Hellhole Inferno by Brian Herbert

anger in his own voice, tried to calm himself. “Eminence, I appreciate your generosity, but I am more suited to living in the Crown Jewels than in the Deep Zone.” A slow death for her … yes, it would be more satisfying.
    She sipped her tea and smiled, not seeming to realize how much he detested the very sight of her. “That’s all right, dear Ishop. I’d rather have you here with me anyway.”

 
    13
    In performing services for her boss and lover, Laderna had traveled extensively, though few people ever noticed her movements. She was unobtrusive, intentionally so, and curious. She had gone to various Crown Jewel planets where particular nobles lived. No one saw her arrive or leave … but when she was done, the target was no longer alive.
    The “List,” as she and Ishop called it, had originally contained the names of twelve noble families—powerful families who had disgraced and destroyed the respected Osheer house centuries ago, then left them to wallow in obscurity afterward. When Laderna discovered the truth about his heritage, how his descendants had hidden or forgotten their past, Ishop had insisted on an appropriate form of revenge. Together, they had selected a representative from each family to die. Just to be fair.
    Of course, the descendants had nothing personally to do with the ancient crime against Ishop’s family, but the punishment was still easy to rationalize because the modern representatives of those twelve families had benefited from the ignoble acts of their predecessors. It was only appropriate for them to pay a price.
    Together, Ishop and Laderna had chosen the ones most deserving to die, or easiest to kill—and the two of them had made a game of going methodically through the names, taking turns or working together. Only the name of Duchenet remained.
    Now, as she stood at a window in a business hotel on Sandusky, Laderna smiled with anticipation. The streets of the capital city of Zensan bustled with efficient activity, commerce, research, secrecy; though it had a small population, Sandusky was still one of the core Crown Jewel worlds, run well by the Zenns, a noble family that made a great deal of money selling biological products developed in their advanced laboratories.
    Having checked into the hotel several days ago under an assumed name and cleverly forged documents, Laderna had observed activities in Zensan and the surrounding countryside, particularly noting the isolated research complexes. She inquired, ostensibly on behalf of her “fiancé,” about working at one of the Zenn laboratories.
    In preparation, digging deeper, she had learned details about Michella Duchenet. Her brother Jamos had been found dead (the matter muddied and covered up), and Haveeda had suffered psychological problems before disappearing decades ago. Laderna had her own suspicions about Michella’s murderous personality, even at an early age, and that her sister had been pressed into silence. Extreme silence. She’d vanished without a trace.
    But Laderna would find her. And kill her … a pathetic representative of the last family name on the list. It was the victory she needed, and she wasn’t convinced Michella would even be disappointed about it.
    As she performed her quiet investigations on Sandusky, Laderna did not risk bringing up the name of Haveeda or Duchenet. She baited a man in a highbrow cocktail bar by asking him if any famous people lived around there. He’d rattled off the names of eminent biological researchers, as well as nobles. Then, while nursing a drink, he’d added, “Of course, some say the Diadem’s sister lives on Sandusky as well.”
    Laderna controlled her excitement. “I suppose she’s in one of those mansions on Fairhaven Hill, with panoramic views of the city and the mountains.”
    â€œNo one’s seen her in years.” He snorted. “I hear she’s in a