“I’d hardly call this a battle, boy,” said the head. “And, after all, what do you want with the empire? Wouldn’t you be happier with your carousing?”
This was the image that his father had painted of him, wasn’t it? Gabriel fumed. His father had primed the council for the acceptance of Simon. This wasn’t going to be easy.
He forced himself to appear calm. “Actually, sir, I have a very deep desire for the throne, and I believe I’m the best man for the job. But I’ll save that portion of my presentation for the end of my speech. In structure, I will mirror what my brother has done. His first points made were tearing me down, poking holes in my character. Then he spoke about his own strengths. I shall do the same.”
The council members gave him appraising looks. They hadn’t expected him to be organized or well spoken, he supposed. They leaned back in their chairs, listening.
Gabriel cleared his throat. His own presentation style wasn’t formal or condescending. Instead, he made it conversational while still addressing the council with proper respect, as was their right. “Gentlemen, my first contention is that my brother Simon is not an appropriate candidate for emperor because he has little respect for the lives of his would-be subjects or for telling the truth.”
Several members of the council raised their eyebrows.
Gabriel continued. “I don’t make these accusations idly. After all, I know how serious it is to say such things about my own flesh and blood. So, I have witnesses to Simon’s behavior that I’d like to call before the council, and the first one is the necromancer, Darius.”
Simon shot to his feet. “Now, wait a minute. Why would you call forward my necromancer?”
“Does the thought of hearing his testimony make you nervous, brother?”
“Of course not.” Simon raised his chin. “It’s only that it seems an utter waste of time. Not to mention the fact that I don’t think any of this is fair. I wasn’t aware that I could call witnesses. I suggest that we call a recess, and that I am afforded the same advantages as you have been.”
“You were afforded them,” said Gabriel. “A good emperor should be familiar with the history of his nation. All the succession conflicts for the past two hundred years have been recorded. You only had to read them.”
Simon smirked. “You and your reading. It’s unnatural and sinful and everyone knows so.”
“All the holy men are in agreement that records must be kept, and that writing them down is the best way to do so,” said Gabriel. He turned to the council members. “Why, these men here have all pored over these records themselves.”
The council members nodded. Some looked troubled.
“I’d like to bring in my witness,” said Gabriel.
“No,” said Simon.
The head of the council turned to Simon. “He has the right to bring witnesses. You had that right as well. You chose not to exercise it.”
Simon folded his arms over his chest. He sat back down.
Darius was brought into the room.
Gabriel introduced him to the council, and then he began to question the man. “My brother changed you into a necromancer and brought you south to the capital, is that correct?”
“Yes,” said Darius. His gaze roamed over the council and then settled on Simon.
Simon was looking agitated.
“My brother had plans for you,” said Gabriel.
“Yes.”
“Can you share with us what they were?”
“He wanted to become the emperor.”
The council members exchanged glances.
Gabriel inclined his head. “How would you help with that?”
“Simon told me he planned to set loose revenants on the capital city, and that I would get them under control. He said—”
“That’s a lie!” Simon was on his feet again, his face red.
Gabriel gave his brother a small smile. “Now, now. Did I interrupt your speech?”
“You’ve gotten him to spew lies,” said Simon. “Maybe he’s your lover. Maybe the two of your are doing unmentionable things—”
“No.” Darius’s voice was quiet, but firm. “I’m not lying. This was Sir Simon’s plan. He forced me to help him carry it out. Many died because of his lust for power, including his own father.”
“You have no proof,” said Simon. “All you have is hearsay.”
“It’s true that Darius only knew of the plan,” said Gabriel. “He didn’t witness Simon putting it into play.”
“See?” said Simon.
“But someone did see you, Simon,” said Darius. “And I have that someone here today.”
The council members looked confused and concerned. Some of them couldn’t seem to believe what they were hearing.
“I need to call my next witness,” said Gabriel. “Philip, a villager, who was guarding the gate that night.”
Simon clenched his hands into fists. “You’re making this up, Gabriel. You’ve done something to these people to make them lie for you, and I won’t stand for it.”
Gabriel turned to the head of the council. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult to make my speech with all these interruptions.”
The head addressed Simon. “Sir, you will keep quiet, or you will have to leave the room.”
Simon pressed his lips together, but he was furious, and Gabriel could see it.
Philip was brought in, and Gabriel introduced him to the council.
Philip recounted that he had been paid off by the guards to watch the gate while they went off to drink.
“So, you were alone at the gate that night?” said Gabriel.
“Yes, sir.”
“And does that happen often?”
Philip shrugged. “Often enough, I suppose.”
“One thing I intend to see to as the emperor,” said Gabriel. “I won’t have guards being remiss in their duties.”
“Yes, sir,” said Philip.
“Well, what happened next?”
“He approached me, sir.”
“Who did?”
Philip cringed, and then pointed at Simon.
“My brother?” said Gabriel. “You mean Sir Simon, son of the emperor?”
Philip nodded.
“Please, say it,” said Gabriel.
