Chapter Seventy-Four
Obey
Several Days Later
“Have there been any developments on the mysterious being in the forest?” His Majesty’s voice carries out into the corridor as we near the entrance of the dining hall.
“Yes, as a matter of fact—” Imperial Steward Garth says, then he falls silent once my Guards and I enter.
I hold in a scoff when he and Imperial Marshall Bradick drop their gazes to their plates while the Emperor has already shifted his attention to the document he holds out before him.
My brows furrow like his are drawn in the center, swearing his wrinkles once resembled the deep crevices in the heart of the mountain, though now barely crease the surface.
This newfound youth of his makes it appear as if he is barely cresting fifty years, rather than the seventy he’s lived.
“Does the Emperor appear more youthful to you?” I ask under my breath, and Cirrin nods his agreement.
My magic connects with His Majesty’s chest where his frustration is a tangled mess.
I draw out his inner turmoil, and he releases a breath once I arrive by his side.
He tosses the paper he was reading to the empty seat where Wyrth should be sitting, and nearly knocks his untouched water glass off the table in the process.
“There’s my little witch.” His voice is strained, like every other evening he has spent needlessly screaming at some undeserving servant.
I bow to him while he ignores my existence in favor of his wine goblet, which he tips back to gulp down the contents.
Every muscle in my lower body screams with fatigue as I carefully lower my shaking form down to my seat. Lars helps to push the chair in beneath me, and I nod to him in appreciation.
“Glory to the Dragons, to whom we owe everything,” I chant before lifting my fork to force a berry between my teeth.
Raki’s talons scrape over the gold scales adorning His Majesty’s shoulder, and my nostrils flare when he leans in to nuzzle it. A chill rises up my spine when his gaze rakes over me before he shifts to glare up at my Lead Guard.
“Did I not order you to keep one hundred paces from my little witch after your concerted display of disobedience?” His Majesty’s tone is cold. “You will do so anytime she is not before an audience.” The Emperor points to a corner across the room. “Go.”
Every member of court feigns their disinterest by looking anywhere but up at Varic.
His ears burn crimson as he bows to our captor, and my heart constricts as he takes a step back.
So I gather and send a small ember of my love to him, hoping he will understand he is not alone in this.
His shoulders drop, and I release some of the tension held in my own when my gift has settled in beneath his skin, imbuing his chest with the care I feel for him.
Warmth radiates around me as he casts his amber force-shield over my being.
And even though he avoids my gaze as he turns, his distance still tugs on the invisible string he has tied around my heart.
Tightening with every passing second he remains so far away from me.
Cinching my chest with his refusal to make eye contact.
Cast in shadow where he has been made to stand alone, in the farthest corner of the dining hall.
Emperor Aldritch shoves a bite into his mouth before turning to me, lips smacking. “I trust you spent the journey considering how you might atone for your disobedience?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” I stare back at him and crush a ripe berry between my incisors.
“Good.” He sneers at Varic before returning his attention to me, running his hand along Raki’s spine while the other raises the goblet to his lips. “Now you will return to be my obedient little witch so we might resolve these ‘problems’ with the bordering lands.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
“Now.” He sends a wave of his dark gray magic hurtling toward me. “Imperial Lead Guard Varic, drop your shield.” Every telekinetic member of court looks around in confusion, and my heart drops. Now they know Varic can protect me without their being able to detect it.
The Emperor clenches his jaw as he sends his power rippling over the surface of the orb around my body.
My heart pounds against my ribs the more I pull on his anger, then send him a tendril of complacency.
Hoping it will make him think twice about his order, for I cannot imagine what might happen should Varic lower his protection—nor what might come to pass should he continue casting it.
As if in answer, Varic narrows his gaze where the Emperor’s dark gray magic riots over the center of my chest, and his shield warbles so fast, it becomes more difficult to see out of it.
“Now.” Emperor Aldritch’s eyes flash with rage as I send Varic a tendril of my fear.
Though he does not relent, when His Majesty sends another blast of magic in my direction.
