by M. J. Scott
"Do you think Domina Francis will support us if you tell Aristides you want to free Eloisa rather than dethrone her?" There had been no further conversation once Sophie had agreed to talk to the emperor. Domina Francis had summoned minions from various places, and in short order they'd been back in the carriage. The gates to the palace grounds were already visible through the window. They didn't have much time.
"She seemed concerned with what we told her. I don't know how she will choose to act. But I'm not going to change my mind."
"I don't think you should," Cameron agreed. "But I do think you will need all the help you can get to convince Aristides."
"You think he's intent on a larger invasion?"
"He's an emperor from a line of conquerors. I think conquest is in his blood, and now he thinks Anglion is in his grasp."
"He hasn't tried for it before now."
"He hasn't had the opportunity," Cameron said as they clattered through the palace gates.
"You mean the excuse?"
Cameron shrugged. "It doesn't matter what we call it. But it does matter that he now thinks he has the means to his end."
"Me," Sophie said. She twined her fingers through his, her grip tight.
"Not just you. Us," Cameron said. "He may think he's dealing with you alone, but perhaps that's where he is underestimating things. We are a team, you and I. Always." He leaned down and kissed her hard. "If anyone wants this to go badly for you, then they have to go through me."
Chapter 17
"Have you come to tell me you have changed your mind, then, Lady Scardale? Do you wish to be queen?" Aristides leaned back in his chair and wiped his mouth with a napkin. They had been led to a golden pavilion set in one of the gardens, where the emperor and the crown price were having tea. Or a late breakfast perhaps.
Sophie straightened her shoulders. "Not exactly, Eleivé. I think there is another option."
"Why do we need another option?" Aristides asked. He crumpled the napkin and tossed it onto the table.
"Hear her out, Your Imperial Majesty," Domina Francis murmured.
Sophie waited to see if the emperor would object. Instead, he reached for his teacup and drank slowly. For the first time since Sophie had met him, he looked almost tired. A hint of shadow played under his eyes, as though he'd stayed up late into the night. When they'd first stepped into the garden he'd been yawning and calling for more tea.
Alain, on the other hand, was frowning, mouth pulled down. Sophie hadn't encountered the crown prince since the ball Aristides had thrown to welcome the first Anglion delegation. The one where a man had attacked the Anglion ambassador. Where she'd danced with Sevan and been called a traitor. Where Elarus had first appeared. All in all, it had been an eventful evening. Meeting Alain had been one of the least pleasant parts, which was saying something. He had forced her to dance with Sevan after all. She'd distrusted the prince on sight, and that had only sealed her first impression.
He didn't look any more pleased to see her than she was to see him. The deep green silk and linen he wore seemed to emphasize his discontent. Perhaps the heavy gold embroidery weighed him down. He was practically encrusted in it, his clothes nearly sparkling in the sunlight.
In contrast, Aristides was dressed relatively simply in a white shirt and breeches and long boots, as though he had been intent on going riding after his meal. Now he was intent on Sophie, and as he fixed his dark eyes on her, she forgot the sulky prince and focused her attention on the man who held the power.
She'd been hoping to speak to Aristides alone, but the emperor made no move to dismiss Alain, and Sophie could hardly request him to. Judging from Alain's expression, his father's offer hadn't warmed him to Sophie and Cameron.
The emperor put down his cup again, settled back in his chair. "All right, Lady Scardale. Speak to me of Anglion and your plan."
"I have come to speak to you of Anglion, yes," she began carefully. Aristides hadn't moved from the table and hadn't made any offer for them to sit. Even if he was currently out of patience with Sophie herself, she would have expected him to offer the courtesy to the domina. The table was only set for two but there were six chairs.
"Go on," Aristides said. He lifted his chin. "I take it from your presence, Domina Francis, that the three of you have been discussing Lady Scardale's...experience yesterday?" He glanced at Alain. "You do not need to stay for this conversation if you have somewhere else to be."
