by Sarah Hawke
“No. But Unbound or not, imagine the political chaos if dozens of noblewomen suddenly gave birth to the Emperor’s offspring.” Lucian snickered. “The Imperial Court would devour itself. The entire social hierarchy of the Empire could collapse.”
“Surely someone here has noticed what you’re doing.”
“Of course they have. The priests have been attempting to shield my ‘guests’ with an Aetheric enchantment to prevent pregnancy, and under normal circumstances they would succeed.”
“But you’re Unbound, so you can dispel the enchantment,” I reasoned. Considering all the other injustices I witnessed on daily basis, it seemed silly to worry about young noblewomen who were clearly grateful for the opportunity to bed their Emperor. But for whatever reason, my stomach still churned in disgust.
“In a few months, the palace will be beset with claims of new heirs,” Lucian said. “In year, it will be drowned by them. And if any of my children happen to be Unbound….well, all the better.”
I pursed my lips. “What about the women? Do they know the priests are trying to shield them?”
“Of course not. They would resist if they did. You need to understand where they’re coming from: the girls and their families are desperate for status in the court. They crave my attention and yearn for my seed.” Lucian smiled. “Though I admit…I quite enjoy giving it to them.”
I glanced away and tried to conceal my growing unease. His plan made sense, of course, and he was probably correct about the damage it would cause in the long-term. But thinking about it made me feel sick nonetheless.
“I still don’t understand exactly what you want,” I said after a moment. “An Empire where the Unbound don’t fear the Covenant?”
“I want an Empire without the Covenant,” Lucian said. “The Hierophant preaches that humans are the true stewards of this world, but we both know that’s nonsense. Chagari, elf, orc, human—it doesn’t matter. The only true power is the Aether, and those of us that can wield it must take our rightful place as its rulers.”
A cold shiver slowly wormed its way down my spine. There was no mistaking the veiled menace in his words. “What about everyone else?”
He studied me for several seconds before he chuckled again. “You’ve lived in servitude all your life. You’ve been degraded and humiliated almost every day…yet you’re actually worried about the people who’ve held your leash for so long?”
“I don’t wish to hurt anyone,” I stammered.
“You hurt those bandits outside the Infintium,” he pointed out. “You hurt the Inquisitor who tried to capture you near Lakewatch.”
I felt my cheek twitch. I knew I shouldn’t been surprised that he knew so much, but the shiver in my spine transformed into a full-blown shudder.
“Don’t mistake my meaning—you absolutely did the right thing,” Lucian added. “If anything, you’ve shown remarkable restraint. You could have murdered your master months ago. Gabriel is a competent channeler, but he’s not Unbound.”
“Master Kristoff has done a great deal for me,” I said. “He taught me to read, he taught me how to control my magic…he could have given me over to the Covenant at any time, but he didn’t.”
“Only because he believed you were useful to him. Don’t mistake self-interest for charity.” Lucian grunted and shook his head. “I understand why you still feel some degree of loyalty to him. He’s conditioned you to serve him, body and soul. That’s a leash you must learn to break for yourself.”
He paused for a moment and eyed me up and down again. “What I’m offering you is a chance for true freedom, Elara. A life without collar or leash or scorn. From here at my side, you can help me shape the future of the Empire…and the future of our people.”
“You don’t even know me,” I whispered.
“I know what you are, and that’s enough,” Lucian said. “The Levinthian tells us that it is humanity’s divine right to subjugate the lesser species. It says that the strong should naturally rule over the weak. There’s truth in those words, but strength has nothing to do with race and everything to do with blood. The Aether is part of us both, and there is no stronger bond in the entire world.” He slowly paced towards me. “Together we can learn to channel magic just like the Triad. Together we can empower armies of loyal followers and bring true, lasting stability to Calhara and beyond!”
When I continued recoiling from him, he stopped and smiled. “Perhaps what you really need is a demonstration.”
Lucian gestured back towards the chamber door, and the Aether stirred as he pulled them with telekinetic force. The female Praetorian on the other side turned to look, and he bade her to join us with a wave of his hand.
“Since the dawn the Empire the Praetorian Guards have protected the Veshari Emperor from all threats,” Lucian said. “Their training is every bit as brutal as that of the Inquisitors, possibly more so. They willingly eschew virtually every pleasure of the flesh, and they are taught to resist telepathic manipulation. They are incorruptible and indomitable.”
The woman took up a position next to him and stopped. Lucian acknowledged her with a nod.
“The Covenant believes they are kept ‘pure’ because they are never subjected to the temptations of the Aether,” he said. “I disagree.”
On cue, the Praetorian lifted her hand and conjured sparks of Aether power to her palm. I gasped and backpedaled out of pure reflex. I knew she wasn’t bound to the Godstone, otherwise the Covenant would have already know about Lucian’s true power. Which meant that either she was also Unbound….
Or Lucian was right. Her power was coming from him.
“If you concentrate,” Lucian said, “you’ll see the tether stretching between us.”
My eyes flicked over to the Praetorian woman as I reached out to the Aether. I could feel its power swirling around her, but I wasn’t certain what he meant by a “tether.” She seemed identical to every other channeler I’d met.