My stomach twists with the sense of satisfaction rippling through His Majesty, as he snaps his fingers to call a servant over. “Bring me the nearest young witch or sorcerer—”
“No,” Varic says in a tone more aggressive than His Majesty would normally allow. “I will drop my shield once you give me your word you will not hurt her.”
The Emperor cackles. “You seem to have confused yourself with the entertainment.” He gestures at the Imperial musicians holding fast to their flutes and string instruments.
“You are not here to provide me with song and dance. You are here to comply with my commands.” Dark gray sparks light in the Emperor’s palm as his anger rises, and I choke back a sob while siphoning it all as quickly as possible.
“And I command you to drop your shield.”
Varic sends me one last look of sympathy before returning his attention to our ruler, allowing his countenance to relax as he slowly contracts his shield down to conform to my skin.
Malin turns to me, then casts his gaze to his leader and nods in acknowledgment.
Emperor Aldritch’s mood settles now that he seems to believe Varic has complied with his demand. His expression turns jovial as he leans back in his dining throne, curving his lips upward as he sends his dark gray magic to smack my arm.
I flinch and apparently have the desired effect as his cheeks rise in a more devious smile.
He steadily raises his wine goblet to tip the remaining wine down his throat, light refracting off the etched sigil in the crystal as he twirls the stem between his fingers.
Then we all startle when he slams the vessel down on the dark wood table.
Tiny fragments glint and shimmer until my vision swims and my hearing becomes muffled as I get lost in staring at the reminder of too many recent incidents.
His Majesty demands a new goblet to be brought to him. Black uniforms blur in my periphery as multiple servants scramble to remove all evidence of the Emperor’s tantrum, and I become lost to the grief of it all.
Imperial Army commanders and government officials step back to make a narrow path for His Majesty and his Guards, who lead our procession to the round stage in the War Room.
Varic’s panic pulses through the magical connection I refuse to sever with him. Thrumming harder with every step we take into the confined space, where the very audience allowing him the opportunity to walk mere inches away from me happens to be the same which is causing him to feel claustrophobic.
I poke his arm with my elbow, and he cocks his head to the side with his brow quirked in question. My nostrils flare as I pull a deep breath in, then part my lips wide enough for him to focus on them when I release it. Reminding him he can breathe. He can do this. I’m right here with him.
We turn and face forward as he pulls in a deep breath through his nose, expanding his chest before allowing it to depress with the air coursing out through his mouth.
I draw from memories of when he has comforted me, then condense those emotions into a light blue arc only I can see before sending it to settle within his muscles. I can’t help but mirror his lips when they curve into a subtle smile for me.
The tension in my chest relents, despite the roomful of eyes watching as we move to stand upon the raised stage in the center of the room.
Varic releases another heavy breath, and I follow his line of sight to where General Sal narrows his eyes from the crowd.
My stomach lurches as I furrow my brow in question, hoping the General will offer me something in response, yet he blinks slowly and casts his attention to our ruler.
The fluttering of tiny wings conjures even more dread as Raki grazes its talon on the edge of my ear as it swoops down. I stifle a shudder as it rises and flies in ominous circles overhead.
His Majesty raises his right hand in salute, commanding the audience to quiet without need for my magic. “You have all been summoned to explain how our Imperial Army has failed to prevent multiple attacks on our Imperial Palace!”
Murmurs rise and fall as the air grows thick with tension, sticking to my throat as their fear increases, and I have no hope of warding against the onslaught of emotions invading my body—not with Varic so near to me.
His Majesty seems displeased as he turns to glare at the same time Varic’s eyes flick over to me from his periphery.
My chest heaves as I fail to pull in enough air, gasping—which the Emperor will surely notice, regardless of how angry he is.
Fuck. I draw on my magic and prepare to take in the hatred he’s brewing, with the need to decrease his distress before he unleashes a burst of force magic of which we cannot reverse the damage.
The tension of his fury drags me down, like so many ropes tying my limbs to the ground.
My skull grows so heavy, my head tips forward, and my pulse pounds with the terror of whatever punishment is to come should the Emperor see how I cannot keep my own head up.
I force my gaze ahead when panic pierces my chest.