“Forgive me, sir,” said Philip, “but he said if I told anyone, he’d have me killed. And I can’t die, sir. My mother is old and frail, but I’m all she has. If something happened to me, she wouldn’t make it.”
“I assure you, Philip,” said Gabriel, “I will personally make sure that Simon doesn’t hurt either you or your mother. And if harm did come to you, well, it would prove his guilt, wouldn’t it? Even he wouldn’t be as stupid as to touch a hair on your head.”
Simon seethed. He opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it.
“Well,” said Gabriel. “What did Simon do?”
“He paid me to look the other way, sir,” said Philip. “He wanted to open up the gate, and he paid me not to stop him.”
“Was it a lot of money?”
“I still have most of it, sir. I couldn’t spend it all in five years.” Philip held up a purse, which was slung over his arm.
“May I see that?” asked Gabriel.
Philip handed it over.
Gabriel took out one of the coins. “An empirical gild.” He passed it to one of the members of the council. “Have you ever had even one of these coins, Philip, let alone a purse full?”
Philip shook his head. “No, sir.”
“How long could you live on one of these coins?”
“Oh, months, sir. I couldn’t refuse him when he offered. My mother—”
“You’re not on trial here,” said Gabriel. He turned back to the council. “As you can see, it’s highly unlikely that this man would have a purse full of this kind of money. He wouldn’t have made it on his own. Someone gave it to him. He claims it was Simon.” Gabriel gestured to Darius. “The necromancer knew his plan, Philip saw him carry it out, and we have all seen
how it played out.”
The council members glanced sidelong at Simon.
Gabriel could tell from their expressions that he’d gained some significant ground. The council might not be sure of him yet, but they doubted Simon. There was mistrust and dismay in their eyes.
* * *
“He won’t stop going on about the letter,” said Zachariah. “What’s in the letter?”
Nathaniel sighed. He and Zachariah were alone in the camp, walking together. News of the emperor’s demise had made the others quite happy, because the empire would be weaker in this time of transition. It was time for the rebels to strike, and they were excited. But it didn’t make Nathaniel happy, because he was conflicted. He didn’t know if he wanted to overthrow Gabriel or not.
But Zachariah was asking him things point blank, and so he had to either lie or tell the truth. He couldn’t lie for Gabriel, Nathaniel realized. He barely knew the man. He and Zachariah had been through a lot together. The other man deserved his loyalty.
So Nathaniel took out the letter and handed it to Zachariah.
Zachariah squinted at it. “Oh, hells bells, Nathaniel, you know I can barely read this. Just tell me what it says. Don’t make me work for it.”
“The man, Ezekiel, he is the new emperor’s lover.”
“What?” Zachariah studied the letter with more interest. “Where do you see that?”
Nathaniel pointed out a few sentences.
Zachariah handed back the letter in disgust. “If you say so.”
Nathaniel folded it back up and tucked it away.
“What does that even mean?” said Zachariah. “His lover? You don’t mean they…” He made a disgusted face.
“Certainly, you’ve heard of such things,” said Nathaniel. “Why, there was talk about Mischa and Elizabeth, the two singers?”
“They were women,” said Zachariah. “That’s not as bad.”
Nathaniel shrugged. “Well, the holy men would say—”
“Oh forget the holy men. It’s not about that. It’s about what they do with each other. Where they stick their cocks.”
“I see.”
“You know where they stick them, don’t you?” Zachariah gave him a look.
Nathaniel grinned. “There was a whore in New Atlan that once offered me—”
“That’s a woman.”
“I don’t think there’s much difference in that area of the body.”
“A woman’s asshole is not nearly as disgusting as a man’s.”
“Why?” said Nathaniel. “I mean, both men and women use them for the same purpose.”
“Which shouldn’t be to stick cocks in.”
Nathaniel was still grinning. “I didn’t turn down that offer, you know.”
Zachariah scratched the top of his head. “Well…” He thought for a while, shuddered, and then leaned close. “What was it like?”
Nathaniel considered. “Snug. Very, very snug.”
“Huh,” said Zachariah. “Well, men’s parts would be a lot hairier.”
“True, I suppose.”
“So, that would be disgusting. I mean you wouldn’t want to shove your cock into my hairy ass, would you?”
“I didn’t say I wanted to be with a man,” said Nathaniel.
“Well, you’re defending the emperor.”
“No…” Nathaniel chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m not. You’re right. It’s unusual. Unnatural, even. But they consider bastards unnatural as well, and we actually aren’t any different than other men.”
“You are defending him.”
“No.” Nathaniel shook his head.
Zachariah rubbed his jaw. “I suppose that’s neither here nor there, when it comes down to it. Because you’re with us, Nathaniel, or you would have left.”
Nathaniel took a deep breath, searching for a response.
“I know you,” said Zachariah. “You wouldn’t side with that faggot over your brothers in revolution.”
He didn’t say anything. Maybe the other man was right.
Zachariah turned to look at the tree where Ezekiel was tied. “Let’s talk about our advantages here, shall we? We got the emperor’s lover here. All trussed up and captured.”
“We do.”