“Here,” Lucian prompted, offering me his hand. “Let me show you.”
I reached out and touched his skin. A piece of his mind cracked opened, and I inhaled sharply as a deluge of thoughts and emotions washed over me. The tether he mentioned materialized in the air almost like a ghostly tendril grasping out through the Aether. Lucian was like a fountain of magic showering his power upon anyone he wished…
I withdrew my hand. I could feel prickles in my skin even as I backed away. After a few more seconds the Praetorian stopped channeling, but Aetheric energy continued crackling around the Cartarium like we were standing amidst a great thunderstorm.
“I believe she’s seen enough,” Lucian said, smiling. The Praetorians nodded, then returned to her watchful perch outside the chamber.
“It seems…impossible,” I whispered.
“I know. I thought the same for a while. Karethys told me that only a handful of Unbound ever master the technique, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you were one of them.”
I let out a deep breath and bit down on my lower lip. The tingling sensation had only now started to fade. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you’ve bent half the nobles in this city to your will in the span of a few short months,” Lucian said. “Because Gabriel sees you as the ultimate political weapon. He’s not wrong. The Covenant is right to fear us.”
His smile widened as he stepped closer to me. “Consider again what I’m offering you, Elara. You will have power far beyond any of people who’ve ever controlled you. The people of the Empire will stop seeing you as an elf or a slave—they will see you as a goddess.”
I hugged my arms together again. This was all happening so quickly. I didn’t know what to think, and I definitely didn’t know what to do.
“And if I refuse?” I asked.
Lucian shrugged. “Then I will return you to your former master. If you would prefer to kneel rather than rule, there’s nothing I can do for you.”
“But I know your plans. I know your secret.”
&n
bsp; “A secret no one will believe coming from the lips of an elf,” he said flatly. “The instant you leave this palace, your voice loses all value. I am the only one in the Empire who can protect you.”
I swallowed the anxious lump rising in my throat. “What about the Faedari rebels?”
Lucian grunted derisively. “They can’t help you. They can’t teach you how to control your power; they can’t grant you a place in the corridors of power. I understand why you might have some affection for them, but you need to be realistic. They’re a thorn in the side of my rivals, nothing more. If you really want to help them, you’ll join me in destroying the Covenant. You could even empower some of them as your servants as you wish. You could restore the dignity of your people one loyal supplicant at a time.”
I paced across the outline of Sorthaal. “Somehow I doubt that’s what they would want.”
“It doesn’t matter. They don’t matter.” Lucian sighed. “I understand that you’re overwhelmed right now, Elara, but soon enough you’ll realize what’s truly at stake. The Aether itself must have given you this power for a reason. There’s no turning away from destiny.”
My eyes flicked back over to meet his. I couldn’t bring myself to trust him yet, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. The world he described, the vision he had just laid out…I didn’t want anything to do with it. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was anymore, but I knew I wasn’t a leader—and I certainly wasn’t a goddess.
Still, despite the lingering knots in the pit of my stomach, I reminded myself that I had learned even more than I’d hoped. I had confirmed that the Emperor was Unbound, and I knew precisely what he was up to. The fact that nothing had gone the way I’d anticipated didn’t make a difference. I just needed to get back to Larric and tell him everything…
“I need time,” I whispered. “You’ve given me a great deal to consider.”
“You’re welcome to stay as long you like,” Lucian said. “And don’t worry—I’ll make sure Torelius doesn’t bother you again. My Praetorian can conceal you from the other nobles. You’re free to do anything you wish as long as you stay beneath my wing.”
“His Majesty is most generous.”
He flicked his hand to the side. “You don’t need to call me that. Emperor, avenari…the Aether cares nothing for titles. All that matters is we can both hear its clarion call. It binds us together in a way no one else could possibly understand.”
I nodded slowly. “Still, I…I think I would prefer to return to Master Kristoff. At least for a while.”
Lucian studied me in silence for several long moments. “If that is your wish,” he said. “Just remember that I won’t be able to protect you—and recognize that my offer will not last forever.”
The threat in his voice was veiled but unmistakable, but at this point I didn’t really care. I needed to speak with Larric, and bringing him back to the palace with me would only entrap us both. Besides, I had a feeling he wouldn’t be any more receptive to the Emperor’s “vision” than I was…
“I understand,” I murmured.
“Then I’ll summon a carriage for you immediately,” Lucian said. “I’ve no doubt that Gabriel will be delighted by your swift return.”
“I know he will,” I agreed. “And I won’t tell him anything.”
Lucian smiled faintly. From the glimmer in his eyes, I suspected he knew exactly what I was planning. He simply didn’t care. He wasn’t disappointed in the least—on the contrary, he was supremely confident that I would regret my decision and return in short order.
“I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Elara,” he said, touching my shoulders again. I felt a rush of energy as the Aether crackled between us. “There’s so much we can teach other. I hope you’ll join me soon.”
I smiled back. “You won’t have to wait long for my answer. I promise.”
