I have a feeling we
will if QuiTai is executed this evening. They still haven’t forgiven us for
what your grandfather did to them before the rice riots.”
    “No need to lecture me about that,” Kyam snapped. He didn’t
want Mityam Muul to hear that juicy piece of gossip. As far as he understood
it, no one back in Thampur, and no one in Levapur, knew that his grandfather had
manufactured the crisis that eventually made Kyam governor.
    Voorus shook his head. “Thampurians think you gave us rice
to end the riots. What our people should be told is that she gave you all that rice, for free.”
    “The Devil gave me the rice,” Kyam said.
    “Why would the Devil help you? That rice was hers.”
    Kyam gave Voorus a sharp look. Ideas kept flitting into
his mind. The problem was that they flitted out just as quickly. There was a
tantalizing glimpse of something big beyond his perception. He wished everyone
would leave him in peace so he could try to coax it into view.
    “Meanwhile, the Ponongese now think she’s the only one
standing between them and a police state,” Voorus said. “Guess which leader has
the most popular support? You or her? Here’s a clue. We Thampurians have rice
now. A full belly forgets hunger.”
    Mityam snorted. “Police state? If the Chief Justice can
execute someone without a trial, this already is one. Poor deluded fools,
thinking only the guilty are arrested.”
    When had Voorus gotten so insightful? Kyam suspected his
bastard half-brother had spent a lot of time in the past months learning at
QuiTai’s feet. What else had they done other than talk politics?
    “What do you expect me to do?” Kyam asked.
    “What you’re already doing. Find the real murderer and
free Lady QuiTai.” Voorus checked his watch. “Tick, tick, Governor. We’ll leave
so you can start your investigation. Call on me if you need any help.” He rose
and offered to help Mityam from his chair.
    “Was the militia at the scene already? Do we know exactly
when Turyat died? After all, there was at least half an hour between when I
last saw QuiTai at the wharf and when she came here.”
    “She was in my company the entire time, from the ride on
the funicular down to the harbor to the moment I escorted her into this
building for her meeting with you. I would swear to it in court if there were
such a thing as a trial in Levapur.”
    “No trial?” Mityam bellowed. “I don’t care if this is
Levapur. It’s a royal colony, and the law of the land must be followed.
Everyone is entitled to a fair trial.”
    “Yes, well, welcome to Levapur, Mister Muul.” Kyam’s dark
humor showed in a sour smile. ‘Welcome to Levapur, Mister Zul,’ had been QuiTai’s’
first words to him, before she’d stepped over him in the middle of the street
where he’d lain, bleeding, from the assault she’d arranged.
    “Thampurians only pay fines. Ponongese are hanged. There
hasn’t been a trial in Levapur in… since I was sent here,” Voorus