Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

Aurelia

M y guards trail behind Raul and me through the quiet halls toward the main doors. As we reach the grand vestibule, Neven appears by the doorway, the dark smudges under his eyes suggesting he hasn’t gotten much sleep.

Before I can ask the young prince if he’s all right, he’s bending into a swift bow and shooting a tense smile at me. “Good luck in your quest, Your Imperial Highness.”

I have the sudden odd feeling that he arranged to be here specifically to speak to me, as little sense as I can make of that idea. “Thank you, Your Highness. I hope you’re well.”

“Oh, yes, very,” Neven says, not at all convincingly. “Watch for the signs of the gods! I’m sure they won’t lead you astray.”

He hurries past us without another word. My gaze catches on Raul’s. His mouth twists with a hint of a grimace as if to say he doesn’t know what to make of the young prince’s behavior, but he doesn’t like it.

Lorenzo mentioned that Neven had made an odd comment about being pulled in different directions. We’ve all been keeping a careful watch over him—as well as we can without drawing his ire—but none of us have seen any indication of what he might have meant.

I’ll need to talk to him about what to expect in Goric before much longer. Gods willing, I’ll be able to get through to him more than his foster brothers have.

A carriage is already waiting outside. Before my guards clamber onto their seats on the outside, the woman aims a wary look at Raul.

“If you need anything, just shout, Your Imperial Highness,” she says to me.

Does she think he’s going to maul me—one way or another—while we’re riding into the city?

At least it doesn’t appear my husband gave the guards the impression that I’d welcome any version of those intentions.

Raul ignores her remark and nods to the driver. “Amdray Square.”

We clamber into the carriage to find a basket waiting on the floor. The prince opens it up with a smack of his lips. “Good, they remembered. I told the staff we couldn’t be expected to seek out legendary artifacts without some kind of breakfast.”

He passes me a cheese-and-berry-stuffed pastry on a napkin. Here in the relative privacy of the carriage, his fingers stroke over mine before he withdraws them. The tingle that ripples over my skin nearly displaces my anxiety about this quest.

I wish I could lean forward and kiss him, but we can hardly risk that clear a display of affection by the open windows.

Instead, I slide my foot forward so it rests against his—a distant touch with the layers of leather between us, but a clear gesture all the same. Raul aims a fond smile my way, although his gaze still looks darker than usual.

Why wouldn’t it be, given what lies ahead?

The thought of Linus’s hints at the violence he has planned for the pledging ceremony unsettles my stomach. What will my sadistic husband do to the people of Lavira?

Can it be worse than the horrors he’s already carried out?

If he has anything to say about it, I’d imagine it will.

“It should be interesting to see how the city folk respond to the pledging ceremony,” I say carefully. “I expect my husband will make it quite the spectacle.”

On my lap, I form a couple of emphatic gestures. Bring medics.

Raul’s jaw clenches at my warning. He nods to show he’s understood.

His gaze focuses to my belly. “Are you sure you’re up for a treasure hunt as well in your condition?”

He makes his tone almost sneering for the benefit of the guards outside, but he catches my gaze with genuine concern.

“I feel quite well, actually,” I say. “The ladies of the Accasian court always said the middle period of a pregnancy is the most joyful time.”

If Linus had charged me with this quest when I was at the point of waddling, then we might have had words.

Raul simply hums, but the shadows of the carriage shift. A gentle pressure wraps around my hand as if to give it a reassuring squeeze.

We’re in this mess together as always, however messy it might become.

I reach out to set my napkin in the basket and let the paper I wrote on flutter from my sleeve. Raul picks it up and flicks his gaze over it.

I keep my voice measured. “His Imperial Majesty will be so pleased to have such a powerful relic in his possession.” At the same time, I twist my fingers by my side in the signal for No . “I’m sure there’s nothing else in the realms quite like it.” You find? Make?

Raul knows me well enough to follow my meaning. “Certainly not with such impressive magical effects,” he says, lifting an eyebrow at me in question.

“I’m glad I can take on this quest for him,” I say, meaning that I can handle that part of the scheme.

The prince’s mouth quirks up on one side. “I suppose it’s my honor to contribute however I can.” He shifts his own hand in a message of his own. Need time.

Of course he will. I can give him that—and at the same time play up the impression that I don’t enjoy having him around.

We reach the immense city square less than a minute later, drawing to a halt not far from a sprawling covered marketplace. As I slip out of the carriage, I’m surprised to recognize a couple of the figures standing near the outer stalls.

Viceroy Ennius and one of the Darium marchions appear to be deep in conversation with a couple of other men I don’t know—locals, from the style and vibrant hues of their clothing. As I linger by the carriage, mostly out of view, Ennius passes one of the unfamiliar men a coin. They shake hands, and I catch a brief comment—“Pleasure doing business with you!”

