Chapter 46 #2
Fanfare sounded, the sharp notes from the horns pulling everyone’s attention and quieting the room.
The Royal Bard swept into the center of the ballroom, his gleaming white silk suit threaded with gold and red.
Tassels atop his shoulders shook as he waved to the crowd.
Turning toward the dais, he bent low in a deep bow.
All eyes turned in unison and Terena swiveled to see Solon step onto the dais with High Cleric Christos at his side.
Her pulse raced as she watched the man who’d ordered her execution smiling benignly as everyone clapped. Bile rose in Terena’s throat and she almost screamed with the force of her fury.
As the applause faded, Solon put his hand to his chest.
“Thank you all for joining me this evening. I... did not expect the event I’d originally invited you all to Metilai for would double as a joyous celebration for the return of my son, Crown Prince Lerek. It is a blessing from Gaia, and I am equally blessed to share it with you all.”
Terena’s brow furrowed at his words. According to Lerek and Xoran, that is exactly what this event had been for: Lerek’s return.
But as the crowd exploded into applause, Terena stared hard at the guests assembled at the tables on the dais.
Some of them had come from countries far across the Black Sea to be here.
Fuming as realization dawned, Terena vowed to question Lerek at the first opportunity. He had better have an explanation about how these guests had gotten here this fast if Solon had only found out about Lerek mere weeks ago.
And why the hells Duke Aurora was here, too.
“Almost a year ago,” Solon droned on, “someone I trusted and respected betrayed me in the most heinous way possible. But the old gods are benevolent and have returned my firstborn, Lerek, to my side. And while I mourn the loss of my second son, Isher, I am forever grateful to have Lerek restored to me and this empire. This is a celebration,” Solon said with a grin as he looked around the room.
“This is a celebration not only for his return, but to restore him to his birthright as heir to the Empire of Heylisia.”
Terena looked around until she spotted Lerek, who waved a negligent hand at the raucous applause. When it died down, Lerek slipped away. Sighing in relief, Terena turned back as High Cleric Christos stepped up to Solon’s side.
“But we are here tonight for another celebration. To honor the new allegiances formed this week, with friends near and far, to strengthen our empires, countries, and kingdoms, from enemies of mankind.
“We are on the cusp of a shift in our world. A dangerous shift that has prompted me to reach out to my peers near and far to join me in building a strong foundation to fight against the tyranny of the Olympian gods.”
Gasps and the hum of murmured conversations sounded all around as Terena’s blood heated.
The emperor held up a hand to quiet the room as he continued.
“I want to assure all of you, as I’ve assured my new friends here.
” The emperor turned to acknowledge the men seated on the dais.
Turning back to the crowd, he smiled. “The old gods have not forsaken us. We do not need to fear the return of the Olympian gods, if they’re any left alive.
Because the Titans provided us a weapon. ”
More gasps and excited chatter broke out. Terena took a step forward, stopping herself only when a Guard nearby turned toward her with a scowl.
“High Cleric Christos and his priests have been working tirelessly, translating the old texts, consulting seers blessed by the Titans, and have found a weapon to destroy the Olympians if they dare return to Elysium. They will know we will not be subjugated to their will! They will know, once and for all, we will not! Bow! Down!”
The crowd roared, everyone up from their seats as the ballroom shook with their cheering. It lasted a full minute before Solon could calm them enough to speak over their noise.
“No celebration would be complete without some extraordinary entertainment,” the emperor said with an affected chuckle as he clapped Christos on the back. The cleric’s top lip curled with disdain, but the look was gone before Terena could process what it could mean.
“It is no secret the traitors who perpetrated one of the worst crimes in our empire’s history escaped our justice. But tonight, I am pleased to share we have caught one of the traitors and have brought him to face our justice right here, right now!”
Terena’s heart stopped. Frantic, she searched the room for Lerek or Xoran.
Migela and Cassandra were nowhere to be found either.
Her blood boiled as she turned her attention back to Solon as he smiled and stepped aside.
A commotion behind the dais drew his attention.
Terena made her way slowly to the center of the ballroom.
If this maggot thought he could use her brother for entertainment, he was in for a long overdue lesson.
Her fingers tingled and the familiar red haze shrouded her vision when the Imperial Guard dragged their burden to drop at the feet of High Cleric Christos.
