Page 10 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

The exterior training yard was full of soldiers working their drills, ones they certainly needed based on the sloppy sparring taking place. But the men and women working up a sweat under the blazing end-of-season sun weren’t the main reason why I’d chosen to take a walk around the training yard with Zurina.

My gaze fixed on a group of the emperor’s honored guests lounging in the tree-dotted grassy expanse nearby. “I still think this is a terrible idea.”

“Why?” Zurina replied, catching the direction of my attention. “It’s not like they’re in any danger.”

I halted, leveling her with a hard, flat look. “That’s not my concern.” Which she likely well knew. Sometimes she seemed to know my thoughts better than I did. Not literally, of course. Her gifts came from Aurora, Goddess of Dawn, and though she could communicate with animals, that did not extend to humans. Any power of the human spirit or mind could only come from Erabus, God of Darkness, who granted my blessing of illusions.

“You worry too much.” She smacked me on the shoulder. “The guards have eyes on them at all times. There’s no way they could sneak away. Besides, it might be good if they relax a bit, you know?”

“You’re not worried about how comfortable some of them have gotten with each other? What they might be plotting together?” Ever since Ilya arrived, the mood of the others had changed. They seemed bolder somehow, encouraged, and it wasn’t because she was a blinding ray of sunshine. Oh, she shone, so brightly I often couldn’t look away, but it was with a raging fire of fury rather than a pleasant disposition. Somehow she used that passion to galvanize the others, little sparks spreading to them like the start of a wildfire that would consume everything in its path. If I’d seen such heart in one of my soldiers, I’d have admired it, praised it, stoked that fire hotter and seen how it would transform her even more. In Ilya, it spelled trouble. Just like I thought the day I met her.

“What could they plot here?” Zurina asked. “Even if they do, what could come of it? We’re better off focusing on real problems, like where we’re going to store all that delicious wine you brought back from the last conquest.”

She laughed at her own joke, but it only soured my mood. We had plenty of things to worry about, and that was the least of them. Whomever had attacked us on the road still remained a mystery, one that plagued my mind into the late hours of the night.

“Oh, come on,” Zurina replied to my silent scowl. “You know I’m kidding.”

A heavy sigh slipped through my lips. “I know.” She was always the one trying to lighten the mood, which I appreciated, even if it didn’t take any of the weight off my shoulders these days.

Perhaps it would be wise to separate them more though—at least for a time. I hadn’t thought it would present a problem for Ilya to stay in the same room as another guest, or for all of them to be housed so close together. It saved space and made it easier for us to watch them. Now, doubt nagged at me. I turned back toward the group lounging under a tree some distance away. The men both lay in the grass, seeming to rest. Ilya had slid next to Elin, who sat with a book open in her hands, reading aloud. The soft, high notes of her voice were a muted hum mingling with the grunts and groans of the training soldiers and crack of wood as training staves met over and over.

“See, they’re reading,” Zurina said. “Not a problem. If you really want to worry about our guests, then spare a moment for those poor boys.” She gestured to the twins where they beat at each other with wooden swords. “They’ll never learn like that.”

I winced as they met in another wild clash, both huffing with exhaustion. No, they certainly wouldn’t. The sight pulled at something deep within me. Maybe it was the scars of my own childhood, but seeing the boys struggle always left me with a hollow ache. And how they’d suffered… Their older brother had refused to submit to our emperor’s hospitality. His rebellion earned him death and condemned his younger brothers to live here in his stead, far from their family. They were old enough to know exactly what happened, but too young to endure it without a barrel of tears and sorrow-laced fury.

Maybe, just maybe, if I helped them, they’d come to understand and appreciate the peace our emperor worked toward, that their time away from the family served a greater purpose.

“Care to help me give them a lesson?” I asked Zurina.

She shook her head. “Two of us might overwhelm them. You go ahead.”

Laughter erupted behind us from a group of soldiers seated at the resting benches near the training area.

“I’m curious what’s going on over there,” Zurina said, gesturing to the group. “I’ll see you later.”

As I watched her leave, one of the soldiers moved, revealing the likely source of their enjoyment. Lady Reyna of Alidade, one of the few of the emperor’s honored guests who seemed to understand the emperor’s vision and embrace their home in the castle, sat among them with a broad smile on her face as she gestured wildly with her hands. The moment she slapped them together in front of her, peals of laughter rang out again. If only all our guests could be so amiable. The same could be said for their respective city-states. Hers was one of the few that wisely submitted to the emperor earlier on and agreed to support his campaign for unification.

When I turned back to the boys, one of them—Theo—fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

The other, Titus, dropped his sword and leaned over him. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Shit.My chest grew tight. Injuries were always a risk in training, but if I taught them the proper methods, those injuries could be minimalized. It wasn’t just that though. Seeing children hurt or upset always dredged up painful memories of when my emperor had found me suffering as a child and saved me from certain death. A nightmare that Ilya had reminded me of all too recently when she begged for her sister to remain. In retrospect, I was glad she did. I probably would have ended up regretting bringing the girl, even if it pleased my emperor. Not that I’d ever admit it.

I raced toward the boys, but someone else beat me there. Ilya dropped to the ground and laid her palm on Theo’s head. Calming words spilled from her lips as she tended him like a mother or older sister. Elin lingered just behind her, one hand cupped over her mouth as she stared at the scene, the other clutching her book to her chest.

“Is he alright?” I asked as I reached them.

Titus jumped away from me liked a spooked hare and bolted to Elin’s side. She pulled him close, her arms and book a shield. Gabriel arrived then and stared warily between me and the kids as if I might cart them off to the dungeons.

Ridiculous.

I ignored them and knelt next to the injured boy on the opposite side from Ilya. Theo grabbed at his arm, still whimpering and rolling on the ground.

“You have to let me see it,” Ilya implored.

“Be still,” I said. Theo looked at me and paled, going quiet and still as death.

Ilya glanced at me, so brief I nearly missed her scowl, before she gently pried the boy’s hand off his arm and set about feeling the injury. A light touch had him yelping in pain.

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