The locals head deeper into the market. The viceroy stalks off along the edge of the square with his companion.

Watching them go, my brow knits. “Are the Darium nobles making deals with Lavirian merchants? I thought trade agreements between the countries were supposed to be overseen by the emperor.”

Raul has been observing from over my shoulder. He speaks with a trace of an edge. “They’re supposed to be arranged with the approval of both the emperor and Queen Benvida. But it’s not surprising some try to circumvent those rules. It’ll benefit them somehow.”

Like the courtiers offering concessions to me and Marclinus in Cotea. Except in this case, they’re cutting the main authorities out altogether, both the local royals and their imperial rulers.

I don’t like the implications of that fact, but this is hardly the time for me to dig deeper. I have plenty of more pressing concerns of my own.

The scent of spices and frying oil lace the air. The cobblestones gleam in their silver-and-beige patchwork. Despite the early hour, city folk are strolling through the space to and from the market and the buildings along the fringes. But I see no indication of where I might find a sacred armband.

My guards have descended from their seats as well. I need to put on a show of tracking this relic—a show that’ll take a good long time so Raul can play his part.

I meander along the edges of the square, letting my gaze drift over the buildings as if I’m being guided by some vague supernatural impulse. Here and there, I pause and study a particular detail for longer or close my eyes in feigned meditation.

When I feel I’ve put on a clear enough act, I turn to Raul. “One of the visions that’s coming to me is of a book—brown leather with gold gilding, something to do with the history of the city. I have the sense it’s important to this quest. I should continue following the path Elox reveals to me—perhaps you could search the palace library for such a tome?”

I’ve made the description generic enough that hopefully he’ll be able to grab a book that matches without too much trouble—and spend the rest of the time figuring out how to assemble a suitable replacement artifact.

Raul frowns as if he doesn’t like being ordered around. “I was supposed to assist with guiding you around the city, not go off running errands.”

I set my hands on my hips with an imperious air. “You’re supposed to help me however I see fit, aren’t you? This task is what would be most useful to me.”

He sighs. “Fine. How will I find you again once I’ve unearthed this ever-so-important book?”

“I believe a temple may be involved… I’ll have to visit at least a few of those within the city. Meet me at the main temple of Elox. If you’re not there when I arrive and I need to move on, I’ll leave a message there.”

“Right,” Raul says in a flat tone. “I’ll walk back to the palace, then.”

But he swivels his hand surreptitiously in a silent message. I belong to you.

I have to restrain both a smile and a bittersweet pang of emotion. “Please do.”

I turn my back on him as if dismissing him, returning the gesture at the same time.

The Lavirian carriage driver knows the way to the city’s primary temples. I start with Prospira, which feels fitting after the emphasis Linus put on her yesterday, and then move on to Sabrelle—as unlikely as it seems that Elox would hide her relic in her own place of worship—and Creaden.

At each of the grand structures, I putter around the outside and wander through the worship rooms as if waiting for visions and seeking out clues. My guards trail behind me gamely.

I don’t expect they have much idea of what a dedicat being led by her godlen would look like anyway.

After many soft exclamations as if some new epiphany has struck me, along with multiple peals of the hourly bells throughout the town, I judge that it would be reasonable to head to Rodrige’s Eloxian temple next. I only have two bells left before I’ll need to return for the pledging ceremony.

I’m stepping out of the Temple of Towering Glory beneath Creaden’s sigil when a scarlet gleam catches my eye.

My head jerks toward the light. A ruddy spark flickers at the end of one of the streets winding away from the temple.

A floating reddish glow like the one I saw during my plea to Elox.

I stand frozen for long enough that one of my guards inquires, “Has something disturbed you, Your Imperial Highness?”

It has, but nothing I can explain to them. I waver for a few seconds longer.

I asked for my godlen’s assistance. It appears he’s decided to give it to me. Even Prince Neven reminded me to follow the signs of the gods.

“I believe Elox is beckoning me in a new direction,” I say and set off after the strange spark on foot. The road it flitted toward is too narrow to admit my carriage.

I stride along at a swift pace, enjoying the chance to really stretch my legs. Contrary to Raul’s concerns, the fatigue of the early months of pregnancy has left an unexpected energy in its place. My belly is hardly large enough to constrain my movements yet.

It’s as if every part of me is keyed up to protect the new life growing inside me every way I can.

My guards trot behind me, drawing closer as I enter the narrow street. Up ahead, the red spark flares as if to demand my attention. I pick up my pace even more.

The glint of possibly divine magic flashes brighter every few moments. It draws me down several more streets, across a major thoroughfare, and into a residential neighborhood of sparse gardens and crooked but vividly painted fences. Every time I catch a glimpse of it, my heart skips a beat, but my guards don’t give any indication that they’ve noticed the roaming light.