The crown prince smiled. The expression put Sophie in mind of a snake. Maybe that was because there were, once again, serpents embroidered on the prince's clothes. She shook off the sensation of dislike again.
"Oh no, Father," Alain said. "I am more than interested to hear from our Anglion friends. The politics on their little island have become quite entertaining."
The look he received from his father in response to this comment was unimpressed, but to Sophie's disappointment, Aristides didn't press the point and send Alain packing.
Domina Francis stepped forward. "In answer to your question, Your Imperial Majesty, yes, we did. It was an enlightening conversation."
"Oh?"
"I believe Lady Scardale's visions are true, Your Imperial Majesty. I am no water mage certainly, but I am a faithful servant of the goddess, and I believe that she has sent a message for us all."
The crown prince's expression turned sour again, but he didn't speak.
"And what might that message be?" Aristides asked.
"I think she is trying to tell me that Domina Skey has obtained some sort of influence over Queen Eloisa," Sophie said before the domina could answer. "And that if we free her of that influence, then Anglion will return to peace once more."
"Convenient," Aristides said. He reached for the delicate china teacup and sipped before settling it down. "I take it you think then that you can do this? Free your queen and then what...return here? Or settle back in Anglion in relative freedom?"
"I'm not sure what would come after," Sophie said.
"Other than you not being queen? That wasn't the offer I made, Lady Scardale."
"But this is a better one, Your Imperial Majesty," Sophie said. "If we're correct and Domina Skey is the true problem, then we can remove her, and you will have a queen who was raised for the job in place."
"With a temple in disarray presumably. What makes you think your queen would take kindly to that?"
"I know Eloisa," Sophie said. "She always knows her own mind. She didn't take politics lightly. I do not think she would be anything other than grateful to be released if the domina is indeed influencing her without her consent."
"Gratitude is not often an emotion that kings and queens feel when others meddle in their politics, Lady Scardale. Not, at least, in my experience. And I have met more of them than you, I believe."
"The queen is not unreasonable, Your Imperial Majesty," Cameron said. "She was raised to succeed her father. She will do what is best for her country."
"And what if what is best for her country in her view is removing an heir who has proved troublesome and led Illvyan forces onto her lands?" Aristides asked.
"I won't let her do that," Cameron said. His voice was like steel. Sophie stopped herself from reaching for his hand.
Aristides lifted one eyebrow. "And what if removing the domina fails to remove whatever influence you believe your queen is under?"
"You Imperial Majesty, that is one possibility. But don't you think it is worth trying my way? It would not take an army merely to subdue the domina," Sophie said. She glanced at Domina Francis, but she merely made a small “go on” gesture.
"Is that so? How exactly do you propose to get to Anglion and undertake this task, then, Lady Scardale? The temple and the palace in Kingswell are well protected. We cannot use the advantage the sanctii give us if we cannot take them with us. Which leaves us with a more direct assault. That usually involves an army."
Sophie steeled herself. "I have an idea about that, Your Imperial Majesty."
"S
o many ideas," Alain murmured.
Aristides merely glanced at him, then back to Sophie. "Go on, Lady Scardale."
"I was thinking, Your Imperial Majesty, of Imogene's navire."
Aristides’s dark brows flew upward. Then he stood and lifted a hand. A blue-clad servant appeared within seconds. "Find out where the Duquesse du Laq is. If she is not within the palace, then bring her here. Or no, not here. I believe we will go to the war room. Fetch Colonel Perrine. Tell him to meet me there."
The servant bowed and scurried off.
"Lord and Lady Scardale, if you would accompany me?" The invitation didn't seem to include the crown prince, and Sophie tried not to look relieved as they followed Aristides back to the palace without Alain joining them.
Imogene arrived not five minutes after Colonel Perrine appeared in the war room. Aristides had directed Sophie and Cameron to be seated on one side of a long table. Domina Francis to the other.
