“They’re at the top of the stretch! Pride of the Saxum is in third, now second! I can’t believe what I’m seeing! He’s running by horses like they’re standing still! Mister Pistor is weakening. Caeli Smile is hanging onto first, but Pride of the Saxum is closing strong on the outside. It’s going to be desperately close! It’s down to the wire!”
Mara held her breath as Pride of the Saxum surged forward.
“He’s done it! Pride of the Saxum has won the Emperor Stakes!”
Isaac threw his arms around her and swung her around in a circle, laughing. “He did it! He won!”
Mara smiled back weakly and extracted herself from his arms. Her hand tightened on her clutch purse where the still-full vial was concealed. In the stable, she’d been ready to spill the poison into the water, but in the end, she just couldn’t do it. She couldn’t take the horse’s life in cold blood.
Mikkal was right. Betsy wouldn’t stop at one favor. He would continue to blackmail her, milking their arrangement until it no longer benefitted him, then he would expose her to the emperor. The tasks would only escalate. Today, it was a horse. What would stop him from telling her to poison a person next? No, she had to make a stand and accept the consequences.
Something told her that would be much sooner than she’d like.
13
After the race, Mara was dragged to the winner’s circle where a blanket of baby blue chrysanthemums was draped over Pride’s withers, and Isaac accepted a trophy as big as a small child. Afterward, he took her to a swanky restaurant in the inner ring for a celebratory drink. It seemed that news of the win had spread quickly, and Isaac found himself mobbed by well-wishers.
She went through the motions, smiling when required and making small-talk with people she didn’t know, but her mind was firmly on Betsy and what he would do now. It wasn’t as though she regretted sparing the horse’s life. On the contrary, a small part of her knew from the moment she’d gotten the orders that she wouldn’t be able to go through with it, regardless of the target. But now, it was only a matter of time before Betsy retaliated. As she nursed her glass of cider, Mara prepared herself for a very short and very unpleasant future.
Which was why the summons didn’t catch her off guard.
By the time they arrived back at the palace, guards were waiting to escort her to the emperor. Isaac threw her a curious look, but she waved him off, plastering a fake smile on her face. She was somewhat surprised when the guards passed the doors to the throne room and led her instead to the emperor’s private office. If he were planning to have her executed, she imagined he’d want it done as publicly as possible. Unless he preferred to dispose of her privately, so no one would know about her treasonous actions. She imagined he had an infinite number of ways he could make her disappear.
Ugh, now she was thinking like Cadmus.
The guards ushered her into the office which felt more like a tomb. Whether it was the impression that she was walking to her own execution or the gloomy décor, she wasn’t sure. Everything was dark from the near-black bookshelves to the gray marbled flooring. The emperor sat behind an onyx desk which had been cleared of books and paperwork. Mara jumped as the door clicked shut behind her, leaving them alone. He gestured for her to sit in one of the velvet armchairs positioned in front of the desk.
Mara schooled her features in what she hoped was an indifferent mask as she sat down, praying he couldn’t hear her heart racing. This might not be as bad as she’d thought, and maybe if she played her tiles right, she could talk her way out. But that depended on what he knew. She’d been careful during her times in the outer ring and the dreg encampment, and she was fairly certain that there was no hard proof of her involvement. At least nothing that could be tied back to her.
She held that thought in the forefront of her mind as she faced down the man who controlled her future.
The emperor said nothing, perhaps waiting for her to speak first and incriminate herself. She stayed silent. Finally, he let out a tired sigh and said, “I imagine you know why you’re here.”
“On the contrary, Your Grace.” Her brows furrowed, and she blinked. It didn’t hurt to play into the image of the naive girl he believed she was. Mara fought to keep her voice light and even. “Though I am flattered that you took time out of your busy schedule to meet with me.”
“I am busy. I was in the middle of a meeting with my council to discuss the volatile situation in Lingate.”
“Is there news?” she asked cautiously. If for some reason this encounter didn’t end with her head on a spike, Tamil would love to hear word of his father.
“The Rei has advanced his forces as far north as Ahyr, and should reach Orgate within a week, possibly two if he is delayed,” the emperor replied conversationally. Mara chewed the inside of her cheek. If he knew of her treason, he wouldn’t be sharing this information. Could she be wrong? Maybe Betsy hadn’t contacted the palace yet. “My council is rightfully concerned by their proximity to the border. They suggested that I mobilize my forces and station a guard at the Drocan pass.”
Centuries ago, the Drocan pass had been carved through the mountain range that split the border of Lingate and Esterwyn, opening the only accessible point between the two countries. Without it, traders would be forced to travel thousands of miles around it or brave the treacherous peaks.
Mara took the chance to advocate for Tamil. “If I could offer an alternative? We could avoid the conflict altogether if someone returned his son to him.”
“Preposterous suggestion,” the emperor said, waving his hand dismissively.
“He just wants his son back.”