“Might upset the emperor if he knew that.”
“Yes. It might.”
“He might not want us to hurt his lover.”
“He probably wouldn’t.”
Zachariah smiled. “We have leverage, don’t we?”
Nathaniel heaved a huge sigh. “We do.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Darius closed the door behind him, feeling relieved to be here, away from all the others.
Michal looked up from where she sat on the bed. She was wearing a long, silky gown, one of the flimsy things she wore to sleep in. It was late. He liked the way she looked there, her dark hair falling in tight ringlets around her shoulders. By some miracle, she was his, and he hadn’t harmed her yet.
She smiled up at him. “How did it go?”
“They deliberated for hours,” he said. “That’s why I’m so late.”
“But they did finish? Or has the decision been put off until tomorrow?”
“No, they did decide. They found in favor of Gabriel.”
A smile broke over her features, and she leapt off the bed to wrap her arms around him.
He breathed in her scent, cream and cinnamon, all things sweet.
“I’m glad,” she said. “Everything’s right now.”
“Yes,” he said.
“Especially now that you’re here.” She smiled up at him. “I missed you.”
He caressed her cheek. “How is it that you’re never frightened of me?”
“You’ve never hurt me,” she said. “Not really, anyway.”
He pulled aside the neck of her gown, looking for the bruise he’d left there the night before. When he was with her, he often couldn’t help himself. He bit her—not into her, but just leaving an impression on her skin. She smelled so delectable, and it was the only way he could taste her.
But the bruise wasn’t there. He ran his forefinger over her unmarred skin.
She pulled the gown up and moved away from him. “So, how did Gabriel seem? Was he happy?”
“Where did the bruise go?” he asked.
“What bruise?” She picked up a comb from her table and began to work it through her curls. “I can’t imagine he wouldn’t have been. That was what he wanted, after all. And what’s going to happen to Simon?”
Darius went to her. He put his hand on hers, stopping her movement.
She looked up at him.
“I like your curls,” he said. “Don’t comb them away.”
She looked away, bashful. “They never go away. Not completely.”
He took the comb from her. “What happened to the bruise?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You do,” he said. “I know you felt it. You let me… do things to you, and you don’t complain, but I feel guilty about harming you. You’re so beautiful—”
“Well, maybe you aren’t really harming me.” She smiled at him. “Let’s not worry about it. I’m okay.”
He knew the bruise had been there. Unless it hadn’t been as bad as he’d initially thought. Was it possible that it had already faded?
Michal opened her gown to him, and he caught sight of her round breasts, and all thought fled from his head. He had to put his hands on her, his mouth on her.
She sighed beneath him as they made love. She gasped when touched he her, when he covered her skin with kisses.
And when his passion was at a fever pitch, when he couldn’t make sense of the rush of his desires, anymore, he clamped his teeth into her skin just as he found his release.
And she bucked and writhed against him, moaning out his name as if she liked it.
He pulled away from her and flung himself onto his back.
“Darius?” She propped herself up on an elbow
. “Is something wrong?”
He could see the imprint his teeth had left on her neck. He touched the marks.
She shivered.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
She shook her head. “No, you shouldn’t… It doesn’t hurt exactly.”
He narrowed his eyes. The imprint of teeth was already fading away. He rubbed it. It seemed that he was rubbing it away.
Michal put her hand there, giggling. “That tickles. What are you doing?”
He sat up. “Why is it fading so quickly?”
“Is it?” She looked up at him innocently, unconcerned. “I guess you didn’t bite as hard as you thought you did.”
He flopped back onto the bed. He knew that wasn’t true. There was no reason for that mark to be fading so quickly.
But Michal had crawled onto him, straddling him, and she was kissing his chest.
He tried to hold onto his thought, to think about what it might mean. But she was distracting, and soon he was consumed with nothing but thoughts of her body and her mouth.
* * *
Ezekiel had long since given up struggling against his bonds. He was held fast to this tree, and he wouldn’t be getting free on his own power. He was exhausted and thirsty. They did bring him water, but never as much as he wanted—only enough to keep him alive, it seemed.
He knew now that he’d been an idiot to try to come out here to revenge Honor’s death.
In some ways, he wasn’t even sure his distress was about Honor. He had been so angry with himself, so disgusted by the way he had given in to Gabriel, that he’d despised himself. Maybe some part of him had set this up as a suicide mission, a way to end things once and for all.
But now that Ezekiel had come face-to-face with the idea of dying, he found that he didn’t have much taste for it after all. He wanted to stay alive, abomination that he was. Besides, he knew that God wouldn’t want him to kill himself. That wasn’t the way of the Lord.
Ezekiel was alone, tied to a tree, and he had a lot of time to think.
He thought about King David, the man after God’s own heart. King David had committed atrocious sins brought about by lust. Not only had he taken Bathsheba, another man’s wife, but he had murdered her husband so that he could have her himself. God had punished David by taking the son that he and Bathsheba had conceived. But God had not taken everything from David. He had left David with much of what God had given him—the kingdom, his wives, his wealth.
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