Scratch, scratch.

There was no hesitation in the movement of the quill. If the mind envisions the big picture, the details can be resolved almost instinctively. The target is the empire’s stability and a smooth succession of power.

Iriyd observed the world from atop a pile of documents.

In the end, power is about controlling the flow of interests from the very top. Even disasters can be used to guide people depending on how they are handled.

The trick is to gather all the bad things into one basket, collect scattered beliefs, and attach wandering hearts to someone else. It …