“Does he?” His eyes glinted. “Are you one-hundred percent certain? Would you be willing to wager your life on it? What about the lives of the two-hundred thousand Gifted who call Merrowhaven home? Suppose we return his son. What’s to say the Rei will cease his campaign? He’s gotten a taste of victory, and the flavor is addicting. He could continue to conquer Lingate one outpost at a time and earn the title of Warlord with blood and iron. And then, what’s to say he’ll stop at Lingate? He might hunger for a more succulent prize. With the full force of the clans behind him combined with his own Kerani forces, he could swarm Merrowhaven like a plague of locusts and scour us clean.”
Mara shook her head slowly. “You’re wrong.”
“Am I? Men are ambitious creatures. If you’re not convinced, look at what happened in Crystalmoor. My informants report that the Miestryri was murdered by his own son, and the young upstart has claimed the mantle of Master of the Sea. Is that not clear evidence?”
She jolted. The Miestryri had been killed? When Cadmus had sent his disciples to Tregydar to annihilate Opal’s settlement, Steel had traveled home to Crystalmoor. What had Wynn said? Something about him strangling his father with an octopus? That made as much sense to her as the idea of Steel killing his own father. Either the emperor’s reports were wrong, or Steel had a brother she didn’t know about.
The emperor continued, “With Crystalmoor involved in an open rebellion, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Rei to invade there as well. He could sweep the continent with ease and crown himself as a supreme ruler of sorts. Rumor has it that you’ve met the Rei. Is he the sort of man who would deny an opportunity such as this?”
Mara pressed her lips together, keeping her eyes firmly on the floor. Tomar was ambitious to a fault, yes, but she had to believe that his love for his son would outweigh his desire for power.
“That’s what I thought. You’ll soon learn that men are predictable creatures. Once you uncover their motivations, you hold the power to control them.”
“You must keep your own hidden well then,” Mara said, lifting her gaze.
“I’ve been transparent about my motivations—my only wish is to protect Esterwyn from those who wish to destroy it, even when the threat comes from within my own walls.” Mara froze. The emperor zeroed in on her sudden stillness. He tilted his head and pinned her with a hard stare. “I
magine my surprise when my meeting was interrupted by a courier delivering this missive from an anonymous source.”
He held up a scroll and Mara’s heart stopped working altogether.
“Have I not been generous with you, Mara? Have I not given you everything you could possibly need to be comfortable in your new home? Haven’t I been patient with you, giving you time and space to adjust? Not only that, but I have given you my son, my own flesh and blood. Most women your age would kill for such a chance, and yet you threw it back in my face.”
Her mind scrambled to keep up, but nothing made sense. The conversation wasn’t going as she’d imagined. Every scenario she’d played through her mind had her wrapped in chains and dragged to the dungeon by this point. She didn’t have to pretend now—the confusion on her face was genuine. “Your Grace?”
“It’s my own fault. I should have realized what was happening the first time you slipped away from your guards.”
“It’s not my fault that the guards are incompetent,” she said, deflecting his focus to see if he’d slip up and reveal more information. She couldn’t push him too much—she’d had enough dealings with powerful men to know that once they were this tightly-wound, it wouldn’t take much to set them off.
“Their ability to do their job is not relevant when their charge turns out to be more conniving than they’d imagined.” The emperor leaned back from his desk, his carefully-controlled expression slipping. She cowed beneath the full-force of his loathing. “Allow me to speak plainly—I don’t like you. You are wild and untamable, like some feral beast I might encounter on a jaunt through the forest. I had thought that by indulging your freedom, it would enable you to adjust to palace life quicker and conform to our expectations. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was wrong.”
What was he talking about? The way he was speaking, it sounded like he’d abandoned his meeting for the sole purpose of berating her. Was it possible that Darby hadn’t followed through on his threat?
“I know about the kiss.”
Mara’s eyes widened, and she let out an involuntary squeak.
The emperor’s lip curled at her expression. “It’s true then. I had hoped it was one of those tabloid-pushers trying to invent a juicy story. That’s unfortunate.”
How had he found out about Ethan? She pressed her palms to her temples. They had been alone in the garden, she was sure of it. Darby must have been watching them. She’d been prepared for the emperor to discover her secret rebellion. But this? “I’m so sorry. I—it will never happen again. I swear it.”
“You’re right. It won’t,” His voice was firm and commanding, pushing in on her from all sides until she could hardly breathe, “because you will no longer go anywhere without an escort who will report every minute of your day directly to me. Try to slip away again, and you’ll face the full force of my wrath. You’ll find that while I’m a forgiving man, my grace only extends so far. I won’t have you make a cuckhold of my son.”
“Does Isaac know?”
“No. Nor will he, so long as you fall in line. For reasons I don’t understand, the boy cares for you and I don’t wish to see him hurt. You will forget the Magi ever existed. You will marry Isaac and bear him as many children as you can before your body eventually gives out. That is your only purpose. Don’t delude yourself in thinking you’re valuable to me beyond your breeding years.”
“Please, don’t do this.” This couldn’t be happening. At least he hadn’t found out about the army, but somehow this was so much worse. Her every breath would be scrutinized. The emperor had put her in prison as effectively as if he’d clasped her in chains.
“It’s too late for that.” He called out for his guards who entered without a word. “Escort Lady Mara back to her chambers so she can rest.”
He hadn’t said anything about Ethan. Ice flooded her veins.
