35. Benedetto
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
BENEDETTO
Pain throbbed through my skull as I stirred on the soft mattress, a luxury my battered body welcomed. My hand brushed sheets that felt like fine linen. Rising on my elbow, I surveyed the room. Polished wood paneling covered the walls, two cushioned chairs sat bolted securely to the floor. A table, also bolted in place. Nothing I could grab and use as a weapon, though I might be able to shatter the table.
A gilded cage. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Why?
One of the chairs had a tunic and trousers laid on it. While I didn’t care that I was naked, clothed was preferable. I put them on. Fine cloth, again, and cut for a man of my height and build.
The solid wood door withstood my testing. No windows. Where was Luna? Was she safe? Could I trust Sofia to get her away?
A spike of dread pierced my gut. If they'd caught her...
The door opened.
I bit back a surprised oath. Mother ?
She glided in, poised and confident in an elegant dark gown, not a hair out of place. "Good morning. I trust you're finding your accommodations comfortable?"
Several clues clicked into a pattern I liked not at all. Her political machinations, my brother’s condition, my father’s illness… My marriage.
I’d worried about the wrong person betraying me.
"Where is Luna?" Despite my best effort, my hands balled into fists.
Mother waved a dismissive hand. "She's fine. For now. It’s good to know I didn’t underestimate your intelligence."
I gritted my teeth. “Why, mother?”
A tiny smile played on Mother's lips as she stepped closer. Her magic coursed around her, forming a shield around her. Intelligent move. I was angry enough to wring her neck. "When we return to Kalion, you’ll take up the emperor's wreath. The throne. Imagine it, you as the ruler of the Dimare Empire."
I snorted, not bothering to hide my disdain. "And what would that make me? Your puppet on the throne?"
Her smile widened, eyes glinting with dark amusement. "Oh. You wound me. I'm offering you power, true power. Mine will be greater, but at that point ruling the empire won’t be my concern."
Fury mixed with fear surged through my veins. What was she grasping for? "You're working with Moonshifter after what he did to Francesco? How could you betray your own family like this? What are you doing, Mother?"
She sighed, weary patience infusing the sound. "Who says I won’t use Moonshifter to cure Francesco when this is done? Sadly, Francesco is weak and unfit to rule. He's always been a fragile, approval-seeking creature, lacking the strength the empire needs to thrive. The strength you have."
Rage boiled inside me, so intense it nearly choked the breath from my lungs. "He’s our blood, the rightful heir to both clan and empire. And you let Moonshifter drive him insane?"
"Francesco was unlikely to produce an heir," she said coolly. "He preferred the company of men, and the empire can't afford a barren line. We need strength, someone who can revitalize the kingdom. Someone like you."
She continued, settling in one of the chairs, “His lack of discipline drove him mad when he read Ruin’s book. I’ve worked to fix this situation in my own way. My more effective way. Shortly after the ritual is done, you’ll be emperor, Francesco will be sane, and I will be a goddess to replace the dead patron of Dimare.”
She’d lost her mind. That was the only explanation.
I paced the room, trying to contain my temper. The polished floorboards gleamed mockingly beneath my feet. I whirled to face her. "Where did you find this ritual? It’s madness, Mother. The gods are absent, and humans aren’t meant to replace them. Otherwise they would have, centuries ago."
Mother folded her hands. "Don't be naive. Power is never given, it's taken. And I’m reaching for the ultimate power. The ritual is one of Ruin’s, altered and improved by me."
I shook my head in wonder. "You’ll succeed where Sorcerers fear to tread? Power isn’t worth anything if you get it like this."
Her expression hardened, any pretense of maternal warmth vanishing. "Really? If you had power, you wouldn’t be here, would you? Power gives the ability to protect what you care for, be it a cause or a person. Wearing the empire’s wreath Benedetto, you have the strength to lead the Dimare into a glorious future."
She was insane. I swallowed against the bile rising in my throat. Completely mad with lust for power. And she wanted to drag me along with her.
"You're insane," I whispered. "And I won’t be a tool."
Her thin lips curved into a sharp smile. "Tool? No, my dear. You're the key to the future of the empire."
She rose, approaching me. “After the ritual tonight, I will take my place as a living god, and you’ll be set on the throne. The empire will be unstoppable."
The room spun around me. I couldn't fathom the depth of her ruthlessness, the cold calculation behind her elegant mask.
Mother moved closer, her perfume enveloping me. No notes of jasmine in it, only myrrh, the scent of death and funerals. “Think of it. Luna and Francesco at your side, and me as the protector of the empire above all of you. The conquests and glory you’ll find. Just cooperate.”
I bent my lips in a smile I hoped looked sincere. “And what of Luna? If you have her here, is she to be a part of the ritual?”
The expression must have fooled her. Mother smiled at me, happiness in her face. “I’m glad you’ve accepted your part. Yes, she will. She’s agreed to do it.”
Mother was always an excellent liar. Luna would never agree. “And the babe?”
“That might be a problem, but even if she miscarries from being the power focus, you’re both young. And there’s no guarantee that she wouldn’t lose the child in the normal course of things.”
I drew in a long breath, tainted by her perfume. The walls of the chamber closed in, the air thick and suffocating. As I met my mother’s unwavering gaze, I realized with sinking dread that I might be out of options.
"You're talking about using an unborn child in this magic ritual," I said with deliberation. "My child. Luna's child. Your grandchild."
Mother spread her hands. "You’re going to rule. Sometimes a sacrifice must be made for the greater good. How many more infants will be safe because of the sacrifice of this one? Imagine what we will accomplish once it’s done."
"You're insane," I said wonderingly. “There's nothing you won't do, no line you won't cross, is there?"
Her smile sharpened, a predator scenting blood. "I prefer to think of it as being willing to do whatever it takes. Much like you, my son. How many ghouls did you help over the years? The empire needs a strong hand to guide it. With the power to make my vision real, we'll be unstoppable."
Mother reached up and patted my cheek, her touch like ice against my skin.
"You'll come to see the wisdom of my plan," she said, her tone comforting. "Once the ritual is over, you’ll be more amenable to what's best. But if you cooperate willingly, you can have your wife back before then. You can support her as she is prepared for the ritual."
I jerked away from her. "You want to strip me of my free will."
"Only if necessary," Mother said, her gaze never wavering. "But if you make the right choices on your own, there won't be any need for that."
I took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing myself to speak calmly. "And Moonshifter will cure Francesco?" I asked quietly. "Reverse what was done to him?"
Mother walked to the door and rested her hand on the knob. "It should be feasible. Francesco was a necessary sacrifice, but one I regret. He’s still my son."
She glided from the room.
The truth hit me like a physical blow, driving the air from my lungs. My brother, my lost, beloved brother, had spent more than a decade insane and in pain because he was a pawn. A disposable piece.
Just like me. Just like Luna and our unborn child. We were all just tools to her, means to an end.
I wanted to scream, to rage, to tear this room apart with my bare hands. But it would do no good. Mother held all the cards, and she knew it.
Mother had been meticulous, weaving her web with a spider's patience and cunning. She'd left nothing to chance. I sank back into the chair, my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white. Try as I might, I couldn't see anything to do to circumvent her plan.
Except me, I realized suddenly. She thought she could control me, bend me to her will before the ritual. But she was wrong.
I might've been trapped, but I wasn't helpless. I had my wits, my training, and my magic. And I had something else, something far more powerful: my love for Luna and our unborn child.
That was my strength. That was what would keep me fighting, no matter what they did to me.
Forgive me, Luna . I hope you'll understand, if it comes to it.
I'd die first.