The surface of the table was decorated with a map of the continent, the countries and their boundaries inlaid in shades of green and gray marble. Sophie didn't know what most of their names were, too tired to try and recall her Illvyan geography lessons. Cameron, on the other hand, bent forward to study the map more closely. Aristides made no effort to engage them in further conversation until Imogene joined them.
The duquesse curtsied to Aristides, then saluted vaguely at Colonel Perrine. She arched one eyebrow at Sophie across the table but focused her attention on Aristides.
"How can I serve you, Eleivé?" she asked.
"I was wondering, Major, if you had neglected to inform me that your navire project had been successful?"
Imogene frowned. "The construction is nearing completion, Eleivé, if that is what you refer to?"
"How much longer?"
"That entirely depends on the number of workers I have at my disposal."
"And the problem of how exactly you intend to fly it? Has that been resolved?"
Imogene shot a look at Sophie, lips pressed together. "Not...exactly, Eleivé."
"Then perhaps you would care to explain to me why Lady Scardale seems to think we can use it to effect an stealth mission to Anglion?"
"Sophie?" Imogene said, swinging around to face her.
Aristides snapped his fingers. Imogene turned back. "I asked the question, not Lady Scardale. I found it interesting that Lady Scardale has returned from her time at your estate with such an idea. Given how dear you hold this project, Major, I would have thought you would have informed me if there had been a breakthrough."
"Indeed I would have. If there had been. But there has not."
"Something must have happened to make Lady Scardale feel such a thing was possible."
Sophie winced. She hadn't intended to get Imogene in any trouble when she had mentioned the idea. She owed it to the duquesse to offer an explanation. "At Sanct de Sangre, I did something unexpected with my powers, Your Imperial Majesty. I floated some soap."
"You floated soap?" The emperor looked confused. "What does soap have to do with the navire?"
"It was not so much what she floated, Eleivé but the way she did it. It was not the usual method."
"And you think you can use this...method...to lift a navire and take it to Anglion?"
"I think I can try," Sophie said squaring her shoulders. "I expect it will take some time to practice."
"Time is of the essence in this situation," Aristides said. "Your queen's temper seems to be growing short. Were I you, I would not gamble the lives of your families on her having the patience to wait while you figure out whether or not you can do this thing."
"I know that," Sophie said. "But the lives of our families are at risk no matter what. If you lead an invasion, I'm not sure they have much chance of surviving past the first moments that the queen learns that an Illvyan force has made landfall." She pressed her lips together to quell the nausea that rolled a protest through her stomach at the thought. "I think a method that would perhaps provide an option of stealth is worth the attempt. A small force, one that included sanctii, might be all that's needed. But we need to be able to get the sanctii to Anglion. That's why you wanted the navire in the first place, wasn't it? To allow sanctii to move across oceans?"
The emperor exchanged a look with Colonel Perrine. Who failed to offer any enlightening comment. Aristides sighed. "Your grasp of our military plans is...unusually informed, Lady Scardale. But your logic is sound. So. As you wish. As you are the one with the greatest risk here, I will give you this time. But if it fails, then we will do this my way. Swiftly. With force. Whatever it takes."
He was saying "yes." Relief made her light-headed, but she managed a curtsy. "Yes, your Imperial Majesty. Thank you."
"Good. Then we have an understanding." He snapped his fingers quickly. "Colonel, you and I have plans to make. Domina, I thank you for your assistance. You are free to go. Major, I suggest you and Lady Scardale discuss this further. Let me know when you know more clearly if this could work. And of the likely timetable."
"It will take a few more days to complete the navire," Imogene said.
"And if I doubled your workforce?"
"Still a day at least,” Imogene said. "The final stages are mostly delicate work, and there is a limit to how many workers will actually be able to fit aboard the vessel and still have room to do what is needed. But more will be helpful. Do I have your permission to take them?"