Someone pressed close behind her, and Terena stiffened as a voice she knew well whispered in her ear.
“You should have listened to your brother,” Vassori said.
Terena spun around, but the tracker was already gone. She frantically searched the faces of those surrounding her, their gleaming eyes trained on the dais, hungry for the entertainment the emperor promised.
Swiveling back to the dais, Terena choked on a gasp. The bloodied face lifted, tears streaming down his face.
It was not Croak staring in mute shock at the gathering before him.
Terena clenched her hands as she stared up at Orry.
Croak opened his eyes to look at the empty plate sitting on the ground. No one had come to get it or bring him another meal all day.
Rubbing at his belly, he contemplated all the things he’d do to the next guard if he came down and didn’t bring with him something for Croak to eat. A slice of bread, at least.
He stilled as footsteps sounded on the flagstones. More than one set.
“Here he is.”
Croak started. His stomach sank as he pushed away from the bars, his swollen face turning mutinous when he saw the woman in the dimly lit dungeon.
Serephina.
Flicking a glance at the men who followed her in, the sinking sensation in his belly grew worse. Dread slithered down his spine as he blinked up at the men before he shifted his gaze to Serephina.
“What is this?”
The woman, who always treated him with disdain and never actually spoke with him before, grinned at him.
“It’s a rescue, dear! What else? I know you were expecting my Xoran but I wanted this moment for myself.”
Croak rose slowly, his eyes darting between Serephina and the unknown arrivals. They wore black, nondescript clothes. He did not know them.
“And who are they?”
“Oh!” Serephina tittered, putting her hand to her mouth as if Croak had said something witty. “These men are here to take you away! Away from all of this.” She waved at their surroundings.
“Where’s my sister? Where’s Lerek?”
“After you leave here, I’m afraid you’ll never see them again.”
Croak stepped away from the cell door as Serephina motioned to one of the men. He came forward with a key, unlocked the door and shoved it back.
The grating of metal on metal shrieked and Croak panicked. Two men came in and he fought against them, cursing his weakened state as they easily batted away his hands.
One man hauled him out and threw him to the ground. Croak cried out when he landed on his side. Another man grabbed his hands and bound them with iron shackles. Lifting him as easily as a babe, the men turned him to face Serephina.
He’d never seen a more cunning look on her pointy little face and that was saying something.
This woman was a viper.
“I sold you to these men,” she said with a negligent lift of her hand. “You’ll spend the rest of your days—however many that is—as a slave.”
It took a moment for her words to sink in. Stunned, Croak gaped at the woman, then thrashed against the men when they pulled him away.
“You can’t!” Croak shouted, terror crashing over him. His throat clogged with a sob as he fought to free himself. “You can’t do this! Serephina! She’ll kill you when she finds out! No! No! Get off me—get the fuck off me!”
Croak ranted and sobbed as he continued to fight, shouting expletives at the woman waggling her fingers at him.
“Don’t you worry about your sister,” Serephina called out as she disappeared from his sight. He could still hear her voice, and her words made him fight even harder.
“She won’t survive what my Christos has planned for her.”
Lerek gaped as Ormano Peredor, his childhood friend and Ren’s confidant, dropped in a heap at the front of the dais. His eyes shot to Xoran, who watched the scene with a clenched jaw.
Moving closer to him, he hissed in the captain’s ear. “Find Terena. Tell her to cause a distraction right now!”
Xoran didn’t bother to acknowledge the order as he strode off behind the rest of the Imperial Guard, the men moving for their captain as he passed.
A buzzing sounded in Lerek’s ears, drowning out whatever that pompous idiot, Christos, was saying as his eyes ranged about the crowded ballroom.
Hoping to spot Ren, his eyes instead found Cassandra, whose wide-eyed stare was riveted on someone to his left. Glancing over, Lerek frowned. He couldn’t tell what had caused the frightened look on the woman’s face.
When he looked over at her again, she was still looking at the same spot.
Turning back, Lerek scowled as a woman he’d never seen before turned and stepped up onto the dais, her face ashen.
She swayed a bit as she caressed the amulet at her neck, a beautiful emerald that sparkled as it caught the light.
Lerek craned his neck when he saw another woman beside her.
Duchess Ovenno.
He made to move closer when everything went black.