Chapter Ten: The Duke of Nothing
The female Praetorian escorted me outside the palace less than an hour later. We maneuvered through a series of hidden passages that allowed us to completely avoid the rest of the palace guards and servants along the way. They were so pristine I assumed Lucian had ordered their construction shortly after he’d taken the throne, and he probably wanted to prove that he could hide me from the prying eyes of the gentry. But that wasn’t the part of his plan that concerned me. I had no doubts about his competence—if anything, I was more worried because of it. His cunning made it all the more likely that his terrifying vision of the future might actually come to pass…
Once the Praetorian helped me inside the carriage, I closed my eyes and began mentally rehearsing how I would explain all of this to Larric. Calling it “overwhelming” was a tremendous understatement. I had just learned a score of secrets, any one of which could literally tear the Empire apart overnight if they were whispered into the right ears. I wondered what the Faedari would do with this information, if anything. I wondered if Karethys and the vaeyn actually knew the full depth of Lucian’s scheme.
I wondered if they believed he was as mad as I did.
I was still completely flustered by the time we arrived at the estate, but I took a deep breath and forced myself to relax in preparation of what was to come. One of the house guards rushed towards me after I stepped out of the carriage. I couldn’t tell if he was more surprised by my presence or the fact I wasn’t wearing a collar or leash.
“By the bloody void,” he rasped, eyeing me up and down. “Where is your collar?”
“The Emperor removed it,” I told him. I saw no point in lying.
The man’s brow furrowed in confusion. He was obviously more worried about protocol than he was about me running off—none of the men here had ever seen me as a threat. “Well, His Excellency will be pleased to see you,” the man said as he grabbed my wrist. “This way.”
“No.”
He froze in place, so stunned he couldn’t even speak. It had probably never occurred to him that I would ever refuse a command.
“Take me to the barracks,” I ordered, reaching out to the Aether and penetrating his mind. I was tempted to command him to stand here and wait for me, but with the other gate guard’s observing us I knew I needed to be a bit more subtle. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” he mumbled. “Yes, of course.”
He led over to Larric’s quarters without further fuss. After he released his grip on my arm, I glanced around the courtyard one last time before I cracked open the door and slipped into the room.
It was empty.
I hissed between my teeth. He must have been inside the mansion meeting with Master Kristoff. Hopefully that meant the two of them were back on decent terms. Larric would probably have a much easier time reaching his rebel contacts without anyone looking over his shoulder…
“Captain Aresi is gone.”
I whipped my head back around to the doorway. The charmed guard was standing there, his face still blank.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “Where is he?”
“The Inquisitors took him away.”
My stomach dropped so hard I nearly lost my balance. “What?”
“He and Duke Kristoff began arguing after the Green Gala last night,” the guard said. “He ordered the captain restrained and sent a runner to the temple. A squad of Inquisitors arrived a few minutes later.”
“But…” My voice died as my throat turned to stone. A tremor rippled through my body and caused my knees to wobble. I wanted to argue and protest, but when I rummaged through the guard’s memories I could see he was telling the truth. He hadn’t been close enough to the confrontation to hear anything, but he’d watched from a distance as Master Kristoff and Larric had screamed at each other. Eventually Kristoff had called for the guards, and they’d swarmed over Larric in a group. Strangely, he hadn’t fought back.
“I need to speak with the master,” I breathed. “Take me to him.”
The guard nodded helpfully. “Of course.”
He led me through the mansion straight towar
ds the conference chamber. My mind conjured up dozens of terrifying scenarios about what the Covenant had already done to Larric, but I forced myself to stay calm and wait until I had all the details. Once we arrived, I ordered the guard back to his post and waited until he was out of sight. I knew I should have taken a few more seconds to compose myself and decide precisely what I wanted to say, but I was too anxious to wait. Biting down on my lower lip, I pushed open the door and strode inside.
“Elara?” Master Kristoff breathed from behind his desk. “How the…? Merciful Triad, what the hell are you doing here?”
“The Emperor released me,” I said, closing the door and creeping farther inside.
“So soon?” he gasped. “What happened? What did you learn?”
“First you need to tell me what happened to Larric,” I demanded. “The guard outside said you turned him over to the Covenant.”
Kristoff blinked in surprise. I had never spoken to him so forcefully before, and he was clearly taken aback. “What did you just say?”
“Where is Larric?” I repeated. “Did you really call the Inquisitors on him?”
For a moment his expression was so blank I thought the guard might have actually been mistaken about what had happened. But after a few more seconds Kristoff finally grunted and leaned back in his chair.
“So I was right after all. Of course…”
“Right about what?” I asked. “Where is he?”
Kristoff started directly at me as he folded his arms across his chest. “Larric is gone. And he won’t be coming back.”
“Why?” I breathed, my hands balling into fists. “Why would you give him to the Covenant?”
“Because he betrayed me. And so did you.”
My heart stopped mid-beat. “What?”
Kristoff snorted softly and shook his head. He no longer looked surprised or confused in the slightest—on the contrary, he looked like a man who’d just had an epiphany. “I knew Larric was lying about what happened in the Vale,” he whispered. “I knew there was more going on than a random bandit attack that left nearly a dozen trained soldiers dead. He learned the truth about you, didn’t he? He learned that you were Unbound.”