Page 127 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

“You’d rather the noose?” Lucien adjusted his stance and pulled me further into his arms. “Your emperor won’t be there to save you. He’ll have his own tribunal to attend.”

“The city-states will never accomplish it,” the seasoned man continued to spout. Though I didn’t know him, Lucien seemed to, which would make him a high-ranking member of the emperor’s forces. “They’ve never been aligned, not until we brought them together.”

I leaned into Lucien, showing our unity. Unwittingly, the emperor had brought more than just the city-states together.

“You did unite us,” Reyna confirmed, sliding into place at my side. “Though I’m sure that’s not what the emperor intended.”

“We’re allies now.” Or we would be soon enough. I took her hand in mine, a show of unity. “You’ve given common cause to the city-states for the first time in an age. Cause against the emperor. We won’t soon forget what happens when we’re divided, each looking out for ourselves. You can be sure of that. Our friends here”—I gestured to Nyke and the other rebels—“are proof of what we can do when we work together and trust one another.”

“It doesn’t look like this one plans to repent,” Nyke said. His tanned features hardened. “I think we’ve had enough of this pig splatter. Lock him in the stables with the other animals.”

The man continued to spew his fury as they led him away with the others they’d taken captive.

We’d won. The shock of it zipped through my body like a living season storm. I knew it, but until this moment, I hadn’t felt it.

“We can rely on your support and that of Sorrena?” Reyna asked. A formality. From her blinding smile, she already knew my answer.

“Of course. It seems our cities already have a good bit of experience working together.” I nodded toward Nyke. “More than I knew.” If we’d worked together like this cycles ago, Ryszard would never have had the chance to conquer us. Not if we’d been unified. Allied.

“Good. I thought we might hold the trial in Zhine as a new neutral site of sorts? Something to consider.” She waved her hand through the air. “Someone will need to take on the mantle of leadership there, but I’m getting ahead of things. We have much to do yet. Just don’t run off on us, you two.” Reyna winked before walking away. She really was optimistic, already planning far down the road, but there was still much to do before then.

The others moved on as well. Alone with Lucien, my throat suddenly tightened.

Lucien…I’d wanted to ask him to come with me. Or at least, to let me stay with him.

How could I go back to Sorrena now? To step back into my role as heir? All politics and service to my city. Mother would never accept Lucien at my side. Not after what he’d done, and maybe not even if he was just some random man I’d fallen in love with. In her mind, leaders had no time for petty distractions like love and romance.

And then there was Basilla and Stefan. They deserved to know their son lived and to see him again. Would they accept him, knowing what he’d become? Somehow, I felt they would.

Lucien loosened his embrace and stepped away. “It sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you in Sorrena rallying your people to the cause.” He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “When will you be leaving?”

The question pierced my heart, aching worse than the burns on my legs. “We still need to bring Zhine back into the fold, not to mention any supporters of the emperor lingering in the city-states,” I hedged.

“You’re not a fighter, Ilya. Politics and planning are your specialty. The rebels can handle the battles to come with me and the others. It’d be better if you’re safe. Out of harm’s way.”

It didn’t matter that his words were true, they stung like bees all the same. I looked away. “You want me gone so badly?”

“No!” He took my hands in his. “No. Never. If I had my way…” He shook his head. “But you’re the heir of Sorrena. They’ll need you to rebuild, to help them organize and join us for a march on Zhine, for the tribunal to come, and whatever other plans Reyna has up her sleeve for the future. You have a role to fill. People to lead.”

I looked up into his stormy eyes. “Aren’t you the one who said I’m more than my title?”

“Of course.” His voice grew thick as his hands tightened on mine. “You’re so much more.”

“Then stay with me.” I held my breath as I waited for him to respond. Each moment lasted far too long. “Unless you don’t want that anymore,” I continued when the silence stretched.

“I want that more than anything.” He released my hands, cupping my face instead. “Anything. But in Sorrena, they—”

I shook my head. “Anywhere.”

“But your people—”

“I will make sure they join our cause. As for leading them after the war, they can wait,” I replied with a smile. “Mother is still strong. I doubt she’ll relinquish the title anytime soon. And besides, I’m not their only heir. If they don’t want to wait for me to find myself with you, or if they don’t accept you, then Justina can rule.” She was young yet, but Mother had plenty of time to train another successor if she needed to.

His mouth dropped open.

“It was all I wanted once, but no longer. There’s more to life than a title. I choose love. I choose you. Whatever future that brings us, I want it.” Weeks ago, I would have laughed at myself for such a statement, but it was true, every word of it. “Besides, if your parents do welcome you with open arms, as I think they might, you could have your own city to rule one day. You might need someone with experience. Someone trained to rule?” My whole body burned up from within, aching for him, trembling with the passion of my words and worry for his response.

Lucien dropped his arms as his chest shook with laughter. “Had your eye on a different title, huh?”

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