CHAPTER FIFTEEN #5
Tiberius’s face appears in my mind, his eyes crinkled as he talked about growing up in the Thorn. One day, I hope I’ll get the opportunity to thank him for the parma that saved my life in the arena. “What kind of reforms?”
Tiernon gives me a look, but I narrow my eyes at him. Right now, I’ll take any distraction I can get.
“He’s attempting to gain support for mundanes. He wants them to have the right to vote.”
I gape at him. Years ago—long before my mother was born—every citizen of the empire had the right to vote.
Then, without warning, it was taken away.
That’s the thing about rights—you don’t realize you’ve taken them for granted until one day, you wake up, and they’re no longer a right.
They’re a privilege reserved for other people.
“Do you think it will happen?”
His wide shoulders roll in a dismissive shrug.
“The Sigilmarked Syndicate and Vampire Council are supposed to represent the interests of the people—including mundanes. I doubt they’ll support Cotta’s attempt to reduce their power in any shape or form.
Besides, the emperor took the vote from mundanes as a punishment for their attempted uprising.
It’s unlikely he’ll return that right, even if the Syndicate vote to bring the bill to his attention. ”
He’s right. Tiberius’s reforms are likely mostly performative. And yet, for the first time, I feel a hint of hope for this empire. It helps to know that people like Tiberius Cotta are fighting for a better, fairer existence for the most powerless among us. Even if I won’t be here to see it.
“Did you know he sponsored me?” I murmur.
Tiernon gives me a sharp look. “He did?”
“The training parma I was using would have shattered when I fought Maximus. Tiberius’s parma saved my life. He gave me a new sword too.”
I fall quiet as we walk through the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, both of us heavily cloaked, Tiernon using his superior senses to ensure we don’t cross the paths of any city wardens.
Each time we pause to let the wardens pass, I breathe in the scent of greenery from the huge trees lining each street.
I let my gaze take in the flowers, imagining the sight of them during the day.
The statues of gods on each corner make it clear which neighborhoods are home to vampires, and which mostly contain sigilmarked.
“The Thorn must have been a shock to you after growing up amid such luxury,” I mutter when Tiernon gestures for me to continue walking. “Is that why you decided to sneak away in the first place? You wanted a look at how the poorest of us live? Or was it some form of rebellion against your father?”
He’d told me his father was a wealthy merchant—often busy, and rarely present in his son’s life. Occasionally, Tiernon would come to me, shoulders hunched, eyes dead. On those days, I knew his father had taken an interest and had found his son wanting.
Once, when I’d wept over my own fatherless state—and my mother’s inability to tell me who he was—Tiernon had gently wiped the tears from my cheeks, insisting that it was better to have no father at all than one who regretted your very existence.
He’d taken solace in his brother, until even that relationship had turned bitter.
Tiernon stares straight ahead. “I’m not doing this with you.”
I let out a mocking laugh. “Of course you’re not. That would require honesty, and we both know you’re incapable of it.” We’re close to the city walls, but I can barely see them through my blurry eyes. I blink away the tears.
I’m just tired. Tired and relieved. I’m done here. I’m going to see my brothers. And I’ll never see Tiernon again.
The city walls are notoriously well-guarded, but I should’ve known he had a plan in place. He lets out a low whistle as we approach, and I pull the hood of my cloak higher over my head as one of the guards appears.
“For your silence,” Tiernon murmurs, handing him a coin purse.
The guard’s eyes flicker toward me, and Tiernon tenses. The man immediately removes his gaze.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” he says, weighing the coins with a flick of his wrist. “Name’s Rionan if you ever need anything else.”
Tiernon gives him a stiff nod. “Thank you.”
Surprise flickers through Rionan’s eyes. “You’re welcome.”
Rionan melts back into the shadows of the wall, and Tiernon hands me a sack of coins. I wish I could throw it in his face, but I’m not an idiot. I don’t know how long I’ll need to hide with my brothers before the emperor finally loses interest in a missing gladian.
“Head north,” he says. “If your brothers don’t manage to escape in the morning, I’ll send word when I find out where they are.”
“Thank you. One more thing—”
“Leon. I know. I’ll get him out too.”
My shoulders relax. Leon will tell Tiernon it was Bran who bonded me. And I know Tiernon will ensure Bran can’t contact Elva until after I’ve reunited with Evren and Gerith.
I wait expectantly. Slowly, realization trickles through my mind. He’s not going to apologize. Not going to offer any explanation. This is really it.
His eyes meet mine. They’re blank and cool.
With a final glance at the man who shattered my heart, I pick up what’s left of my tattered dignity and step outside the city walls.
Agony blazes across my neck and I fall to my knees with a howl.