Is it appearing just for me?

I emerge from the last meandering street into a crossroads. On the corner directly across from me, a massive oak towers over the nearby buildings.

Two of those houses are merged right into the immense trunk. The tree’s lower branches meld with their roofs. The roots that jut from the soil provide doorsteps and the edges of the front walks.

Someone with a gift for growth must have lived here when these homes were first constructed. I’ve seen buildings partly created out of living plants before, but none quite as imposing as this.

Childish laughter bounces from one of the windows. The smell of fresh-baked bread drifts through the air.

As I take it in, the red spark gleams amid the branches. It swirls through them and then seems to absorb right into the trunk before me.

A clammy sensation closes around my lungs. This is what that glowing sign was leading me to.

When I blink, a sudden wash of pinkish light fills my vision, streaking down through the tree to its base. Pooling in a ring before vanishing again.

My guards don’t stir. They didn’t see anything at all. But the afterimage remains burned into my eyes.

Is this the actual hiding place of Sabrelle’s relic? Elox concealed it within a tree?

Why is he showing me now? What am I supposed to do about it?

Does he truly think I should bring it to Linus?

A tinge of relief colors my uncertainty. If I did, I wouldn’t have to worry about passing off a fake. Linus would be appeased for now.

But to get anything out of this tree… I’d have to order it chopped down. The families who live on either side of the oak would have their homes destroyed—quite literally uprooted.

My initial relief buoys me past that concern. We can order new houses built for them, can’t we? It might take a few days, but that’s a minor enough matter.

I’m their empress, acting on their emperor’s orders. They can’t be upset by a little disturbance over a long-lost treasure?—

Those thoughts have barely passed through my head when I recoil, taking a physical step backward to match my inward flinch.

Great God help me, what am I thinking?

No one deserves to have their house—let alone a home that may have passed through generation after generation—torn apart to cater to the emperor’s whims. Haven’t the common folk of the city suffered enough because of him?

As empress, I should be focused on how I can make their lives better, not how they can spare me a little discomfort.

I spin on my heel and press my hand to my temple. All the bowing and pledging and fawning words must be starting to affect my mind. Would I ever have gotten caught up in that selfish attitude even a few months ago?

“Your Imperial Highness?” one of my guards says uncertainly.

I square my shoulders. The idea of Linus getting his hands on anything that would make him stronger sickens me.

The gods might have shown me one way to complete my quest, but that doesn’t mean the way I first chose was wrong.

I won’t become the same force of destruction my husband has.

Shaking my head, I offer my guards a sheepish smile. “I fear I’ve been drawn off-course. I must get to the Eloxian temple—I’m surer than ever that the answers lie there.”

The whole walk back to the carriage, my stomach lists uneasily. I’ve disagreed with my chosen godlen’s messages before, but I’m not sure I’ve ever rejected a divine sign quite this emphatically before.

What if I’m making a mistake? Elox has sometimes known things I haven’t.

But despite the doubts churning inside me, I can’t quite convince myself that demolishing a centuries-old tree and the homes of two families for the glory of the empire is what he’d want.

Whatever other reasons he might have had for pointing out the location to me, I hope they’ll become clearer in time.

It’s a short ride to the pale turrets of the city’s Eloxian temple. Raul gets up from where he was sitting at the edge of the marble fountain in front, holding a brown leather book. “I think I found what you needed.”

“Excellent.” I hurry over to join him.

As he passes the book to me, he tucks a metal band into my hands out of view beneath the book. I offer him a smile as grateful as seems safe. “Thank you for your efforts. I’ve identified the site of the relic, right here on these grounds. Perhaps this will help me determine how to retrieve it…”

Keeping the armband he gave me carefully out of sight, I flip through the pages. While I pretend to read, I walk around the building.

I approach one of the statues carved into the white stone: a depiction of Elox raising his arms amid a flurry of soaring doves. Bending down, I pretend to fiddle with something behind his marble legs.

After a suitable amount of pawing, I stand up holding the armband Raul gave me aloft. My first full glimpse of it settles my nerves. It isn’t identical to the image from my dreams, but it’s steel and marked with Sabrelle’s sigil, with a rearing horse on one side and a loping dog on the other.

The faint bumps between those images and the sigil suggest they were once part of separate trinkets that Raul had soldered together, but the luster on the steel gives the impression of great age. He did incredible work with the time he had.

Linus can’t know exactly what the original looked like. Fables can’t be expected to be entirely accurate. This should be close enough.

I brandish the supposed relic before the guards. “I’ve found it! Now we’d best get back to the palace so I can prepare myself for the pledging ceremony and my husband’s birthday feast.”

And hope that I can ready this trinket to Linus’s satisfaction before he puts it to the test.

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