The nearest guard reached for her arm and pulled her from the chair. She shook of his grip and slammed her hands on the desk, panic coursing through her body. “What have you done to Ethan?”
His eyes were cold and unforgiving. “What I have done with the Magi doesn’t concern you. That fool made a grievous error when he began thinking with his hormones instead of his brain. No one touches the crown’s property without permission. I suggest you forget he ever existed because you’ll never see him again.”
“No! It’s not his fault. It was me. It was all me. I’m the one who led him on.” She couldn’t bear the thought of him dying because of her. What if he were already dead? Her throat constricted, and the emperor blurred. “Please, show him mercy.”
“What need do innocent men have for mercy?”
She was still screaming as the guards dragged her from the room.
14
At some point on her way back to her room, Mara stopped fighting the guards. She hung limp in their grasp as they carried her down the halls. Her throat was sore from screaming. This was all her fault, and the guilt threatened to drown her.
Why hadn’t she pushed Ethan away? She’d known it was a hopeless situation for them, but she’d still let him in. And now he was probably dead because of her. The emperor wouldn’t throw away her life over a mere dalliance, but Ethan didn’t have the same luxury. Her only hope was that his relation to Cadmus would protect him.
And then there was the problem of the guards. If she’d thought their presence was oppressive before, it would be downright unbearable now. How was she supposed to continue Gifting the dregs now? There was no chance that they’d let her continue her visits to the encampment. And what would be the point? With Ethan gone, she had no one to brew more elixir. Eventually, the batch would run out, her hope with it.
Maybe it was time to admit defeat. Her plan to create an army had always been a long-shot. Cadmus had thousands of well-trained disciples under his command. What did she have? Fewer than two hundred half-trained Gifted.
“Can you manage to get her to her room in one piece?” The one guard asked, releasing Mara’s arm. She drooped toward the floor, but the other guard supported her weight before she fell. Mara recognized both of them from her daily training sessions, but this one stood out—she towered over all the female guards, and most of the male ones as well. Yolanda? No, Yelena! She had a particularly vicious streak, and Mara always hated facing her after Yelena had a fight with her husband. “If I have to spend the next couple months on babysitting duty, there are a few things I need to take care of.”
“Sure, I got her,” the other guard, Nash said. He had an easy-going attitude most of the time from what she could remember. “But I’m not covering for you every time.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. I owe you one,” Yelena called over her shoulder as she disappeared down the hall.
Would this be her life now? Under the watchful eyes of the guards who bickered about who had to watch her any given night. How was she even moping about her situation when Ethan had it so much worse?
A moan escaped her lips. Had she gone through all this only to lose yet another person she cared about? How much grief could a person experience before they fractured beyond repair?
She should have fought. Back in the emperor’s office, she should have blasted him into a thousand pieces. Sure, the guards would have torn her apart, but at least then she wouldn’t have to live with this gaping hole where her heart had once been.
Nash stopped abruptly and pulled her into an alcove in the hall, muffling her startled cries with his hand. She backed away, plastering herself against the wall, but he wasn’t attacking. He wasn’t paying attention to her at all. Nash glanced back around to corner then said, “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but he’s still alive.”
Mara’s head snapped up. Ethan was alive? Hope blossomed in her chest. She opened her mouth to demand details, but his panicked look had her snapping it back shut.
He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, “The emperor publicly exiled him and sent him away with an escort toward Lingate.”
“Why a
re you telling me this?”
His face flooded with sympathy. “I could see it eating you alive as you thought the worst. I thought it might bring you comfort to know he’s alive.”
“Thank you,” she breathed, even as her heart split in two at the implications. This was for the best. Her life was in shambles, but at least he’d have a chance at a normal life. He’d be safe. He could move on, maybe open an apothecary of his own. Did it matter? He was alive!
He dipped his head and scratched the back of his neck like he was uncomfortable with her gratitude. “Don’t mention it.”
They continued to her room where he let her go inside alone stating that his orders didn’t require a total invasion of privacy. Given the circumstances, she was surprised the emperor would allow her to use the bathroom without supervision, let alone be in her room without guards.
Oona and Wynn were already waiting for her. Mara took one step inside before falling apart.
Oona hurried over and wrapped her arms around her. Mara leaned into the embrace, suddenly unable to support her own weight. “We heard what happened.”
“Already? How?”
“The guards are all gossiping about it. The emperor doesn’t have as tight a hold on their tongues as he’d like to think.” She rolled her eyes. “How are you doing?”
“Stupid question,” Wynn said, brushing Oona’s arms off Mara. “Stop yer blubbering and pull yerself together, girly.”
“Wynn, you could try to have a little compassion you know!”
“Don’t have time for that nonsense. What’s the plan?”
“What can we do?” Mara sniffed and dabbed her eyes with her sleeve. “I’m trapped here now. Permanently. The emperor ordered me under constant supervision.”
“So? Let’s just blast our way through the guards and go after him,” Wynn said, the violence in her statement tempered slightly by the frilly blue gown she wore—but only just. This was Wynn, after all. No matter how demure she dressed, Mara was certain she carried enough blades to supply an army.
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