Radu did not know whether it was a relief or another dagger to his heart that Mehmed could not see how he felt merely by looking at him.

“What now?” Mehmed looked to Radu.

Radu felt his chest swell, his shoulders straighten to fill more space. “Now I send for the captain of the Janissaries.”

Lada shook her head. “Too risky.”

“It is a risk, but it is a bigger risk to leave the city’s Janissaries in Halil Pasha’s pockets. If he sees us today, he might betray us. But if we do not persuade him to support Mehmed, we will be fighting him in the streets.”

“I agree,” Mehmed said.

It was a simple matter to summon the Janissary captain to Murad’s chambers. Radu did not tell the servant who was requesting his presence. Kazanci Dogan was impassive upon seeing Radu, having interacted with him enough during the siege to be familiar. Radu smiled, waving for him to follow.

To his credit, Kazanci Dogan betrayed only the slightest amount of shock upon opening the door to find Mehmed sitting on an elaborately gilded chair, wearing deep purple robes and a dark red turban. He held a sword as casually as a breath.

“Come in,” Mehmed said.

Kazanci Dogan dipped his head in acknowledgment and entered the room, eyes flicking to either side as he took in the grim-faced men lining the walls. Lada still sat in the corner, one leg up on the bench, the other swinging lazily. She finished pulling a knot tight, then dropped the noose, letting it hang toward the floor as though she had forgotten it was there.

Radu felt a surge of affection for her that overcame even his anger. She really was magnificent sometimes.

“I was not aware you had arrived in the city,” Kazanci Dogan said to Mehmed.

“Yes, odd that no one saw fit to tell me my father was dying. But with things poised on the brink of change, I thought you and I should come to an agreement.”

Kazanci Dogan said nothing.

“During my last rule, we had discipline problems with your men. Have you been able to get them under control since then?”

Kazanci Dogan’s face betrayed a flush of red. “My Janissaries do more for the empire than any other soldiers. It is my job to make certain they are taken care of.”

“Of course. Remind me about the structure of the corps.”

Frowning, Kazanci Dogan explained that he was the head of all the soldiers and reported to by the leaders of each division and garrison. Mehmed nodded thoughtfully.

“And you owe allegiance to the sultan and none else?”

Kazanci Dogan’s voice slid out easily. “Yes.”

“But the sultan is not the commander. You are.”

“Yes.”

Mehmed nodded. “It is good that you are separate from the spahis and their endless politics. I value my Janissaries above all else. Tell me, then: What can I do to help you lead your men?”

Kazanci Dogan’s face turned shrewd. “We are tired, sir. The siege against Skanderberg was long and disheartening. Many of my men returned ill and have only recently regained their health. There is some concern that…” He paused, as though choosing his next words carefully. “…that when you take the throne, they might be thrown into another ill-advised, protracted siege.”

Mehmed tilted his head in surprise. “I have no desire to go against Skanderberg. That was my father’s quarrel, not mine.”

“Not Skanderberg.”

The intelligent confusion on Mehmed’s face almost made Radu smile. “Whom would I besiege? I already have an empire that needs attention, and I will need help and time learning how best to rule. I would depend on my Janissaries to be my hands in that. That is my only plan for their future.”

Kazanci Dogan made an uncommitted noise in the back of his throat.

“Tell me, do you think my father has run his empire well?” Mehmed smiled at the look of alarm on Kazanci Dogan’s face. “Come now. He is dying. It is not treason to examine what we can do better. For example, how do your men feel about their compensation?”

Kazanci Dogan cleared his throat. “There have been some complaints. We shoulder a heavy burden for the empire and see other men more richly rewarded.”

“I agree. My first act will be to go through my finances, determine where taxes are being misused, and divert all available funds to raising Janissary pay. I want you to think of an amount you feel is fair but generous. It is important to me that your soldiers—and you—know that no one values you or can take care of you as much as I can.” Mehmed’s smile dropped off, his eyes becoming as sharp as his tone. “No one can offer you what I can, and if anyone tried, it would be treason.”