Page 81 of The Rebel's Prize

"That was...interesting," she muttered, glancing out the window to see Jacqueline marching up to the front steps without looking back. They could, of course, have gone to the townhouse first and then let Jacqueline return with the carriage—the de Roche stables were at Maison Castaigne, not at the townhouse—but she rather thought Lucien was making a point that he got to choose what happened, not his mother.

Lucien huffed out a breath. "Just what we didn't need. But maybe it's just as well. We needed to have the discussion sooner or later. And I think she understands our position now."

"I hope so. I would rather be friends with your mother than enemies."

He laughed. "You and me both. And don't worry. She can be fierce when she thinks she's protecting the family. I understand that. But as long as she's satisfied that you are also going to be equally fierce in that cause, then I think she'll leave us be."

"Apart from always keeping an eye on us to make sure I'm not dancing in front of the palace in an inappropriate frock or something equally scandalous?"

Lucien's eyes gleamed. "I would like to see you in a scandalous frock. But perhaps we can keep those for more private situations."

Chloe snorted. "Yes, that might be best. I would be perfectly happy if we lived a very boring life from now on."

Lucien laughed again. "If you're going to be a diplomat, it seems unlikely." His head tilted in curiosity. "What did Captain Brodier have to say?"

Chloe spread her hands. "Only that I've been assigned to the investigation for the immediate future, and then I'm to report back to the corps once it's done for my next assignment."

A pleased grin spread over his face. "See, I told you I had nothing to worry about."

Chloe shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure that's true. I got the distinct feeling that they had been ordered to let the fact that I effectively deserted slide. But I will have some fences to mend."

"Well, it is a corps full of diplomats. View it as good practice."

* * *

As Lucien had predicted, a request from the emperor to attend him arrived three hours after they arrived home. When they reached the palace, they were met by Imogene, who had received her own summons. Louis, Aristides's seneschal, whisked them through the palace to the family wing and into one of Aristides's private offices.

The emperor was already seated behind the desk, and Lucien hid his surprise and bowed. He wore a white linen shirt and black trousers. The shirt sleeve on the right side had been shortened to accommodate the bandage wrapped around his forearm. The only sign of his normal finery were the rings covering his fingers, though several of them had black stones rather than his usual diamonds.

Lucien was relieved to see Aristides looking somewhat recovered, the cut on his face mostly healed, but the fury in the emperor's eyes was banked, not extinguished. He cast a warning glance at Chloe and stepped forward when Aristides demanded their report in clipped tones, determined to take the brunt of any displeasure himself.

When he finished his retelling, supplemented by Chloe and Imogene interjecting occasionally, Aristides regarded them with an expression that suggested that he thought perhaps the three of them had spent far too much time in the hot sun during their travels. "You think someone is using a sanctii to create false memories? Is that even possible?"

"We are looking into that, Your Imperial Majesty," he said carefully. "But we cannot dismiss it entirely. Not when things such as a reveilé are possible."

Aristides looked stern. "And how long before we know?"

"That is the complicated part, Your Imperial Majesty," Chloe said before Lucien could answer. "We asked our sanctii, but there are protocols around speaking of their magics. They couldn't answer."

Aristides lifted an eyebrow. "Do your sanctii not have to do as you say?"

"That is not exactly how it works," Imogene said.

"They did tell us that Elarus would be able to speak to us," Chloe added hastily.

"Elarus? What is different about her?" Aristides asked.

"We don't know much about the differences between females and males in sanctii society, but based on what we've seen, well, my guess is Elarus is...higher ranked? However that works in their world," Chloe said.

The emperor's eyebrows lifted higher. "You think she is an aristocrat of some kind?"

Chloe spread her hands. "It's only speculation, Your Imperial Majesty. But that would explain why she's allowed to speak to us about things that they cannot. I'm sure Queen Sophia would ask her on our behalf."

"Queen Sophia is not here," Aristides pointed out. "Which means her sanctii is not here either, unless you are also about to inform me that sanctii have learned how to cross an ocean freely."

Chloe shook her head. "No, Your Imperial Majesty, but we could send a navire for Sophie. It would take, what, four days at the most, three if the winds are favorable?"

Aristides looked somewhat exasperated. "What makes you think Sophia would be willing to come here? At this point, Illvya seems more dangerous than Anglion."

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