"Modina lowered her voice and said, "I'll tell you a secret--it's not me at all, really. Sure, on occasion, I come up with something intelligent--and I am usually surprised by it myself--but the real genius behind my throne is Nimbus. Amilia deserves everything this empire can give her for hiring him. The man is a wonder: quiet, unassuming, but utterly brilliant. If he had a mind to, he could replace me in a heartbeat. I am convinced he could organize a perfectly lovely coup, but he has no aspirations for power at all."