Aristides nodded. "As many as you need. Report back when you can." He turned his gaze on Sophie. "And while Imogene is finishing her work, you have some time to perfect whatever it was you managed to do at Sanct de Sangre, Lady Scardale. A navire is much larger than a bar of soap. I would suggest you practice." His eyes lifted to Cameron. "Lord Scardale, do you wish to accompany your wife or stay here with the colonel and me? Your knowledge of Anglion will be more than useful to us."
Sophie watched a muscle in Cameron's jaw tighten. The emperor was asking Cameron to commit treason against Eloisa. Give Anglion's sworn enemy information they would use to invade. Even though she knew he was intent on saving his family and agreed with her plan, she couldn't imagine the emperor's request would rest easy with him. But after a pause, he inclined his head.
"I will stay, your Imperial Majesty. I agree with my wife. And I would prefer to achieve a satisfactory outcome with minimal losses."
Aristides nodded. "Let us proceed, then. Lady Scardale, go with Imogene."
[Elarus, are you here?] Sophie asked, staring at the bed in her apartment. She couldn't think of anywhere else in the Academe to practice without raising questions. Imogene had told her that there was no point trying anything like the navire until it was completed. The duquesse hadn't seemed terribly happy with Sophie, and Sophie had deemed it wiser to leave her to her work until the next day. Cameron had yet to return. It was the perfect opportunity to see if she could work out how to float something again, even though part of her didn't want to. If she couldn't, Aristides would get the invasion he wanted. That was quite the incentive.
[Here.] Elarus appeared near the foot of the bed. [Trouble?]
"No," Sophie said. "But I want to try something."
"What?"
Sophie pointed at the bed. "Do you remember when you helped me at the carriage?"
"Yes."
Sophie thought there was a hint of impatience in the sanctii's tone. "Well, I want to lift the bed."
"I can lift."
Sophie frowned. "Yes. But Imogene said that some water mages can do this. I want to try it for myself. I floated some soap in the bain-sel at Sanct de Sangre."
"Bain-sel?"
"The building made of salt."
Elarus' forehead wrinkled. "Not friendly."
"No. It was built to prevent sanctii from eavesdropping. To stop people from spying on discussions that they shouldn't be privy too."
"Maybe stop," Elarus said.
Maybe? Imogene wouldn't like that. "Do you think you could go inside that room?"
; "Not for long but maybe," Elarus said.
"Salt doesn't bother you?"
"Hurts but can ignore pain. For a time."
Meaning that most sanctii would refuse to do it? From what she'd learned, a mage couldn't order a sanctii to hurt themselves through the bond. Not directly. It was after all, an agreement the sanctii formed. The water mage was in charge, but it was still an agreement. A mage could banish a sanctii back to their realm and break the bond that way, but they couldn't hurt one. That rule was strict. But Elarus didn't seem to have to stick to the usual rules. She hadn't been summoned by anyone the first few times they had met. Maybe she would choose to do something of her own free will that a sanctii bound in the usual way wouldn't.
But that was something to discuss another time. It wasn't as though she needed Elarus to go into the bain-sel.
"All right. What about salt water? Why don't sanctii cross it?"
"Hurts also. Makes magic strange."
"Strange how?"
Elarus made a vague gesture. "Thin. Difficult. Cannot explain."
"So being on a ship at sea is painful to you? And can break the bond?"
"Yes. Then most would leave due to the pain."
"What about a ship that was high above the water? A ship in the air?"
"How high?"
"That's a good question. I'm not entirely sure. Do you think there is a distance where the pain would become something a sanctii could stand?"
"Possible," Elarus said. "Might be better. Might still be weak. May not be able to keep doing magic. No lift," she added as though she wanted Sophie to understand what she meant.
"But if it was a human doing the magic...could you maybe help even if you were over salt water? If you were high enough?"
"Perhaps."
"Good. Then this may work. Will you show me how you lifted the carriage?"
Elarus tilted her head. "How did you lift...soap?"
"I'm not sure. I did it without thinking. The soap slipped, and it was heading toward Imogene, and I didn't want it to hit her. I wanted to stop it."